John Higgins is a four-time world champion
A newly established independent association for professional snooker players aims to provide them with “a stronger voice” and potentially revolutionize the sport’s growth, according to its chairman, John Higgins.
Higgins, a four-time world champion himself, serves as a director of the Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), which has announced its launch with the stated mission to “champion the sport.”
“We feel as though we’ve not been listened to as we should have been in recent years,” Higgins stated in an interview with BBC Sport.
“The game has not moved forward with the times compared to other top sports.”
“Snooker deserves a strong, independent players’ association that stands for fairness, transparency, and progress.”
The PSPA asserts that the governance of snooker “should factor in more of the views of the players.”
The association has pledged to cultivate a “collaborative relationship” with key stakeholders, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the existing WPBSA Players’ Board, and World Snooker Tour, with the objective of “enhancing the sport’s future, while safeguarding player welfare and commercial interests.”
According to the PSPA, its players board comprises prominent figures such as Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Stephen Maguire, Mark Allen, Ryan Day and Joe Perry. Matthew Selt has been appointed a director, alongside legal experts Ben Rees and Mark Kenkre.
The association further claims that Ronnie O’Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, has committed to becoming a member, alongside Chinese stars Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong.
“I’ve had lots of discussions with Ronnie,” Higgins revealed. “He’s really excited about it, so it’s full steam ahead.”
The significant backing from top players suggests a sentiment that they lack sufficient input in the management of the World Snooker Tour (WST), particularly concerning commercial matters.
During the 2024 World Championship, discussions surrounding a potential breakaway tour dominated headlines at the Crucible. This followed approaches to leading players to participate in lucrative events in China and North America as part of a potential breakaway circuit.
Professional players are bound by contracts that restrict their participation in external events during WST tournaments, unless sanctioned by the WST, although players have recently negotiated greater flexibility.
Notably, the WST has been increasing prize money across the board and is set to host the sport’s “fourth major” in Saudi Arabia, boasting a prize pool exceeding £2 million. The second Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will take place later this week in Jeddah.
The WPBSA’s own players’ body was established in 2020, with a mandate to “act in the collective best interest of members in relation to welfare and issues affecting the professional game.”
The governing body states that it “acts as a channel for member concerns and provides a platform whereby issues surrounding their wellbeing can be raised at the highest levels by the WPBSA Players Board.”
The PSPA states that it has been formed with expert guidance from leading sports law professionals and that its key objectives include legal and commercial support to protect players’ rights in sponsorship, broadcasting, and contractual matters.