There have been various initiatives over the years to make snooker 'more appealing to young people.'
These are usually ill-thought through cosmetic exercises, such as when players removed their bowties a few years ago, which left most of them looking like they couldn't be bothered to get dressed properly.
These initiatives are pointless. Young people will either take to the sport or not. Gimmicks don't make the slightest difference. Also, if the powers-that-be really wanted youngsters to get into snooker they wouldn't play major finals so late at night.
Apart from that, it's also insulting to the significant number of older people who loyally follow the sport.
It stands to reason that the viewing audience on an afternoon will be mainly made up of retired people and the elderly.
I wonder, though, how many are as old as Catherine Cortis, who will be in the front row at the Malta Cup in Portomaso this week.
Catherine is 91 and profiled in today's Times of Malta. She avidly watches the game on Eurosport and has her favourites - Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry in particular.
Let's hope she enjoys her week at the tournament. The same goes for all those watching, whatever their age.
Here's the Times of Malta article:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080203/sport/91-year-old-granny-likes-snooker-and-hendry-too
2 comments:
God bless her! Let's not forget that older people not only follow the game avidly but also introduce younger people to snooker. I think the players appreciate them. Let's hope so.
Speaking of golden oldies, any idea who won the Midlands Billiards Championships?
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