Ever the innovator, Matchroom supremo Barry Hearn has found another gap in the market and intends to fill it by staging what is in affect a qualifying event for the Premier League.
It will run between February and May and be shown in betting shops and on the internet.
Read the official press release here:
http://www.matchroomsport.com
7 comments:
Hi Dave,
This all sounds quite interesting and exciting. The professionals must be delighted to see something like this on the snooker circuit. Have you heard any feedback from the pros?
The format is a little confusing. It sounds like they're starting with one group and somehow eventually building up to seven groups with a total number of 25 players....?? Do you fully understand the format and how these multiple groups and 25 players are split up?
But £200,000 is an excellent wad of cash for a qualifying tournament! Should be interesting to see how successful this is when broadcast live over the internet as well. I've also discussed this a little with a post on my blog.
Andy
Hi Dave,
A "comment poster" has just cleared this up on my blog.
He said:
"This is how I understand the convoluted format:
7 play round-robin, with the top 4 advancing to a semi-final knockout. The winner advances to a 'winner's group'. The bottom 2 drop out, while 3 new invitees come in and the format is repeated, with one further player advancing to the 'winner's group'.
This happens 7 times and the 7 players in the 'winners group' then play each other to determine the one player who advances to the Premier League."
So yes, that seems to be correct and means everybody has to qualify for the 2008 Premier League!! There are no invitees. (6 * 3) + 7 = 25 players! It's certainly a complicated/convoluted qualifying format. But the 7 best players should end up in the 2008 Premier League. I wonder if Barry Hearn's best mate Steve Davis will qualify, hasn't he played in all of the Premier Leagues ever played!? :o)
Andy
There is a massive incentive as the eventual winner will take the seventh and final place for the 2008 Premier League Snooker tournament.
(...)
This final phase will also be played in a league basis with the overall champion clinching a spot in the main 2008 Premier League Snooker competition.
They way I understand this is that the PL will feature the winner of the CL plus six invited players. So not everyone has to qualify.
Yes, it's six invited players and qualifying for one place
Got it! :o)
7 groups plus a winner's group. The winner of each of the 7 groups play in the winner's group, and the winner of that group takes the 7th spot in the 2008 Premier League.
Phew!
Sounds exciting.
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