Snooker powers set for talks as players union calls crunch meeting

The Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA) is pushing hard for change in the game, requesting governing body the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association (WPBSA) call an EGM, with a date of the crunch meeting to be announced imminently.

The PSPA was set up as an independent players union in August last year, with John Higgins as its chairman and featuring a string of big names on the players’ board.

They now have more than 50 per cent of the professional tour signed up and have set out a number of changes they want to see enacted in snooker.

Progress has been slow in terms of actually making those changes, but the PSPA has made a significant move by requesting the WPBSA call an Extraordinary General Meeting, a request which is to be granted imminently.

WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson told Metro: ‘WPBSA and I welcome any open players meetings we can possibly have with our players and with any player representatives.

‘I welcome the EGM.

I welcome the formalness and the importance of an EGM.

So I look forward to seeing as many members there as possible.’

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The PSPA has already made clear a number of issues they want to address, telling Metro earlier this year that tournament scheduling, healthcare cover for players, the ranking system, WPBSA funding, disciplinary processes and commercial opportunities for players are all being brought to the table for discussion.

A meeting between the PSPA and WPBSA was held at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh in December, which both sides described as positive and constructive as a number of possible changes were discussed.

The players’ union is now looking to push forward towards those changes actually coming into place, which is why they have requested the EGM.

There is some frustration on the PSPA side at the pace of organising meetings with the governing body, although the WPBSA rejects the suggestion that delays have come from their end.

The PSPA now wields significant power as an association representing the majority of the professional tour and will expect to agree some changes which they feel benefit their members.

Some areas will be easier to reach an agreement or a compromise on than others, but change is certainly afoot, with the WPBSA already in the process of amending their policy on healthcare cover for players and reviewing the ranking system.

Currently, private healthcare cover is provided for players in the top 64 of the rankings only, but the PSPA is keen to extend that to the whole tour.

The ranking system has long been a point of discussion, with the current money-list being challenged and the PSPA keen to switch to a points-based system, which they believe would be fairer and a more accurate reflection of players’ achievements.

There will be debate and discussion on all the issues and hope that changes can be agreed upon, with collaboration still the aim.

The PSPA insist the EGM has not been called with the goal of making any sort of coup by removing members of the WPBSA board.

Focus will turn to the meeting after the World Championship, as PSPA chairman John Higgins and players board members Mark Allen and Shaun Murphy are all still in the event.

Murphy and Higgins meet in one semi-final while Allen takes on Wu Yize in the other, both starting on Thursday.

Higgins has not said a great deal publicly on the PSPA since it came into being, when asked about progress ahead of the World Championship, he said: ‘It’s been a little bit quiet because there’s more going on behind the scenes, but it’s going to ramp up soon I’m sure.’