tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post2494106920273875375..comments2024-02-03T12:04:16.336+00:00Comments on SNOOKER SCENE BLOG: THE YEAR AHEADDave Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-89192488892459024492009-01-05T18:55:00.000+00:002009-01-05T18:55:00.000+00:00RE: TV COVERAGEI appreciate there are other channe...RE: TV COVERAGE<BR/><BR/>I appreciate there are other channels covering Snooker, but the BBC (Well, they used too) pay the biggest brunt of TV money into WSA's coffers, and without that money, they would probably be insolvent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-1034021892801923482009-01-05T15:08:00.000+00:002009-01-05T15:08:00.000+00:00Ebdon was not a runaway though. In general ratings...Ebdon was not a runaway though. In general ratings are down from 2002. I stand by what I said though without Ronnie the game will be a little less popular. I know people who only really watch when he's on.jamie brannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01668254365608375328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-52415902714699815842009-01-05T12:36:00.001+00:002009-01-05T12:36:00.001+00:00Good comment Sparky- if you added Stephen Lee to t...Good comment Sparky- if you added Stephen Lee to the 8 you listed you could for 2 or 3 years guarantee that one of those 9 names wuould win every significant tournament- but you could not say which of them it would be- the standard they all reached in those few years was exceptional although Hendry 5 years earlier would generally have beaten all of them most of the time.<BR/>JHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-34040567027300171152009-01-05T12:36:00.000+00:002009-01-05T12:36:00.000+00:00Good comment Sparky- if you added Stephen Lee to t...Good comment Sparky- if you added Stephen Lee to the 8 you listed you could for 2 or 3 years guarantee that one of those 9 names wuould win every significant tournament- but you could not say which of them it would be- the standard they all reached in those few years was exceptional although Hendry 5 years earlier would generally have beaten all of them most of the time.<BR/>JHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-35640941646434269122009-01-05T09:42:00.000+00:002009-01-05T09:42:00.000+00:00Oooops - of cours I meant "Hendry, Higgins, Willia...Oooops - of cours I meant "Hendry, Higgins, Williams, O'Sullivan"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-57497902449153351222009-01-05T09:41:00.000+00:002009-01-05T09:41:00.000+00:00I think Snooker was at its best around 2000 when w...I think Snooker was at its best around 2000 when we had the 'big four' rivalry (Hendry, Higgins, Williams, Higgins) and alongside there was Ebdon, Doherty, Stevens and Hunter. That's about tre right number of profiles that you need to make the game interesting - and also I think that these players brought out the best of each each other - they REALLY didn't want to lose to one of the others! Today we don't see that kind of concistency with the players.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-7479834642977716452009-01-04T09:31:00.000+00:002009-01-04T09:31:00.000+00:00The Burnett inquiry will be published after a new ...The Burnett inquiry will be published after a new sponsor (if any) is found for Sheffield.<BR/>Regarding TV coverage - don´t forget Eurosport Player, excellent web quality, covering live snooker et.cet.<BR/>3,8 £ a month.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-38774898759729105812009-01-03T12:35:00.000+00:002009-01-03T12:35:00.000+00:00Slightly off topic, but -- do we have any idea whe...Slightly off topic, but -- do we have any idea when in this new year the results of the Burnett inquiry are likely to be revealed? I fear this is going to become the kind of "inquiry" you get in the civil service when things go wrong -- ie, one which exonerates everyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-59460237209688710842009-01-02T23:59:00.000+00:002009-01-02T23:59:00.000+00:00when you think about tv coverage of snooker dont f...when you think about tv coverage of snooker dont forget to mention not only bbc but also eurosport, sky-sports and on-line streamsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-14869456143461491862009-01-02T23:08:00.000+00:002009-01-02T23:08:00.000+00:00To take up Jamie's point about TV figures, yes, 4....To take up Jamie's point about TV figures, yes, 4.2m is a huge number to watch the end of a final that is a runaway and it is safe to assume O'Sullivan's presence had something to do with that<BR/><BR/>However, far more people watched Peter Ebdon win the 2002 title than O'Sullivan's triumph the year before so I'm not sure such assumptions should always be drawn from ratings<BR/><BR/>I recall the Small v McManus LG Cup final of 2002 getting a big audience and most observers would not have expected that - it often probably just comes down to what else is, or isn't, on at the timeDave Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-78631326702146257392009-01-02T20:32:00.000+00:002009-01-02T20:32:00.000+00:00Tony Miaow...HaHa!Tony Miaow...HaHa!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-69514860772286850572009-01-02T18:52:00.000+00:002009-01-02T18:52:00.000+00:00As people keen on the game it'll survive. They don...As people keen on the game it'll survive. They don't have to play - love to snooker will be enough.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-69780984083190644012009-01-02T18:40:00.000+00:002009-01-02T18:40:00.000+00:00To quote jamie:"On tv the game is still popular as...To quote jamie:<BR/><BR/>"On tv the game is still popular as ever if you look at it in the write context."<BR/><BR/><BR/>The game popular, but not AS POPULAR.<BR/><BR/>The format and presentation of TV snooker is: Old Hat - Past its best - Seen better days.<BR/>If the BBC (The most valuable part of the deal) get fed up with the rating fall, we can look forward to another drop in the contract value. Add that to the economic climate we are in with sponsors dropping like flies, and soon players outside the top 16 will need to find other work to supplement their income........ assuming some of them are not doing that already.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-22619823296867957062009-01-02T17:11:00.000+00:002009-01-02T17:11:00.000+00:00I kind of agree with the dominant thing but Ronnie...I kind of agree with the dominant thing but Ronnie back at the top as given the game a boost. The viewing figures were great for a one sided final this year. Any other player winning that easily would not have got such a good audience. I fear when he retires the game will take a nosedive. The man at the top does not have to be disliked Federe and Woods are generally popular because people are amazed by their brilliance just like with Ronnie. Comparing the popularity of the sport era to era is futile, tv ratings are dropping across the genres. Taylor Davis would not have got 18.5 million today no where near. On tv the game is still popular as ever if you look at it in the write context. The lack of written press coverage is concerning though.jamie brannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01668254365608375328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-70018855505226080672009-01-02T15:39:00.000+00:002009-01-02T15:39:00.000+00:00I think great rivalries are more important than ha...I think great rivalries are more important than having one dominant figure. Hendry/Davis/White held our attention in the early 90's while Spencer/Reardon/Higgins/Charlton did the same in the 70's and Higgins/Davis/Thorburn/Griffiths in the early 80's<BR/><BR/>These classic match ups make a difference. I think in years to come Maguire/Murphy could develop into a great rivalry but we are lacking the national support we used to have as it is seen as Maguire/Murphy rather than Scotland/England- bring back the nations cup in some form!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-11691615535123170602009-01-02T14:09:00.000+00:002009-01-02T14:09:00.000+00:00If the players do not push for change via the SPA,...If the players do not push for change via the SPA, then they might as well order their sports tombstone.<BR/><BR/>The SPA can only do good. I liken it to the PDC in darts (I also see WSA as the BDO of snooker.......<BR/>being IMBECILES!<BR/><BR/>It certainly seems to me that the game is in "The Last Chance Saloon" as a credible world sport.<BR/>The clowns in Bristol (Clowns putting it mildly) are on a suicide mission to wreck the game.<BR/><BR/>With the SPA gathering pace, its just a matter of time before Rodders and his clan are given the boot, and then maybe the game can go forward.<BR/><BR/>But don't expect miracles. There is a mountain to climb for these people, and its not going to be easy in this economic climate.<BR/><BR/>One thing is for sure though. I NEVER expected darts to overtake snooker, but it certainly has as both a spectator and TV sport.<BR/>Maybe we should look at how they conduct events, and take some positives out of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-76724090561283780112009-01-02T13:48:00.000+00:002009-01-02T13:48:00.000+00:00Matt - it entirely depends on who ends up running ...Matt - it entirely depends on who ends up running it as to whether it will be a success.<BR/><BR/>Rich - you're probably right there.Dave Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-5886216909926585562009-01-02T13:12:00.000+00:002009-01-02T13:12:00.000+00:00It will be interesting to see what impact the Snoo...It will be interesting to see what impact the Snooker Player's Association will have in practice. Do you expect the players to push for change via that union?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-62339947129559739972009-01-02T11:17:00.000+00:002009-01-02T11:17:00.000+00:00I wonder whether snooker misses out a bit now beca...I wonder whether snooker misses out a bit now because it doesn't have a dominate figure like it did in the Davis/Hendry era's. Snooker was obviously very popular in the Davis era and I don't believe it waned too much during the Hendry era. But after these dominant periods the game doesn't have someone at it's pinnacle that everyone wants to lose.<BR/><BR/>Likewise, darts, which has gained a monumental following in its PDC version, has Phil Taylor who pretty much dominates the game. The BDO version, which barely has a recognisable name involved, is on the fall. <BR/><BR/>Golf continues to blossom and Tiger Woods, when fit, rules the roost. While tennis had Federer for years although his hold on the top spot is coming to an end.<BR/><BR/>I think snooker needs some sort of machine at the top of the world rankings that everyone wants to see lose. I'm sure there's a pattern there in those examples I've provided, perhaps this is all the game needs?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com