Seven times world champion Stephen Hendry and Chinese star Ding Junhui are joining the Championship League for its second year.
The event - screened live on the internet - was won last season by Joe Perry and gets underway again next month.
Hendry and Ding will play in group one alongside Ryan Day, Mark Selby, Ali Carter, Shaun Murphy and Perry.
Carter and Perry put much of their good form this year down to the Matchroom-promoted event.
It has been a great success. Indeed, it is hard to imagine Hendry playing in it if it wasn't.
It affords players top class practice against tough opposition and the financial rewards are huge.
The eventual winner earns a place in the lucrative Premier League.
More info and fixtures here.
15 comments:
Perry and Selby are already qualified for the next Premier League, aren't they ?
So they don't have to play the Championship League this year.
Am I wrong ?
You can play in the CLS and still be invited to the PL
The only player guaranteed though is the defending champion
So I was really mistaking !
I thought only the last 2 players of the final table (i.e. Davis and Ding) were out.
(Still many things to learn ... but it's never too late.)
Thx Dave.
Dave,
On an off topic, any more thoughts on the Masters wildcard. Do you still think Walden will get it, and who decides it, WSA or the BBC?
They decide between themselves. I'd be surprised if it isn't Walden and would imagine it will be announced in the next few days.
Any idea if the general public will be able to attend the Championship League this year?
Will there be any room for spectators this year at the venue?
I'm not sure about this, I think it's a little unfair for players who will be invited to play in the Premier League to be playing in the Championship League.
The whole point of the Championship League is to qualify for the Premier League.
You don't see players playing the Masters qualifying tournament when they are already playing in the Masters, even though it would be financially beneficial to them.
And I don't see the fact that Matchroom haven't selected players yet to be an excuse, they should select the players who will be invited before the Championship League starts.
Can you imagine playing in the Championship League and being not qualifying for the final table play-off because someone who has already been invited to the Premier League beats you, ...that would be a devastating and annoying situation for a player to be in.
Andy
There's long been a misplaced concept of 'fairness' in snooker
This event is a private promotion - Matchroom can invite whoever they want
The main aim is to provide a player for the Premier League but the event is funded by revenues from betting websites and this will be bigger the bigger the names involved
Hendry and Ding are likely to be in the Premier League but not certain
Either way, it enhances the credibility of the Championship League to havethem competing
Andy
The Matchroom snooker events are mostly game show types. They don't care much about those 'sporting details'. ;)
Mig
well done to matchroom for providing quality snooker for us all to enjoy on the internet.
Hopefully Higgins and Davis will also be in action in another group.
John H
matchroom is run as a professional business.
world snooker couldn't even run a p*** up in a brewery.
Can see where Andy is coming from, if say Ding wins it then whilst not unfair, I think it's a bit of a shame somehow.
Off-topic, just seen Joe Perry's Welsh Open draw, Possibly Williams and Selby for his first two matches, just doesn't get any easier :D
Good for a lot of players, but not
good for a player of Dings caliber,
he is nearly squeesed dry as it is.
Just the same for Darts. Taylor was defending Premier League Champion but entered the Championship League and won it so its tough titties.
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