“They’re earning nothing, 20 grand a year, 30 grand a year after expenses, maybe less than that. You could go and get a job stacking a shelf in a supermarket [for that], no disrespect to anyone who does that”.
Ali Carter
Introduction
In a recent BBC Framed podcast, Ali Carter aired his views on the current situation regarding how little money some of the players earn on the main tour. It is true that World Snooker introduced a minimum £20,000 salary for all 128 players to reflect the current cost of living crisis but he feels that it is not enough and the size of the tour needs to be cut. The figure banded around behind the scenes is 64 players. He believes that lower-ranking players when they deduct their expenses from their earnings could earn more stacking shelves in a supermarket.
Dedicated
Anyone who knows anything about professional snooker will tell you that this sport is dog-eat-dog. Not only is hard enough to play well, but you also have to deal with all the spears and arrows that come with it. Pressure, the television cameras, the bright lights and a massive audience to name but a few. The players who populate this main tour have fought tooth and nail to get there but if you scroll down to the players outside the top 16, the money ebbs away, leaving some scratching their heads and wondering whether it is worth packing the next suitcase when you are going to go back through a revolving entry/exit door before the sun sets.
World Snooker quickly got onto the media airwaves and issued a stern and frank response to Ali’s gripes, saying:
“Our tour is about meritocracy. We have an abundance of talent from many different countries around the globe, and the strength in depth on our tour is incredible. There are opportunities for all of them and there are huge rewards for those that succeed”.
World Snooker
World Snooker cites that in the last two years, 42 players have earned more than £100,000 in prize money but what about the other 86 players who don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing which tournaments they play in? For them, this is their dream come true, their ambition fulfilled and instead they face constant monetary worries to earn a crust.
A Start
Perhaps Ali and I are being overly critical about the present state of play and this £20,000 safety net is increased in time. However, with so many players vying for a crack at a trophy and the top 8 draining the prize fund dry, I am dubious of how this can be a sustainable solution. The likes of Ali and Ronnie live comfortable lifestyles and can enjoy the finer things in life but your average professional player can’t. It’s alright for Barry Hearn, who created this increased tour in the first place, to say try harder but there are only so many knocks you can take when you constantly draw a top 16 player. It is brutal and shatters not only your confidence but your bank balance as well.
Living a snooker player’s life is lonely and you often spend long periods away from your family and friends. In the current game, where a tournament is being played almost every month of the year, the only time you see all 128 players is at the Snooker Shootout with some names not even recognised due to being kept on the qualifying tables. When and if they do get to the first round, they have to either play out of their skins or at best hope their high-ranked opponent is having an off day or they get a bye, thanks to someone pulling out of a tournament. The pressure is palpable.
Afterthoughts
The £20,000 minimum salary must be welcomed as a start, especially as it was nothing beforehand. Progress takes time and it is very easy for patience to run out before progress has been made. However, I don’t believe Ali Carter would make such comments if he didn’t see this day in and day out. He lives and breathes the tour like anyone on it and Ali and Ronnie are not the only ones to have vented their frustrations. Perhaps the WPBSA and World Snooker need to put their ears closer to the ground and pick up what is being said by the players at committee meetings and out there on the field. Reform and adapt, snooker has massive strides forward but it needs to tinker with its way forward as it progresses now and in the future.
