World Pool Masters champion Alex Kazakis, America’s Billy Thorpe, and Judd Trump were amongst the names to crash out on the US Open Pool Championship whilst Dennis Orcollo became one of the first names into the last 16 in the afternoon session on day four of action from Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City.
Kazakis faced a grueling battle in the losers’ section against Albin Ouschan to keep hopes of a second Matchroom Pool Series title alive, but the Austrian proved too much as he went down 11-8 in a contest that showed the very best of 9-ball pool on the main TV table.
Ouschan will start the evening session against Chang Jung-Lin knowing he needs to win to keep up any chance of making the last 16 with the losers’ qualification round also looking over players tonight.
Aloysius Yapp became the first name into the last 16 in impressive fashion after a comprehensive over Dane hotshot Mickey Krause 11-3. Krause knows he will have to beat either Tomasz Kaplan or John Morra to make the last 16 later tonight whilst Yapp. Thorpe’s fate was decided by the same score line as 2019 World Cup of Pool winner Mario He dispatched him.
Jayson Shaw’s run on the winners’ side came to an end at the hands of Estonia’s Denis Grabe who put on a strong showing to clinch an 11-3 win meaning Shaw must go through losers’ qualification against the winner of Jeffrey De Luna and Carlo Biado later tonight. Shaw had set up his clash with Grabe after beating Trump last night. Trump’s first foray into 9-ball ended in dramatic fashion as South African Jason Theron beat him in a hill-hill finish.
This evening’s TV action sees Shane Van Boening against Francisco Sanchez Ruiz for a Last 16 spot whilst Joshua Filler and Skyler Woodward will do battle to avoid going home and a spot in losers’ qualification later tonight. Table 2 is live on the Matchroom Pool YouTube with De Luna vs. Biado and Chang Jung-Lin vs Ouschan. Filler beat Alan Rolon Rosado whilst Woodward came through eventually against Denmark’s Bahram Lotfy to the pair to meet later tonight.
Other notable names who went out included Wu Kun Lin, and World Pool Championship runner-up Omar Al-Shaheen.
The last 16 draw will be made at the conclusion of play today.
The 2021 US Open Pool Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Table; the Official Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball set with Duramith™ Technology by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open Pool Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.
Judd Trump (Erwin Dionisio – Matchroom Multi Sport)
Day two of the US Open Pool Championship at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City in partnership with Caesars Entertainment and the Atlantic City Sports Commission saw the top seeds rumble on through into the next stage of the winners’ rounds whilst many hopes and dreams were dashed as the first round of the losers’ bracket were concluded.
Naoyuki Oi began the day as the focus on table one against Kuwait’s Mohammad Almuhanna and he made the most of it sealing a 9-3 win and a space in winners’ round two where he will take on Roland Garcia as matches turn to a Race to 11.
Jayson Shaw followed up with a display worthy of being the 2020 Mosconi Cup MVP as he bypassed Daniel Dagotdot of the Philippines in a donut to set up a tricky clash against Hsieh Chia Chen on the same side of the draw as Oi.
Judd Trump’s first foray into 9-ball pool cruised on after some early nerves against India’s Dhruvalkumar Patel. The Ace in the Pack was 3-2 up but pulled away at that point onwards to seal a 9-2 win. His experience on the green baize of snooker proving to come in at the ideal time with a cruel snooker on the two in the 10th rack.
Kelly Fisher set up a tantalizing match against Niels Feijen after overcoming Kristina Tkach with KwikFire beating the Russian for the second time in a matter of days after beating her in the WPBA Sondheim Kiwanis Invitational final on Sunday. Tkach kept her chances going in a nail-biting 9-8 win over Vincent Cimarelli.
A packed arena also witnessed Earl Strickland put on a show as he beat Christopher Pyle in a whitewash. The highlight from the Pearl coming in the fourth rack with a golden break. Fellow Americans Skyler Woodward and Shane Van Boening had varying degrees of ease to beat their respective opponents, but both moved into winners round three. Woodward will face Mario He next and SVB will face World Under-17 champion Moritz Neuhausen of Germany tomorrow.
Two-time winner Mika Immonen kept up his unbeaten start to the week beating Michael Yednak meaning he will take on Carlo Biado of the Philippines tomorrow live on the Matchroom Pool YouTube. Fedor Gorst also maintained his 100% status in a comprehensive win against John Moody Sr. Gorst’s opponent in winners round three will be Roberto Gomez who overcame Lukas Fracasso-Verner on Table 7.
There was an early upset in the Diamond Arena though, the World Pool Championship runner-up Omar Al-Shaheen suffered a shock defeat to James Prather to put the Kuwaiti into the losers’ bracket before he beat Nathan Wallace to avoid going home.
Joshua Filler continued his journey to claim the crown for a second time, this time against Thomas Haas live on the Matchroom Pool YouTube. The Killer will face off against Sanjin Pehlivanović in the next stage. Pehlivanović sealed his route to face Filler after beating Muhummed Daydat 9-3.
USA Mosconi Cup Captain Jeremy Jones kept his week going winning twice with wins over Mike Salerno and Bill Meacham whilst April Larson beat Juan Josa Rosa and Stephen Folan to continue into losers round three with Jones.
Day three of the US Open Pool Championship gets underway from 10 am ET with Filler’s contest against Pehlivanović before Trump takes on Abdullah Al-Shammari.
Ticket prices start from $31.24 per session for the single-elimination stage and $31.24 for the day during the double-elimination stage.
All tickets are subject to booking and processing fees. Each ticket includes a $5.50 transaction fee which is only applied once per order. Orders of multiple tickets will therefore save $5.50 per additional ticket purchased.
The 2021 US Open Pool Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball set with Duramith™ Technology by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open Pool Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.
The 2021 US Open Pool Championship got underway in style at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City with reigning champion Joshua Filler out to join a select few who have defended their crown in what is known as the toughest tournament in 9-ball pool.
In Matchroom Pool’s first visit stateside since the 2019 Mosconi Cup, Filler got his campaign off to the best possible start getting the better of American Joseph Blyler 9-2 in quick time with Blyler struggling after taking the opening rack.
Filler has been on a good streak in Matchroom Pool Series events and recently claimed the World Cup of Pool title alongside partner Christoph Reintjes. He underlined his intentions perhaps best in the fifth rack with a two-rail kick on the five to help clean up to lead 4-1. At times, all Blyler could do was applaud the Matchroom Pool World No.2’s shotmaking.
If Filler’s showing wasn’t enough, the new World Champion Albin Ouschan set out early warning signals with a 9-0 dismantling of Scott Haas whilst his 2020 Mosconi Cup teammate Jayson Shaw made light work of Esteban Robles live on Matchroom Pool’s YouTube 9-3.
2019 Mosconi Cup MVP Skyler Woodward was also live on our YouTube where fans witnessed him beat Rick Miller 9-2. It was a similar story for World Pool Championship runner-up Omar Al-Shaheen who beat James Prather 9-2 and World 10-ball runner-up Naoyuki Oi who moved to the winners’ bracket seeing off David Daya 9-4.
Judd Trump made his long-awaited 9-ball pool debut at the start of the evening session and the World Snooker 22-time ranking title winner didn’t hang around against Joe Magee in a whitewash win. The Ace in the Pack allayed any early nerves with a solid opening break before going on to break and run in several racks. With Magee watching on from his chair, Trump made his ascent to the hill with a fantastic cut on the eight, which saw him take the cue ball around the table to be in position and make a dream start.
The recently announced Team USA Mosconi Cup Vice-Captain and five-time US Open champion Shane Van Boening laid down his gauntlet with a 9-2 win over Francesco Candela in front of a packed crowd on the main table at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City. Van Boening won four of his five titles in the last decade and will face Sharik Sayed of Singapore next as the quest for number six rolls on.
Five-time winner Earl Strickland started against Adam Martin in a convincing 9-1 victory whilst Billy Thorpe needed the last rack to beat Raymond Linares and Tyler Styer suffered at the hands of Hussain Al Sayyafi but recovered to beat James Conn in the first losers round.
Recently crowned World 10-ball winner Eklent Kaçi faced Jesus Atencio in a tricky encounter which he overcame 9-7 to go into the winners’ bracket.
There were also comprehensive wins for Fedor Gorst, David Alcaide, Badar Alawadhi, Wiktor Zieliński, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Wu Kun-Lin, and Olivér Szolnoki who all whitewashed their respective opponents.
Play gets back underway at 10 am ET tomorrow (Tuesday, September 14) with Japan’s Oi against Mohammad Almuhanna of Kuwait before Shaw meets Daniel Dagotdat of the Philippines. Trump returns in the afternoon session against Dhruvalkumal Patel before an enticing clash between Kelly Fisher and Kristina Tkach. A full schedule for the day can be found here.
Ticket prices start from $31.24 per session for the single-elimination stage and $31.24 for the day during the double-elimination stage.
A range of ticket packages are available including an event pass giving you access to all six days of action for only $166.25, a saving of up to $100.
All tickets are subject to booking and processing fees. Each ticket includes a $5.50 transaction fee which is only applied once per order. Orders of multiple tickets will therefore save $5.50 per additional ticket purchased.
The 2021 US Open Pool Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball set with Duramith™ Technology by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open Pool Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.
22-time World Snooker ranking event winner Judd Trump will compete at the upcoming US Open Pool Championship at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City September 13-18, in partnership with Caesars Entertainment and the Atlantic City Sports Commission.
Trump will look to be a trendsetter and become the first snooker star of the modern era to turn to 9-ball and goes in on the back of winning five titles on the 2020/21 World Snooker Tour including the World Grand Prix. He will not be the first Snooker player to cross disciplines with Ronnie O’Sullivan having represented Europe at the Mosconi Cup in the early 90s and the likes of Jimmy White, Alex Higgins, and Steve Davis all taking on the challenge.
The Ace in the Pack is heading in at the peak of his powers: “I think the US Open Pool Championship has got the most heritage and prestige to it, it’s been around a long time. Everyone in the world of pool knows it’s the tournament if you are going to win one, it’s this one. For me, that’s what kind of attracted me, to go in at the deep end, going in at the biggest event and see what I can do.”
“I think when I get over there and step out, I don’t want to make a fool of myself, that will add pressure. But in the snooker world, I know what I am capable of and I know when I put the work in I’ve got that belief whereas, in pool, I do not know what’s going to happen. Hopefully, I can have a good run in it.”
“It’s always been a dream of mine to try and take snooker over there into the US, it’s such a big market, it’s an aspiration of mine. It’s nice to be playing any cue sport out there. Just to be a part of it, part of the atmosphere, part of the US Open, hopefully, I can do well and one day they’ll have me back to play again and the dream would be to have a good run.”
“For me, there’s potential to play in front of a whole new fanbase, there’s a lot of people who watch snooker and don’t watch pool and vice versa. I think for me, it’s all about trying to find that middle ground and getting different people interested in different things, and getting people to open their eyes to see what’s going on. It’s a chance for me to get on their radar and hopefully I can put on a good showing of myself and hopefully nobody hates me after the tournament! Hopefully, I can bring them back across to snooker and hopefully in the future combine them both and make them both as big as possible.”
The 2019 World Snooker champion gave us an idea of what fans can expect: “I’m excited for the US Pool fans to get a glimpse of me playing, I will bring a lot more freedom and energy to the game because it isn’t the be-all and end-all on it for me at the moment, my whole life isn’t depending on it. I will be one of the players who can play with a smile on my face with a lot more freedom and enjoyment. Hopefully, they will take to that, they will see I am having fun with what I am doing, I try to get that across in everything I do. I think people respect that and hopefully, I can get as many people as possible playing pool.”
Trump says he isn’t there just to make up the numbers: “At the US Open, I’ve not come to take part, I’ve come to try and win the event. I’ve come to give it my absolute all and to see what I can do with myself, it’s something I’ve always felt I wanted to do, and see how good I can be at pool. I am not under the illusion that I will go there and blow everyone away. I know the breaking off and tactical side of things is going to be tricky for me. I know there’s a lot of things that can go wrong. Hopefully, I can just enjoy myself and pot all the balls on the table and not get into that problem.”
Emily Frazer, Matchroom Multi Sport Managing Director: “This is huge news for Matchroom Pool – what a player. Judd is very current with our times right now; he’s forward-thinking, he’s young, modern, and fresh. It’s exactly what Matchroom Multi Sport is about and the direction we’re heading in for our Matchroom Pool Series. To get Judd on board for the US Open is major and positive news for the growth of the sport, Matchroom Pool, and Judd himself in his own profile and career.”
Frazer added: “The US Open is a real big chance for Judd to step over into Pool, take on a new challenge, and in tun gain a different style of audience. It feels like he’s the perfect person for it and why we didn’t stop until he was on board! Judd’s arguably the best and strongest snooker player in the world right now and for someone of his stature and social presence to step into pool is major news for players in our industry and the overall viewership of the sport in areas it may currently be lacking. Seeing Judd’s appreciation for the game, respect for the players in it, and potentially the challenges the event may produce shows his character and I’m excited to see how the pool fans warm to him!”
Ticket prices start from $31.24 per session for the single-elimination stage and $31.24 for the day during the double-elimination stage.
A range of ticket packages are available including an event pass giving you access to all six days of action for only $166.25, a saving of up to $100.
All tickets are subject to booking and processing fees. Each ticket includes a $5.50 transaction fee which is only applied once per order. Orders of multiple tickets will therefore save $5.50 per additional ticket purchased.
The 2021 US Open Championship heads to Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City for the first time with Germany’s Joshua Filler defending his title.
The 2021 US Open Pool Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are ARAMITH Tournament BLACK pool ball set with Duramith™ Technology by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open Pool Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.
Star names including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, John Higgins, Stephen Hendry and home favourite Mark Selby will be in the line-up for next month’s British Open at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
The world ranking event will run from August 16th to 22nd and fans will be welcomed through the doors to see the greatest players on the planet.
Special offers, with tickets from just £5, are running now with limited availability and fans should book quickly to see the biggest stars in the sport. For details visit www.wst.tv/tickets
Players will include:
Mark Selby – Current World Champion and one of Leicester’s sporting greats
Judd Trump – Snooker’s world number one and the outstanding player of recent seasons
Ronnie O’Sullivan – Six time World Champion and crowd favourite
John Higgins – All-time legend who won the British Open when it was last staged in 2004
Shaun Murphy – Flamboyant cueman who reached the World Championship final in May
Stephen Hendry – King of the Crucible – this is the first chance for fans to watch his comeback live
Reanne Evans – All-time greatest female player, now competing on the pro tour
Plus Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams, Jack Lisowski, Leicester favourites Tom Ford, Ben Woollaston, Joe O’Connor and Louis Heathcote…and many more. In all there will be 128 players battling for the trophy and a top prize of £100,000.
The event will have a completely random draw for all rounds, and the first round draw and match schedule will be released on Wednesday July 28th.
The British Open previously ran from 1985 to 2004 and now returns to the WST calendar after a 17-year absence. It will receive extensive live coverage in the UK from ITV, as well as a range of broadcasters worldwide.
All matches up to the last 16 are best of five frames, the quarter and semi-finals are best of seven frames, and the final is best of 11 frames.
Snooker has led the sporting world in the post-lockdown return of live audiences, and WST will continue to work closely with the UK Government and all of our venues and partners on Covid-19 regulation.
Judd Trump has banked the £150,000 BetVictor Snooker Series bonus in each of the last two years.
BetVictor, a leading global gambling company, will be title sponsor of all four of snooker’s Home Nations events during the 2021/22 season, plus all four events in the European Series.
In all, BetVictor will sponsor eight tournaments on the World Snooker Tour in the coming season. The player earning the most prize money across the eight events will earn a massive £150,000 bonus. The BetVictor Snooker Series rankings will run throughout the events, as players strive to top the list and earn the bonus.
BetVictor Home Nations Series
BetVictor Northern Ireland Open, October 10-17, Belfast
BetVictor English Open, November 1-7, Milton Keynes
BetVictor Scottish Open, December 6-12, Venue TBC
BetVictor Welsh Open, February 28 to March 6, Newport
BetVictor European Series
BetVictor Shoot Out, January 20-23, Leicester
BetVictor German Masters, January 26-30, Berlin
BetVictor European Masters, February 21-27, Venue TBC
BetVictor Gibraltar Open, March 24-26, Gibraltar
The BetVictor Home Nations series has been running since 2016 and brings the world’s top stars to four countries across the UK. Each event is broadcast across the globe.
The BetVictor European Series is a quartet of world ranking events across the UK and continental Europe. All tournaments feature snooker’s leading players competing for prestigious trophies.
Broadcasters for the two series include Eurosport, Quest, BBC Wales, TrueSport, SportCast, Now TV, Sky Sports (NZ), Astro SuperSport, CCTV5, DAZN as well as a number of local broadcasters and digital streaming partners.
World number one Judd Trump won four of these titles last season: the English Open, Northern Ireland Open, German Masters and Gibraltar Open. Mark Selby lifted the Scottish Open and European Masters crowns, while Ryan Day landed the Shoot Out title and Jordan Brown won the Welsh Open.
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “We are thrilled to welcome BetVictor on board for a wide range of our biggest tournaments in 2021/22. We have worked with their fantastic team for many years and we are delighted to continue to build a successful partnership.
“These events have a vast audience across the planet as we continue to grow each year in terms of our international following. BetVictor are part of snooker’s success story, bringing tremendous exposure to their brand.
“We look forward to delivering top class events throughout the BetVictor Home Nations and BetVictor European Series in the coming months. The top players will have their eyes on the huge £150,000 bonus, giving them extra incentive to produce their best in every tournament.”
Director of Sportsbook at BetVictor, Matt Scarrott, added: “It’s a pleasure to team up with WST again and we’re really looking forward to what should be two fantastic series.”
Judd Trump has been named snooker’s Player of the Year for the third consecutive time after another prolific season in 2020/21.
Trump won five ranking titles across the campaign: the English Open, Northern Ireland Open, World Grand Prix, German Masters and Gibraltar Open. He was also runner-up in two other events and maintained his position at the top of the world rankings.
The 31-year-old from Bristol was first named Player of the Year in 2019 after winning the Masters and the World Championship, and scooped the award again in 2020 after capturing a record six ranking titles in a single season.
Trump also wins the Fans’ Player of the Year award, voted by fans on the WST App and on social media platforms in China.
Mark Selby won the Snooker Journalists’ Player of the Year award, voted by media around the world who cover snooker. Selby won the World Championship for the fourth time and also landed the European Masters and Scottish Open titles, climbing to second in the world rankings.
Leicester’s Selby also won the Performance of the Year award for his tremendous display at the World Championship. He beat Shaun Murphy 18-15 in a superb final at the Crucible.
Magic Moment of the Year went to Neil Robertson for his dramatic 10-9 win over Trump in the UK Championship final. Robertson potted the final pink in a thrilling deciding frame to clinch the title for the third time.
China’s 21-year-old Pang Junxu won Rookie of the Year following an impressive debut season which included runs to the last 16 of three ranking events.
The Snooker Hall of Fame received two additions: Judd Trump and Brandon Parker.
Trump now has 22 ranking titles to his name and has won all three of the sport’s Triple Crown events.
Brandon Parker made a tremendous contribution to snooker for over 20 years, as a manager of players, promoter of events and as a WST director. He was particularly influential in the growth of snooker in Germany and throughout continental Europe. Brandon sadly passed away last year.
WST Awards: 2020/21 winners Player of the Year – Judd Trump Fans’ Player of the Year – Judd Trump Snooker Journalists’ Player of the Year – Mark Selby Performance of the Year – Mark Selby Rookie of the Year – Pang Junxu Magic Moment of the Year – Neil Robertson Hall of Fame: Judd Trump, Brandon Parker
Player of the Year – former winners
2011: John Higgins
2012: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2013: Mark Selby
2014: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2015: Stuart Bingham
2016: John Higgins
2017: Mark Selby
2018: Ronnie O’Sullivan
2019: Judd Trump
2020: Judd Trump
2021: Judd Trump
Judd Trump won the World Grand Prix on ITV last month
ITV will televise four events on the World Snooker Tour for at least the next two years following a momentous new agreement.
The deal will see the Champion of Champions, World Grand Prix, Players Championship and Tour Championship broadcast by ITV until at least 2022.
Snooker fans throughout the UK will be able to watch the sport’s best players battling for huge titles on free-to-air television. ITV has televised snooker events regularly since 2013, and this new agreement strengthens the relationship and reflects the popularity of the sport on the channel.
The Champion of Champions has been running since 2013 and is promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport. The event brings together winners of tournaments over the previous 12 months to compete for one of the sport’s most prestigious invitation titles. Mark Allen lifted the trophy this season after beating Neil Robertson in the final.
The World Grand Prix features only the top 32 players on the one-year ranking list and was won by Judd Trump last month. Only the top 16 go through to the Players Championship in February and then only the elite top eight qualify for the Tour Championship in March.
WST Chairman Barry Hearn OBE said: “We are thrilled to extend our agreement with ITV for another two years. They have been fantastic supporters of snooker in recent times and they are a great team to work with. The quality of their coverage is superb and that is reflected in the outstanding viewing figures we consistently see for all four of the top-class events they broadcast each season.
“Our many millions of fans in the UK will be delighted by this news because they are guaranteed snooker of the highest quality featuring all of the top stars, with extensive live action on a free-to-air channel. Snooker and ITV are the perfect partners and we look forward to the next two years and beyond.”
Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “We’re delighted to maintain our partnership with Matchroom with this deal, which means viewers will continue to enjoy live, comprehensive free to air coverage of some of the biggest events in snooker for the coming years.”
Fans across the globe will have the chance to watch snooker’s biggest tournament, the Betfred World Championship, as Matchroom Live will broadcast the event in all countries without alternative coverage.
The Matchroom Live platform was launched in May, giving fans across the planet the chance to watch live content from the outstanding portfolio of Matchroom sports, including snooker, darts, boxing, pool and many more. There is also a wealth of classic archive content featuring great moments from the past 40 years.
And one of the most prestigious events in sport, the Betfred World Snooker Championship which has a history dating back to 1927, will receive extensive live broadcast every day.
This will start with the qualifying rounds, running from July 21st to 28th, with 128 players, all chasing one of 16 coveted spots for the final stages at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. From veteran Jimmy White to 14-year-old Iulian Boiko, the field is packed with a range of legends and young talents.
All eight days of action from the qualifying rounds will be available FREE for all fans where broadcast is not available.
The final stages at the famous Crucible then run from July 31 to August 16. Judd Trump won the title for the first time in sensational style last year, making a record seven century breaks as he beat John Higgins in the final. He will be defending the trophy against the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and many more of the sport’s top stars.
This will be available on Matchroom Live’s new subscription service. Fans can sign up for a monthly fee for the chance to watch not just snooker, but a wide range of world class sports content. There is also the option to watch a single day of action.
WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “Matchroom Live is a fantastic innovation for sports fans internationally as it makes top class live events available to everyone in all corners of the globe.
“We have created a price structure which is fair and affordable for sports enthusiasts based on the percentage of the content available to access in each country.
“Around the world, people love live sport. But there are territories where they are starved of the big events because of a lack of television coverage. Matchroom Live gives them that opportunity to see the elite events and the star names. It is all about spreading the joy which live sport can bring.
“The popularity of snooker, darts, boxing and our other sports has grown so much in recent years and we want to reach out further to more and more people, and make the action available.
“And it’s not just live content because Matchroom Live contains a remarkable wealth of archive footage, going back to the 1980s, featuring names from Steve Davis and Ronnie O’Sullivan, to Chris Eubank and Anthony Joshua, to Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, and many more. I could spend weeks on there just watching the classic moments!
“Anyone who loves sport must register for Matchroom Live today, it is the perfect new platform for those who share our passion.”
Matchroom Live is a video-first platform, with the ability to cast to virtually any device whether that be a console, Smart TV, or connected device. The services will also allow fans to watch up to four live events at once with ‘QuadPlay’. The service is built and powered by sports streaming and video technology specialists StreamAMG.
Snooker’s Championship League will return with an exciting new format from June 1st to 11th live on ITV, bringing world-class sport back to living rooms nationwide.
Featuring 64-players in round-robin groups, the new-look Championship League will take place behind closed doors at Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes with strict rules on social distancing, COVID testing and hygiene in place, in line with government guidelines. Marshall Arena has been selected as the venue as it has an on-site accommodation meaning no players, officials or staff will need to leave the venue once they have entered.
All 128 World Snooker Tour card holders will be invited to participate, with the top 64 who enter receiving a place in the tournament. Top players including Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson have already confirmed they will enter the event.
Championship League will be split into three phases, with all matches during all stages played as the best-of-four frames. Play will begin at 3pm each day, running continuously until both groups are complete, with the exception of Friday, June 5th when play will begin at 4pm.
• GROUP MATCHES from June 1st to 8th will feature 16 groups of four players, with two groups played each day across two tables. The player who tops each group table will progress to Phase Two. Players will be awarded three points for a win and one point for a drawn match.
• GROUP WINNERS from June 9th to 10th sees the 16 group winners split into four further groups of four, with two groups per day also played over two tables.
• TOURNAMENT FINALS from June 11th will see the four Phase Two winners battle it out over one final group, played on one table, to determine the Championship League winner.
The total prize fund will stand at over £200,000. Players will earn a guaranteed £1,000 with the winner taking home £30,000 and a place in November’s Champion of Champions. Championship League will not be a ranking event and will be promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport.
All players, staff and contractors will be virus-tested prior to entering the venue and will be in isolation until their results are known. Players will require a negative test result in order to enter the venue. They will play all group matches on one day, remaining on site throughout, and will then leave the venue.
Other safety measures in place will include:
• Social distancing measures in place throughout the venue.
• Players seated at least two metres apart during matches.
• Players using anti-bacterial hand sanitiser before matches and avoiding handshakes.
• Referees endeavouring to keep two metres away from players where possible.
• There will be no access for players’ guests.
• First aid personnel on site at all times
Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said: “During the challenging times of the past few weeks we have examined the opportunities which still exist and worked relentlessly towards the goal of getting our tour going again. While most other sports remain sidelined, we are ready to return from June 1st. This sends out a message to the sporting world that snooker is at the forefront of innovation.
“Our first priority has to be safety and we have had detailed discussions with government in creating a set of approved guidelines for the event which will be rigorously followed. We are making this very clear to the players and everyone working on the event.
“We will be the first major sport to get back to live televised action. That’s not by chance, it’s because of the hard work and preparation we have done during the lockdown to make sure we are ready to get going again as soon as it is legal.
“Liaising with government advisors, we have prepared highly detailed health and safety documents which will be followed to the letter during the tournament. These measures surpass any others made in any other professional sport right now.
“In particular, procedures are being put in place for testing players, staff and contractors, which ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep the event safe. Players who have any doubts about their own welfare can rest assured that all precautions are being taken.
“I am confident that there is no other major sport which can meet health and safety criteria on isolation and social distancing as stringently as snooker can, so we are able to return more quickly than others.
“One of the reasons we have selected the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes is that the accommodation is on site, which means that once players arrive for testing the night before they play, they don’t need to leave until their matches have finished, and they can remain isolated within the venue. It is a superb venue with ideal facilities.
“Following testing, the players will remain in an isolated environment until they are eliminated from the event. It is a group format so the group winners will leave the venue, then come back for their next group when the process begins again. Keeping players isolated at all possible times is an integral part of the procedures we are putting in place.
“These are challenging times but as always we are looking at the opportunities rather than the limitations.
“Championship League will provide 11 days of televised sport with extensive live coverage, from 3pm until 10pm each day. For the fans out there who are starved of live sport it will be a fantastic boost and a very welcome diversion from these tough times we are all going through.
“We are thrilled to be working with ITV on Championship League for the first time, with an exciting new format. The field of players and more details will be announced in the coming days.”
Controller of ITV Sport Production, Mark Demuth, said: “We know fans have been missing live action since the lockdown has been in place, so we’re delighted to bring snooker back, marking the return of live sport to free-to-air TV. Behind the scenes, our team has been working with the event organisers to ensure strict adherence to guidelines to safeguard the well-being of all involved, which is our priority.”
Further information on format and players entered will be announced in due course.
