By Elliott West
Introduction
The Players Tour Championship was a series of snooker tournaments comprising some minor-ranking events played in Europe, and an Asian leg comprising some minor-ranking events in Asia. The series concluded with a Grand Final, where qualification was based on performance in the other PTC events, and had the status of a full ranking tournament. Each ranking event lasted for at least three days, with qualifying days for amateurs should the event be oversubscribed. Each event costed £100 to enter, and Main Tour players could gain ranking points in the events.
Loved by some players and loathed by others, the PTC series did have benefits. As the professional tour expanded to 128 players, many of the lower ranked players, used these events as a valuable practice ground especially if they were lucky enough to play on a television table. Opportunity was also increased by the fact that a number of top ranked players chose to not take part in these events.
The PTC series also massively expanded the snooker brand, bringing the sport to many new countries, including across parts of continental Europe such as Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Czech Republic and Latvia. I also converted some events into stand alone tournaments such as the The Paul Hunter Classic. First established in the 2010/11 season and shelved in the 2015/16 season, these numbered PTC tournaments, played in the UK and abroad, produced a multitude of winners, Barry Pinches to name but one but it was the top seeded players who won the season finals.
The Poisoned Chalice
Some within the industry criticised the PTC format, citing the low prize fund and associated costs. Offering top prize money of £10,000 and nothing for anyone eliminated in round one, critics felt that lower-ranked players were left with financial losses and those on the tour were “blackmailed” into entering, thanks to the governing body introducing ranking points for events. They also felt felt that many of the venues lacked a capacity audience and atmosphere.
The flipside to this argument was that these PTC events provided opportunity. Although not as grand as other tournaments in the snooker calendar, they provided a degree of purpose and worth to sportsmen who would have previously had to supplement their income with a full-time job outside the sport. I kept players busy and away from the drudgery of the practice table. The PTC events also boosted the snooker season, a season that had once been depleted with only seven or eight events on the main tour.
The World Snooker Association argued that they had an obligation to provide playing opportunities for all the players on the tour, and that while the top prize for the PTC events was relatively low, 24 players qualified for the Grand Final and for example in the 2011/12 season, offered atop prize of £70,000.
A PTC Champion
Barry Pinches, then ranked world no.57, knows only too well what it is like to win a PTC event. Pinches sensationally won PTC 4, held at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield. In a tremendous run, that included beating Liu 4-2 in the quarter-finals and Mark Williams 4-1 in the semi-finals. In the final, Barry met Ronnie O’Sullivan and came back in the match from a 3-1 deficit. O’Sullivan had obtained a two frame lead with the aid of breaks of 83 and 58 but broke down in the sixth frame a few balls from a 4-2 victory. Pinches cleared to the pink and secured the decider in a single visit of 64. Barry later commented, saying:
“I’m not usually very good in deciding frames so I was delighted to make a good break”.
“I’ve made a couple of technical changes this season but the main reason my results may have been good is that I’m enjoying the game and practicing hard because I’ve always got something to work towards”.
To come to these PTC events and play in terrific conditions against top class opponents is just fantastic. I can’t praise these tournaments enough”.
“The money is very significant for me and so are the ranking points. I’m also really pleased to beat Ronnie as I’d lost all three matches we’d played before”.
“It’s great to see him (Ronnie O’Sullivan) supporting these events. He doesn’t need the ranking points but he just gets a buzz from playing the game”.
Barry Pinches
Summary
The PTC events were not everybody’s cup of tea but they did provide value for the players that took part in them. They were also a key player in fuelling the vision of World Snooker to make snooker a global sport. The PTC broke down doors and opened up a market of sponsors, venues and showcased live snooker to an audience who many had only seen on Eurosport or social media. Many of these small events were evolved into tournaments when the PTC ceased to be. Organisers dipped their toe in the water and found that there was a clear thirst for snooker, that could not have previously been quenched.
