Snooker players to earn minimum £20,000 prize money in major cash boost for new season
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 07/09/2022 at 17:59 GMT
The World Snooker Tour has been boosted by a major £2.6m cash injection which will guarantee all 130 players a minimum of £20,000 win or lose this season. "We recognise that these are tough times for many people given the cost of living crisis and that a £20,000 guarantee provides an important level of reassurance," said Steve Dawson, the WST chairman.
The Breakdown episode 8: Barry Hearn
All 130 professional snooker players on the World Snooker Tour will be guaranteed minimum earnings of £20,000 for the 2022/23 season in a major £2.6m cash boost.
An initial payment of £10,000 will be doled out this month with another £10,000 paid to the tour members in January.
If a player collects more than £20,000 over the season, the payment will be deducted from their overall prize money meaning the system is in place to benefit those who are struggling at the lower reaches of the game.
Several of the top figures in the game, including world champions Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins and Judd Trump, have been calling for the prize money at the top or the numbers on tour to be reduced to boost cash-strapped colleagues. The initiative will be trialled for the forthcoming campaign.
“We are delighted to join forces with the WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) and its players organisation to fund this new programme," said WST chairman Steve Dawson.
"We recognise that these are tough times for many people given the cost of living crisis and that a £20,000 guarantee provides an important level of reassurance for many players who need to plan and prepare for life on tour.
“The top stars on our tour earn vast sums, in fact three years ago we saw Judd Trump become the first player to earn £1 million in prize money in a single season. But we recognise that further down the rankings, there are no guarantees.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/12/07/3267954-66876348-2560-1440.jpg)
'Winners don't really need it' - O'Sullivan on how to remedy financial imbalances in game
"We have brought in this new system to support the many talented players who may need a level of security to fund their snooker careers."
“Before Matchroom took control of the sport in 2010, overall prize money had sunk as low as £3.5 million and all players had to pay around £5,000 a year in entry fees. We have since scrapped entry fees and the prize money levels are far higher.
"Due to the pandemic, we have not been able to stage ranking events in China since 2019, which has adversely affected our tour. But we will return to China as soon as restrictions are reduced, and we are striving to create new events, as we have done with the British Open, Turkish Masters, Hong Kong Masters and World Mixed Doubles.”
World number 60 Elliot Slessor highlighted the problems last season when he commented: "30% of the tour can’t afford a loaf of bread. Either give players expenses or cut the tour and guarantee everybody dough."
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2021/12/08/3268420-66885668-2560-1440.jpg)
‘There are too many players on tour!’ – Trump has his say on prize money issues
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: “This new initiative is a fundamental shift in the way we are underpinning the future of our sport.
"This clearly shows the importance of our new structure at the WPBSA where players are represented and listened to through their own WPBSA players body, and I would like to thank the WPBSA players board for their support.
"In addition, this demonstrates the value of becoming a World Snooker Tour card holder where we take talent retention and the welfare of our players seriously.”
- - -
Stream top snooker action live on discovery+ and on eurosport.co.uk
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement