Largest audience for a billiard event?

Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
This tournament in Hong Kong is expected to have up to 9000 spectators for the finals. I wonder if that is close to an all-time record for in-person attendance at one time for any cue sports event. (Some tournaments go on for more than a week and might have higher total spectator-days racked up.)

wst.tv

All-Time Crowd Record Set To Be Smashed - World Snooker

The Hong Kong Masters 2022 is expected to set new records for the biggest ever snooker crowd this week. The current record for the sport’s biggest live audience is 3,000, set at the Hong Kong Masters in 2017. But that is set to be shattered this week with crowds of up to 9,000 anticipated...
wst.tv wst.tv
 
I mean you are talking a population of over a billion people. I'm assuming the ratio is probably the same as per USA and Europe for similar events
 
Bob Jewett said:
This tournament in Hong Kong is expected to have up to 9000 spectators for the finals. I wonder if that is close to an all-time record for in-person attendance at one time for any cue sports event. (Some tournaments go on for more than a week and might have higher total spectator-days racked up.)

wst.tv

All-Time Crowd Record Set To Be Smashed - World Snooker

The Hong Kong Masters 2022 is expected to set new records for the biggest ever snooker crowd this week. The current record for the sport’s biggest live audience is 3,000, set at the Hong Kong Masters in 2017. But that is set to be shattered this week with crowds of up to 9,000 anticipated...
wst.tv wst.tv
Click to expand...

I would have to check my references, but I think Phelan's 1859 match in Detroit would have had near that number in proximity to the hall (waiting and gambling outside) but not inside viewing the actual match.
 
Bob Jewett said:
This tournament in Hong Kong is expected to have up to 9000 spectators for the finals. I wonder if that is close to an all-time record for in-person attendance at one time for any cue sports event. (Some tournaments go on for more than a week and might have higher total spectator-days racked up.)

wst.tv

All-Time Crowd Record Set To Be Smashed - World Snooker

The Hong Kong Masters 2022 is expected to set new records for the biggest ever snooker crowd this week. The current record for the sport’s biggest live audience is 3,000, set at the Hong Kong Masters in 2017. But that is set to be shattered this week with crowds of up to 9,000 anticipated...
wst.tv wst.tv
Click to expand...
The BCA National Championships at the Riviera were run in conjunction with the BCA Open 9-ball Pro event for some 20 years. There was always well over ten thousand amateurs in attendance. Still, I doubt the bleachers in the pro venue held more than about 3,000. Alexandra Palace can seat a few thousand, too.

I'd guess 9,000 watching a single match live will be the all-time record. It's really hard to believe that so many can watch the goings-on at a single table but, apparently, it's possible.
 
Last edited:
sjm said:
The BCA National Championships at the Riviera were run in conjunction with the BCA Open 9-ball Pro event for some 20 years. There was always well over ten thousand amateurs in attendance. Still, I doubt the bleachers in the pro venue held more than about 3,000. Alexandra Palace can seat a few thousand, too.

I'd guess 9,000 watching a single match live will be the all-time record. It's really hard to believe that so many can watch the goings-on at a single table, but apparently, it's possible.
Click to expand...
It seems like many people won't be able to really see what is happening at the table from such a great distance, but I think it's great that so many people would want to attend
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: sjm
There was talk of a snooker event in Behjing earlier this year being held in a 12,000 seat facility but I never heard the outcome, or if it even actually happened.
 
With an estimated 1 million Snooker players in China, they can fill big events.

No doubt will be a lot of screens around for the people stuck at the back.
Otherwise it will be like watching ants play, ha ha.
 
Correct me if I’m wrong…but weren’t the finals of the college tournament held at the “Big House”, University of Michigan Wolverines stadium one year?

It holds over 100,000
 
kling&allen said:
I would have to check my references, but I think Phelan's 1859 match in Detroit would have had near that number in proximity to the hall (waiting and gambling outside) but not inside viewing the actual match.
Click to expand...

Looks like 4,000 watched the 1859 Phelan match inside the hall. $50k was in the middle for that match, which is like $1.8M in today's dollars.

1665018511106.png
 
kling&allen said:
Looks like 4,000 watched the 1859 Phelan match inside the hall. $50k was in the middle for that match, which is like $1.8M in today's dollars.

View attachment 664780
Click to expand...
“The playing commenced at about half past seven... The game concluded at 5 a.m., amidst intense excitement...”

Wonder how many of the 4,000 made until 5 a.m? How excited could you feel after 10 and a half hours?
 
telinoz said:
With an estimated 1 million Snooker players in China, they can fill big events.

No doubt will be a lot of screens around for the people stuck at the back.
Otherwise it will be like watching ants play, ha ha.
Click to expand...

Is that the estimated population of actual people or estimated population of persons competing in Chinese Snooker events? In some countries participation under different names is common practice.

*edit( Or competitors with the same name but different person) like John Lee 1, John Lee 2 and ..
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top