Will the World Championship Go Ahead as Normal??

zuutroy

Dave Hendon did a podcast earlier in the week and the official line he got from WST is that it's definitely going to happen in the allotted slot, even if that means if has to be played in an empty Crucible. The fact that it holds 980 might mean it just escapes if they ban gatherings over 1000. I've got good tickets to both semi-finals to a close, so I'm really hoping I get to use them! Would be my first time at the one-table setup. Have to admit it's not looking good as the virus should be peaking in the UK just as its due to begin.

melon_collie

I can't see it happening tbh. Look at the bad press that Cheltenham has gotten over last few days. If all other sports have cancelled their schedules then snooker will have to follow suit. Disappointing I know. . . . . But this is an extraordinary situation.

Arthur Daley

Have tickets to the Crucible also. Any chance this year's tickets will just roll forward to 2021, rather than a refund. Cannot see crowds being there in 2020.

zuutroy

They've rescheduled the Tour Champs to the end of July, so maybe WC in August?

ArmaniJeanss

Even if the WC goes ahead later in the year, it's surely not guaranteed that the Crucible will be available for 17 consecutive days.
So could well be a shortened tournament (Barry gets his wish) or a different venue.

zuutroy

Pretty sure 3x sellouts per day for 17 days (excepting the final) might mean that whatever was originally scheduled will get bumped.

Joe_ Public

The crucible will already be booked for a week in august for the world seniors so it would seem to make sense to aim for that. They could always play another round in ponds forge in order to save time.

You then have to get q school out of the way before new season can begin but that wont be the worst problem to have if it means events being able to take place again.

Joe_ Public

Check the world snooker site and its countdown clock to the world championships is ticking merrily away. Cant see why this charade should go on. Is there any other major sport being less proactive about calling its flagship events off? Even Glastonbury announced its festival - more than 3 months away - is a goner. Arent you just fostering uncertainty and giving people false hope at this stage? Much as they tried, they couldnt stage an 8 player tournament in a small north wales village this week but somehow cling to the illusion they'll be allowed stage a 128 player one in a small city in less than 3 weeks time! Two referees fell ill in gibraltar last week. Time to end this farce right now imo.

FR01

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Check the world snooker site and its countdown clock to the world championships is ticking merrily away. Cant see why this charade should go on. Is there any other major sport being less proactive about calling its flagship events off? Even Glastonbury announced its festival - more than 3 months away - is a goner. Arent you just fostering uncertainty and giving people false hope at this stage? Much as they tried, they couldnt stage an 8 player tournament in a small north wales village this week but somehow cling to the illusion they'll be allowed stage a 128 player one in a small city in less than 3 weeks time! Two referees fell ill in gibraltar last week. Time to end this farce right now imo.

Announcement imminent

Joe_ Public

Cant believe the european championships actually going ahead in portugal at the moment. Fair play to all the irish guys for withdrawing from it.

bradolf pittler

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Cant believe the european championships actually going ahead in portugal at the moment. Fair play to all the irish guys for withdrawing from it.

From what i understand the lads were willing to travel but were advised not to by ribsa.Getting over there wasn't a problem but they couldn't guarantee them getting back.It was the correct decision from ribsa.
I still cant believe they went ahead with it to be honest,Only 50+ entrees compared to well over 100 in previous years.Even some of the players like Darren Morgan only played in the 6 red event and got home asap.Shame on the ebsa.I wonder will the press on with the other european event due to take place in Russia in early June?
I gather theres a conference call meeting to be held by ribsa soon where they while announce the suspension of all competitions until it is deemed safe for clubs to reopen etc.
My guess is Sept at the earliest

Joe_ Public

Spain been in lockdown since sunday or monday i think and state of emergency declared in portugal in the meantime. Yet they thought for this to go ahead, just wrong. Credit to all on the irish side, followed protocol and did right thing.

Meanwhile....hearing people are receiving tickets in the post for the crucible. The show/charade must go on it would seem...

bradolf pittler

Theres no way the crucible can go ahead,God knows how bad the U.K. will be in 4 weeks time and i'm sure snooker will be the last thing on everyone's mind by then.

FR01

World championship cancelled - announcement in the morning

FR01

FR01 wrote: »

World championship cancelled - announcement in the morning

Here you go

https://wst.tv/betfred-world-championship-postponed/

zuutroy

Summer holidays in glamorous Sheffield it is then (hopefully)!

Exclamation Marc

Tickets remain valid thankfully so will hopefully get there in the Summer.

AllForIt

zuutroy wrote: »

Summer holidays in glamorous Sheffield it is then (hopefully)!

This announcement would seem to come on the back of Boris Johnson saying yesterday that he/his advisers would guesstimate the country would be over the worst of it in 12 weeks time. No one knows that for certain of course.

Joe_ Public

zuutroy wrote: »

Summer holidays in glamorous Sheffield it is then (hopefully)!

One can always hope anyway.

Arthur Daley

https://twitter.com/AonghusMcAnally/status/1241483216265056256

Courtesy of Skid X on the Beebrock thread

Joe_ Public

Arthur Daley wrote: »

https://twitter.com/AonghusMcAnally/status/1241483216265056256

Courtesy of Skid X on the Beebrock thread

Wonderful.

zuutroy

The Sun are reporting that it will take the Olympic slot at the end of July.

AllForIt

I wonder what the standard will be like, specifically wondering if all this self isolation would help. Then again, no matchplay action for a good few months so that might offset any advantage gained in increased levels of isolation practice.

Chalk McHugh

zuutroy wrote: »

The Sun are reporting that it will take the Olympic slot at the end of July.

Wouldn't that be wonderful. With all the doom and gloom this one small post has given me a boost.

zuutroy

AllForIt wrote: »

I wonder what the standard will be like, specifically wondering if all this self isolation would help. Then again, no matchplay action for a good few months so that might offset any advantage gained in increased levels of isolation practice.

A lot of players don't have a table at home and from what I hear those who do aren't doing much practice.

Hotblack Desiato

zuutroy wrote: »

The Sun are reporting that it will take the Olympic slot at the end of July.

Not likely imho. Not with an audience, anyway. I'll be very surprised if any mass gatherings of 1000 people or more take place before next year.

Joe_ Public

Not sure you'd pay me to be in that audience...cough, cough, splutter, cough...

Hotblack Desiato

There's too much fecking coughing in a normal year!

Even with no audience, and no players' families attending, you're still looking at hundreds of people gathered together between players, coaches, officials, and broadcasting staff.

zuutroy

Hundreds is a major stretch. 4 players, 4 officials, 4 camera people in the arena. Everyone else can be isolated sufficiently to keep them safe.

If they did go ahead with a crowd it would be hard decision as I've nice tickets for the last semi-final sessions for myself and 3 friends worth a total of about €800. I'd settle for a crowd-less version in July and tickets valid for the April 2021 Championship.

Joe_ Public

Judd Trump, for one, doesnt believe it should go ahead behind closed doors. Personally i think he's right.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/03/snooker-world-championship-needs-crowd-says-judd-trump-12505367/

Chalk McHugh

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Judd Trump, for one, doesnt believe it should go ahead behind closed doors. Personally i think he's right.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/03/snooker-world-championship-needs-crowd-says-judd-trump-12505367/

Would you prefer no World Championship in 2020 over a tournament played behind closed doors? Personally i would love to see it being played one way or the other at this stage. Im sure a lot of snooker fans would enjoy two weeks of top class snooker even with no crowd. Its a pretty silent sport for the most part so if any game could go ahead behind closed doors it iis snooker. Just for this one year. But safety and health for all is paramount so whatever decision is made i'll gladly accept it.

Chalk McHugh

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Judd Trump, for one, doesnt believe it should go ahead behind closed doors. Personally i think he's right.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/03/snooker-world-championship-needs-crowd-says-judd-trump-12505367/

Would you prefer no World Championship in 2020 over a tournament played behind closed doors? Personally i would love to see it being played one way or the other at this stage. Im sure a lot of snooker fans would enjoy two weeks of top class snooker even with no crowd. Its a pretty silent sport for the most part so if any game could go ahead behind closed doors it iis snooker. Just for this one year. But safety and health for all is paramount so whatever decision is made i'll gladly accept it.

Joe_ Public

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

Would you prefer no World Championship in 2020 over a tournament played behind closed doors? Personally i would love to see it being played one way or the other at this stage. Im sure a lot of snooker fans would enjoy two weeks of top class snooker even with no crowd. Its a pretty silent sport for the most part so if any game could go ahead behind closed doors it iis snooker. Just for this one year. But safety and health for all is paramount so whatever decision is made i'll gladly accept it.

Yeah i can see why folk would want it to happen. Maybe I'd feel different in july if the prospect was a definite runner but right now, i just feel total indifference at best. Maybe start playing tournaments if possible but dont call them the world champs? I've occasionally tuned in to that championship league thing they play with no spectators and never see the point of it. A guy could win the worlds this year and there'll only ever be an asterisk against it, I'm not sure that can be right thing to do tbh, as much as we all yearn for it to happen.

AllForIt

zuutroy wrote: »

A lot of players don't have a table at home and from what I hear those who do aren't doing much practice.

I'd image that is right yes. All I know is Mark Selby has a pool table at home. Often shows in his style of play.

AllForIt

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Even with no audience, and no players' families attending, you're still looking at hundreds of people gathered together between players, coaches, officials, and broadcasting staff.

That is a good point actually.

If it's okay for all these people to congregate then why wouldn't it be okay to have at least some audience.

Chalk McHugh

AllForIt wrote: »

That is a good point actually.

If it's okay for all these people to congregate then why wouldn't it be okay to have at least some audience.

How are you looking at hundreds of people congregating? Im trying to think if you had to what is the least you could have at the Crucible for every session.

Two table set up (up to semi final) as we know. So that's four players and two referees. Do all players have coaches? Say 2 do. Tv monitor ref need 2 of them. Thats 10.

Im sure Eurosport and BBC could do a bit of social distancing if needs be and the commentators could be in seperate booths or something. Say 5 for each broadcaster. Thats 10. Total of 20 so far.

Camera and sound and tv techicians. Not sure how many they need. Say 10 in total.

So thats 30 so far for each session if you had to squeeze the fewest amont of people in. Im no doubt missing a few but there is no need for hundreds if they really wanted to make it work?

I dont know maybe its best to knock it on the head for this year. Im probably hoping against hope that it may happen but will it have lost its soul with an empty crowd? Possibly. I wonder what the players feel? Judd has come out against it? Maybe 90% are against it.

Seems any hope of any sport going ahead any time soon is doomed. Is there any light at end of tunnel?

Exclamation Marc

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

How are you looking at hundreds of people congregating? Im trying to think if you had to what is the least you could have at the Crucible for every session.

Two table set up (up to semi final) as we know. So that's four players and two referees. Do all players have coaches? Say 2 do. Tv monitor ref need 2 of them. Thats 10.

Im sure Eurosport and BBC could do a bit of social distancing if needs be and the commentators could be in seperate booths or something. Say 5 for each broadcaster. Thats 10. Total of 20 so far.

Camera and sound and tv techicians. Not sure how many they need. Say 10 in total.

So thats 30 so far for each session if you had to squeeze the fewest amont of people in. Im no doubt missing a few but there is no need for hundreds if they really wanted to make it work?

I dont know maybe its best to knock it on the head for this year. Im probably hoping against hope that it may happen but will it have lost its soul with an empty crowd? Possibly. I wonder what the players feel? Judd has come out against it? Maybe 90% are against it.

Seems any hope of any sport going ahead any time soon is doomed. Is there any light at end of tunnel?

The problem is that sport doesn't have a right to continue if other professions are told not to. If the Crucible can open with skeleton staff, other industries will push that they have a right to open too so whilst you could argue that 30 could work to run the event per day, the office down the road then should be able to open with 30.

Also, it takes one person to get sick to close the entire thing down. So is it worth it running the event for two weeks for an umpire to get sick and then the whole thing gets shut down...

Chalk McHugh

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

The problem is that sport doesn't have a right to continue if other professions are told not to. If the Crucible can open with skeleton staff, other industries will push that they have a right to open too so whilst you could argue that 30 could work to run the event per day, the office down the road then should be able to open with 30.

Also, it takes one person to get sick to close the entire thing down. So is it worth it running the event for two weeks for an umpire to get sick and then the whole thing gets shut down...

Other professions will be easing their way back to work at some stage when the restrictions are lifted gradually. Not sure when that will be in the UK but you would like to think there will be some movement in that regards by the end of July.

But of course i see what your saying in relation to someone proven to be infected at the event and how risky that is. Does the reward match the risk? At this stage with the bad way the UK is you'd say no but still over 2 and a half months before it is proposed to start.

Id give it a 10% chance of going ahead at this stage.

FR01

A great effort by the beeb and should keep us entertained for the couple of weeks , Eurosport also getting in on the act also.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/52231678

Chalk McHugh

FR01 wrote: »

A great effort by the beeb and should keep us entertained for the couple of weeks , Eurosport also getting in on the act also.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/52231678

Nice touch but for me snooker is not a sport to watch old matches. It has to be live as it relies on its suspense and matches can last hours. Or days even. No way id watch an old match in full that you know the result.

Joe_ Public

I'll watch a few of these maybe, ones I've forgotten. 1985 is a bit like italia 90 though, all played out for me. Love to see what else they'd have in the archives, going back to the 70s or even before, but hardly going to be much wider appeal for that. Should show the rack pack again. That was a laugh.

loyatemu

disappointing they're not showing the Dott-Ebdon final in full.

elgriff

Good to see. Strange first match they picked though?

Arthur Daley

Great Idea.But I'm without BBC during this lockdown:(. Hopefully they appear elsewhere in due course.

Had tickets for the Crucible this year. Would be in Sheffield Premier Inn tonight in the normal course of events.

Joe_ Public

elgriff wrote: »

Good to see. Strange first match they picked though?

Yeah...hardly comes under strict definition of what you might call "classic". Probably the biggest shock ever at the crucible, not just to lose but by that magnitude.

zuutroy

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Great Idea.But I'm without BBC during this lockdown:(. Hopefully they appear elsewhere in due course.

Had tickets for the Crucible this year. Would be in Sheffield Premier Inn tonight in the normal course of events.

No mention of refunds or changes yet. I wonder if it doesn't go ahead in summer will they just carry tickets over to 2021?

zuutroy

It all got too much for me yesterday so I made a video to comfort myself.

OutTheGap

The BBC showed the 1982 final today where Alex Higgins beat Ray Reardon 18-15. Even though he won 6 world championships, I never realised Ray Reardon was such a good potter! When he leveled at 15-15, he looked as if he would win but Alex won the last 3 frames with a brilliant 135 break in the last.

After there was a good documentary about Alex. That 1982 was the high point of his career and it was downhill after that. It was sad the way it finished for him but he didn’t seem to accept help. Most of the contributors (including Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White) had great praise for Alex but I thought Barry Hearn was very begrudging towards him. It was a pity they didn’t interview Ken Doherty who did a lot to help Alex towards the end.

Joe_ Public

I'd have preferred that documentary if they'd left hearn out of it altogether but cant blame them too much, probably felt he was too big a figure in the game to leave out. Bit of a mealy mouthed tribute if you ask me, but decent doc otherwise. Alex was a tragic figure unfortunately but at his best, there was nothing like him, just for sheer energy and edginess at the table. Nobody ever gave me a bigger thrill but alas it was too short lived. 82 was great and 83 uk final arguably even better.

OutTheGap

His 69 clearance against Jimmy White in the semi final in 1982 was the best break I've ever seen (Ronnie O'Sullivan said the same) It was partly because he kept leaving himself out of position but some of the pots were amazing! His comeback from 7-0 down against Davis in the UK final was brilliant as well. He also beat Stephen Hendry in the Irish Masters final in Goffs in 1989 which never got a mention.

Although he didn't win many titles, he was compulsive viewing in the eighties - a true people's champion. Just so sad the way life finished for him.

Joe_ Public

My actual favourite moment in that 69 clearance isnt a pot but when at one point, as he's walking around the table, Alex turns and winks at someone or just maybe everyone in the audience, as if to say, dont worry, I've got this under control here. That's what made him unique i think, to do that at 15-16 down in a world sf and in that style - i dont think anyone else could have done that.

No single figure did more to popularise snooker in the 1980s imo and some were a bit resentful of it. Not that alex got the rewards for it, but a lot of that was clearly down to his own appalling behaviour.