Ssb - all change for premier league

[MySockPuppet]

The Premier League, an ever present fixture on the circuit since 1987, will undergo a major format change this year.

There will be ten players involved – an increase of three – and each night will be a mini four-man tournament in its own right, with a winner.

Each of the ten players will compete in four of these mini-tournaments. Points earned will decide the top four who will compete in the play-offs.

These semi-finals and finals will be best of five frames. The shot-clock will be reduced from 25 seconds to 20 for the first four frames. The miss rule has been changed so that players will have three attempts to make a legal contact. If they fail to do so, ball-in-hand anywhere on the table will be awarded to the incoming player.

If any of the matches reach 2-2 the decider will be played under the Shootout rules: a maximum of ten minutes with a 20 second shot-clock for the first five minutes and 15 for the next five.

Prize money for the eventual winner has doubled to £60,000 but there will no longer be £1,000 a frame to play for.

So why the change? Promoters Matchroom felt the Premier League had become a bit stale and resembled a series of exhibitions.

In fact, it’s always been that. The League’s great contribution to snooker has been in taking top players around the UK to places not usually served by the game, as well as providing some big paydays for the game’s leading lights.

The financially lucrative nature of the Premier League means it rates much higher in many players’ priorities than audiences may think.

I’ll reserve judgement on the new format until the event starts – on August 18 – but the first observation is that it is no longer actually a league. The players will no longer all play each other.

There is now a simple qualifying structure for the event. The field is made up of winners of last season’s major tournaments, plus Matthew Stevens, who won the Championship League qualifier.

Tenth place has been awarded to Jimmy White, who won the World Seniors Championship. This means Mark Selby, the world no.3, misses out.

On the face of it, choosing White over Selby is highly questionable given that they are separated in the rankings by 52 places.

However, Selby didn’t win a tournament last season. If he had, he’d have been in.

And although White has undoubtedly been shoe-horned in, if I were the promoter – putting up my own money and looking for a return through ticket sales – I’d have him in the tournament without hesitation.

The complete field is: Ronnie O’Sullivan (defending champion), John Higgins (World champion), Ding Junhui (Masters champion), Mark Williams (German Masters champion), Ali Carter (Shanghai Masters champion), Judd Trump (China Open champion), Neil Robertson (World Open champion), Shaun Murphy (PTC Finals champion), Matthew Stevens (Championship League winner) and Jimmy White (World Seniors champion).


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[wildJONESEYE]

And although White has undoubtedly been shoe-horned in, if I were the promoter – putting up my own money and looking for a return through ticket sales – I’d have him in the tournament without hesitation.

So Next year if Dave Harold wins the World seniors he would be in ?

surely Nigel Bond as Shot Clock Shootout Champion has more a Shout to play in a Shot clock event than Jimmy White.

[João]

The Premier League is now officially a bigger joke than it was already.

[cueman]

TBF Selby's game would never stand up under this format anyway. This is a guy who its not uncommon to spend 2 minutes sometimes deliberating over his choice of negative safety shot. Jimmy will get bums on seats which is what these events are about anyway.

The tournament is not meant to be the same as the usual ranking events, its about making snooker different and I'm all for these changes. The game needs this instead of the same old same old. The shootout was a big success and nearly every player enjoyed it, this is just an extension of that with better prize money and over a longer format.

[fateric]

It doesn't matter who they put in the event, it's going to be absolutely heaving because Trump is in it. Every event he plays is guaranteed sold out for a long time to come.

[Odrl]

The Premier League is now officially a bigger joke than it was already.

Agreed. It used to be an event I didn't really care about, but I would sometimes watch it on Thursdays when there was nothing better to do. Shot-clock snooker is not really my cup of tea, but it's not too bad between proper tournaments.

But this format just takes away that last little bit of connection it had to the snooker I love. The inclusion of White doesn't help the credibility of the event either, but since I'm not going to be watching it anyway, I'm not going to waste my time protesting against it.

[goku]

gotta admit im not sure i like the new changes but time will tell.
guys just to remind you guys look at the potential game we will have Jimmy White vs Judd Trump.....what a cracker that would be to watch. i'm looking forward to that match

[missneworleans]

That sounds really stupid...I like the old format, and 3 more people would have been good ...maybe more frames..but this!!!

[Looki]

I don't like the rule change either, I think it was ok before. Anyways, Jimmy White being there is the biggest joke.

[wildJONESEYE]

TBF Selby's game would never stand up under this format anyway. This is a guy who its not uncommon to spend 2 minutes sometimes deliberating over his choice of negative safety shot. Jimmy will get bums on seats which is what these events are about anyway.

The tournament is not meant to be the same as the usual ranking events, its about making snooker different and I'm all for these changes. The game needs this instead of the same old same old. The shootout was a big success and nearly every player enjoyed it, this is just an extension of that with better prize money and over a longer format.

what utter bollox Selby has played some of the best snooker Ronnie aside ive ever seen under shot clock infact in his first season playing shot clock he adapted to it quicker than Ronnie did in his first season.

i have no problam with the PL putting in clowns just adds to the fact its a joke.

[the_Crippler09]

So Jimmy (kept snooker popular during the down years) White is a clown.? With all due respect, your thinking is a bit regressive in terms of keeping snooker popular.

The simple fact is, Selby didnt meet the criteria so discussing his exclusion is a pointless exercise. It came down to either Bond or White and lets face it, Jimmy will draw a big audience, create a great atmosphere and get people to tune in, so please explain to me how this is a bad thing for snooker....anyone?

[wildJONESEYE]

So Jimmy (kept snooker popular during the down years) White is a clown.? With all due respect, your thinking is a bit regressive in terms of keeping snooker popular.

The simple fact is, Selby didnt meet the criteria so discussing his exclusion is a pointless exercise. It came down to either Bond or White and lets face it, Jimmy will draw a big audience, create a great atmosphere and get people to tune in, so please explain to me how this is a bad thing for snooker....anyone?

hahahaha and Jimmy met the criteria of "the field has been increased from the traditional seven players to ten to accommodate the winners of every major event in the snooker calendar." come on.

i have no problem with jimmy playing in this but don't anyone call it a major event on the calender because its quite clearly not by inviting players based on popularity..

[Odrl]

The simple fact is, Selby didnt meet the criteria so discussing his exclusion is a pointless exercise. It came down to either Bond or White and lets face it, Jimmy will draw a big audience, create a great atmosphere and get people to tune in, so please explain to me how this is a bad thing for snooker....anyone?

Well... I actually think it was important for these criteria to be set. It was ok for players to be invited at the discretion of the organizer in the past, because it was organized independently of the governing body. But since this is no longer the case, it's important that all professional players are treated equally and have the same chance.

The problem is that the rules were set so late in the game, and it now looks as if they conveniently found something that applies to Jimmy White as the last way in. Personally, I'm sure that's exactly what's happened. You may think it's a good thing, and in the short run it probably is, but they've now set the precedent for deciding the final player for future events. It may be White this year, but it could be a less attractive player next time. And let's be honest, the likes of Harold or Bond will be among the favourites to win seniors' events in the future. So if they then deny these players entry under the same circumstances, it would be a pretty corrupt decision.

On the other hand, if the final spot went to the next highest ranked player, there would be almost no risk, because it would by definition be a top player.

[wildJONESEYE]

Well... I actually think it was important for these criteria to be set. It was ok for players to be invited at the discretion of the organizer in the past, because it was organized independently of the governing body. But since this is no longer the case, it's important that all professional players are treated equally and have the same chance.

The problem is that the rules were set so late in the game, and it now looks as if they conveniently found something that applies to Jimmy White as the last way in. Personally, I'm sure that's exactly what's happened. You may think it's a good thing, and in the short run it probably is, but they've now set the precedent for deciding the final player for future events. It may be White this year, but it could be a less attractive player next time. And let's be honest, the likes of Harold or Bond will be among the favourites to win seniors' events in the future. So if they then deny these players entry under the same circumstances, it would be a pretty corrupt decision.

On the other hand, if the final spot went to the next highest ranked player, there would be almost no risk, because it would by definition be a top player.

spot on who knows maybe Joe Johnson or Dennis Taylor will be in 2012/2013 League lol

[the_Crippler09]

hahahaha and Jimmy met the criteria of "the field has been increased from the traditional seven players to ten to accommodate the winners of every major event in the snooker calendar." come on.

i have no problem with jimmy playing in this but don't anyone call it a major event on the calender because its quite clearly not by inviting players based on popularity..

Well actually yes, he won a world snooker event, albeit the seniors, but a world snooker event nonetheless. And while this IS a major event, its not a ranking event so the same qualification rules dont have to apply. To have all the title winners playing an event and for you to not consider it a major is just silly really.