World Snooker Tour introduces player salaries (sort of)!

[vjmehra]

Tour Players Guaranteed Prize Money Under New WST And WPBSA Initiative - World Snooker

Players on the World Snooker Tour will be guaranteed to earn a minimum of £20,000 during the 2022/23 season, under a new system which offers them security in a difficult economic climate. The initiative will be introduced with immediate effect, with players to be offered payments of up to...

wst.tv

Not quite, but essentially it guarantees that every player will receive GBP 20,000 at least if they are on the professional tour (it is deducted from any winnings, but kept if winnings exceed this amount, so will only affect the lower ranked players).

The money won't last long, but it might help those at the bottom cover expenses etc. and will be a big boost to those starting out on tour!

Its a long way from golf, tennis etc. but is a big step towards professionalism (snooker already is of course professional, but being realistic the lower ranked players all have to work to pay their way, this is the start of a move away from that).

 

[skogstokig]

i like this a lot better than show up money as many snooker players have demanded

 

[vjmehra]

i like this a lot better than show up money as many snooker players have demanded

Its a different concept though, the 'show up' money is only for the big names and those big names will still demand (and sometimes get) it (although its important to note, that any 'show up' money would come from the event promoter not World Snooker Tour).

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Its a long way from golf, tennis etc. but is a big step towards professionalism...

I see that the PGA is doing things to counter the new Saudi-funded tour, including a minimum annual income:

The 20 PGA Tour events are made up of the four majors, the Players Championship, 12 ‘elevated’ tournaments – with an average purse of US$20 million – and three other events chosen by the players.​

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Players are also guaranteed minimum earnings of US$500,000, which can be taken up front by rookies, while lower-ranked players will receive a travel stipend of US$5,000 dollars for each missed cut.​

 

[skogstokig]

Its a different concept though, the 'show up' money is only for the big names and those big names will still demand (and sometimes get) it (although its important to note, that any 'show up' money would come from the event promoter not World Snooker Tour).

i was thinking of first round knockouts.

 

[vjmehra]

i was thinking of first round knockouts.

Ah sorry, yes I see what you mean. Yeah I think you're right, this is probably a better concept.

 

[telinoz]

Ronnie O'Sullivan has been suggesting this for a while.
He also added that he and the other elite players should take a pay cut to be reused for the lower ranked players trying to make ends meat.