Snooker Stars Voice Concerns Over Tournament Promotion
Top snooker players Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy have raised significant concerns about the sport's promotion and marketing efforts, describing the current state as "disappointing". Both athletes highlighted that it is often difficult to detect when a tournament is taking place in a host city, citing the recent World Grand Prix in Hong Kong as a prime example of underwhelming execution.
World Grand Prix in Hong Kong Falls Short
The World Grand Prix, which relocated from Leicester to the new Kai Tak Arena in Hong Kong in 2025, saw a substantial increase in prize money. However, Trump, the world number one, who frequently visits Hong Kong due to his girlfriend residing there, felt the event did not meet expectations. He noted that the atmosphere was "very flat" and crowds were poor, with attendance reportedly dropping compared to the previous year.
Trump elaborated, "It felt like it had gone downhill from the year before. My first game was built up in the debut year, with a great atmosphere, but this year it just felt like a bit of a secondary event." He attributed this to inadequate marketing, stating that many locals were unaware of the tournament, which he believes is a recurring issue in snooker globally.
Marketing Deficiencies Highlighted
Trump emphasized that snooker struggles with a lack of investment in promotion, suggesting that the sport is hesitant to spend money to generate revenue. He shared anecdotes from both Hong Kong and the UK, where people often ask, "What are you doing here?" due to low event visibility. Similarly, Murphy echoed these sentiments, noting that during his 48-hour stay in Hong Kong, there was no visible evidence of a snooker event occurring.
Murphy, known as "the Magician," expressed his old-fashioned belief in traditional advertising, which he found lacking in Hong Kong. He recounted instances where fans at his hotel were surprised to learn of his presence for a tournament. Despite this, Murphy acknowledged positive trends, such as strong crowds at the Players Championship in Telford, indicating that overall demand for live snooker is growing.
World Snooker Tour Responds
In response to the criticisms, a World Snooker Tour spokesperson defended the Hong Kong event, calling it a "tremendous destination" for the World Grand Prix. They reported that multiple sessions attracted over 1,000 fans, which would be record-breaking for many UK events. The spokesperson also highlighted a 42 percent increase in ticket sales over the past three years, asserting that demand for live snooker has never been higher.
Nevertheless, both Trump and Murphy remain concerned about the sport's promotional strategies. Trump concluded, "It's disappointing because the Hong Kong event should be massive, but it's just a little bit half-hearted at the moment." Murphy added that while snooker is moving in the right direction, the answers to improving marketing remain unclear, underscoring the need for enhanced efforts to boost global awareness and engagement.
