The inaugural World Snooker Shootout has come and gone, but what about the event as a concept? Does it have enough to become snooker’s Twenty-20?
I was actually glued to the event from start-to-finish, it was a great deal of fun and made for great TV viewing with some exciting finishes, however, I think that it should only be treated as that – fun!
This event as a concept is never going to replace snooker in ranking events, but is perfect for bringing a lot of relatively unknown players into the limelight and is also excellent for these players to earn some considerable income.
Positives
The shot clock – I liked the way it changed from 20 seconds down to 15 seconds after 5 minutes
Crowd Interaction – Although quite boisterous at times the interaction with the crowd was excellent and you could see that the players were enjoying it.
Ball in hand – for a fast paced format this was the ideal punishment for a foul, not only did you have to play fast and think fast but you also had to choose safety shots much faster than normal, any error was quite costly
Open Draw – The ‘FA Cup’ style draw was excellent, especially with the players in the arena, anyone could play anyone which meant seedings and ranking positions went out of the window. Two players outside the top 32 reached the final afterall.
The Fun Factor – Something I have already alluded to, the event was great fun both for players and fans and this makes it very interesting as an overall concept.
The lottery – One frame of snooker is a bit of a lottery really and in a number of matches one visit was enough to get through, going against the usual form book is a good thing in my opinion.
Negatives
The Annoying Voiceover – Have to say I hated the voiceover announcing the players, the shot clock and ‘you are through to the next round…’ Too much of a gimmick in my opinion.
I’ll get back to you – As I’m writing I am finding it hard to think of any more negatives, perhaps you could offer your opinions in the comments below?
Conclusion
A great concept that I am sure we will see again next year, fast-paced and fun snooker that will never replace ranking events.
For a report on the event visit: Bond Shoots Out the Competition
