Ssb - exclusive: Five new tournaments in 2011/12

[MySockPuppet]

There will be at least five new events next season according to the official schedule for the 2011/12 campaign.

It includes a new ranking tournament in Asia, another ranking event in an as yet unspecified location, an additional invitation event in China, the Brazilian Masters and a World Cup in Thailand.

There will, once again, be 12 Professional Tour Championship events and the World Open remains on the calendar, even though the BBC will not be broadcasting it.

All this adds up to a very busy year, something players have been demanding for a long time.

I worked out that, for example, the world champion will have 29 events to play in if he wants to – nine ranking tournaments, the Masters, the 12 PTCs, the PTC grand finals (if he qualifies), the Premier League, Championship League, World Cup, two Chinese invitation events and the Brazilian Masters.

The top players are moving to a position where they will start picking and choosing which tournaments to play in, a position unimaginable just a year ago.


More...

[Gargon]

Look forward to seeing the dates and the venues for the PTC events. Hope theres some more for Gloucester and London.

[Odrl]

Well, let's hope this turns out to be good news.

Hopefully those two ranking events will have proper formats, which would get the number up to eight again. That's not too bad, especially if they fill the huge gap we have this season between the Shanghai Masters and the UK Championship. Ten events would be better, but with the new invitational events and the World Cup, it would make for a very healthy calendar.

I just hope the new events don't turn out to be some sort of short format or shot clock or other non-events.

[JanieWatkins]

Look forward to seeing the dates and the venues for the PTC events. Hope theres some more for Gloucester and London.

We hope so, down here at SWSA in Gloucester!!! London would be good too and maybe one in the North West.

I've always been against all PTCS being staged in one location, strikes me as totally unfair on one section of players who always had the longest journeys - I think Andy Hicks with an 8 hour drive to Sheffield was probably the furthest away.

[Migtsf]

This is the original source of the provisional calendar.

http://www.worldsnooker.com/PTC10_ne...14.htm?tid=192

I wonder what this means:

"** UK and World Championship qualifiers subject to format review"

[Acrowot]

Why the North West, Janie? What is wrong with the East Midlands, The East or South Yorks.

We are out on a limb in this part of the country.
:snooker:

[Souwester]

I just hope World Snooker stick to their calendar, so that NGBs don't keep having to change theirs! It's bad enough as it is trying to sort dates that don't clash with other events in an increasingly busy schedule.

[wildJONESEYE]

This is the original source of the provisional calendar.

http://www.worldsnooker.com/PTC10_ne...14.htm?tid=192

I wonder what this means:

"** UK and World Championship qualifiers subject to format review"

i think its to do with where they will be held at the moment theres no spectators going to be able to go to any qualifiers i honestly think that needs to be reviewed

[missneworleans]

Lol soon there will be more tourneys in China then in Uk
What is world cup in thailand?

[darrus]

What is world cup in thailand?

Team championship, if I'm not mistaken.

[Gargon]

We hope so, down here at SWSA in Gloucester!!! London would be good too and maybe one in the North West.

I've always been against all PTCS being staged in one location, strikes me as totally unfair on one section of players who always had the longest journeys - I think Andy Hicks with an 8 hour drive to Sheffield was probably the furthest away.

Must be tough on the Irish players also.

One area that is also completely deprived is the South East (mostly Kent and Sussex) no pro events go there and we dont even get the Premier League. Venues could be: The Brighton Centre (hosting Snooker Legends thank god), Bexhill Pavilion or the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne.

[Rane]

To be honest there´s no reason to feel sorry for the english players. Most tournaments in their own country with their native language, in comparison with the chinese or asian based players an 8 hour drive isn´t much!

[Rane]

Otherwise I´m looking forward to another season with PTC, that has been a great invention. The last two tournaments are getting very exiting as theres a battle for the top 8 places as well as the 24 places, but hopefully there´s broadcasting/videostreaming from all tournaments next year. And visitors would be a fine thing too.

[beechy1212]

i think its to do with where they will be held at the moment theres no spectators going to be able to go to any qualifiers i honestly think that needs to be reviewed

It doesn't need reviewing, it needs changing straight away IMO. Not only that, after the success of the streaming in Gloucester, it would be great to watch some qualifiers. I'm sure anyone interested would be willing to pay a couple of quid to watch a game.

Pro Snooker should never ever be played in cubicles with no one allowed in.

[visionaire]

Snooker needs to move out of the UK, the PTC's are the perfect opportunity for this. Let's just drop the Welsh Open alltogether and move the World Open to a more global location.