Latest news with #JohnHiggins
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
John Higgins lands major new role at snooker's top table as he tells chiefs ‘the game hasn't moved forward with times'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTTISH snooker star John Higgins has agreed to spearhead a new players' union aimed at giving the sports' top stars more of a voice in the game. Four-time world champion Higgins has been appointed the chairman of the Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), which already has a string of top players signed up including seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 John Higgins of Scotland in action Credit: Getty 2 John Higgins of Scotland Credit: Getty The PSPA is aimed at giving snooker's stars a 'stronger voice" and could be "massive" for the growth of the game. "We feel as though we've not been listened to as we should have been in recent years", said Higgins. "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 has established a new players board which includes world number one Judd Trump and other big names including Scotland's Stephen Maguire, as well as Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Mark Allen, Ryan Day and Joe Perry. Getting O'Sullivan on board was a big aim of the PSPA, especially because of his worldwide appeal. "I've had lots of discussions with Ronnie" revealed Higgins. "He's really excited about it, so it's full steam ahead." After an excellent season last time out, Higgins saw his Shanghai Masters title hopes frustratingly ended at the first hurdle. Four-time world champion Higgins last month crashed to a surprise 6-4 loss to China's Xiao Guodong at the opening ranking event of the new season. Celtic-daft snooker ace John Higgins aims brutal dig at Rangers after Hoops' title triumph Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
John Higgins lands major new role at snooker's top table as he tells chiefs ‘the game hasn't moved forward with times'
SCOTTISH snooker star John Higgins has agreed to spearhead a new players' union aimed at giving the sports' top stars more of a voice in the game. Four-time world champion Higgins has been appointed the chairman of the Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), which already has a string of top players signed up including seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan. 2 2 The PSPA is aimed at giving snooker's stars a 'stronger voice" and could be "massive" for the growth of the game. "We feel as though we've not been listened to as we should have been in recent years", said Higgins. "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 has established a new players board which includes world number one Judd Trump and other big names including Scotland's Stephen Maguire, as well as Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Gary Wilson, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Mark Allen, Ryan Day and Joe Perry. Getting O'Sullivan on board was a big aim of the PSPA, especially because of his worldwide appeal. "I've had lots of discussions with Ronnie" revealed Higgins. "He's really excited about it, so it's full steam ahead." After an excellent season last time out, Higgins saw his Shanghai Masters title hopes frustratingly ended at the first hurdle. Four-time world champion Higgins last month crashed to a surprise 6-4 loss to China's Xiao Guodong at the opening ranking event of the new season.
CNA
5 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Snooker-Higgins leads launch of independent players association
Four-time world snooker champion John Higgins has been named Director and Chairman of the newly-formed Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), the independent players' body said on Wednesday, as it seeks a stronger voice in the sport. Among those on the players' board are Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, and Mark Selby, while Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong have signed up as members, the PSPA added. "The PSPA has been founded at this time because players currently do not believe they have a large enough voice in the commercial direction of the sport and that they feel the governance of snooker, as a whole, should factor in more of the views of the players," PSPA said in a media release. The association says it wants to have a collaborative relationship with snooker's governing bodies, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), World Snooker and the existing WPBSA Players Board. "Our sport deserves a strong, independent players' association that stands for fairness, transparency, and progress," Higgins said. "We seek to work closely with the WPBSA, World Snooker, and the WPBSA Players Board to ensure that players benefit from a full suite of support mechanisms ... while also maintaining true independence when it comes to commercial negotiations and agreements."
The Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Snooker-Higgins leads launch of independent players association
FILE PHOTO: Snooker - World Snooker Championship - The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, Britain - April 30, 2025 Scotland's John Higgins in action during his quarterfinal match against Wales' Mark Williams Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo (Reuters) -Four-time world snooker champion John Higgins has been named Director and Chairman of the newly-formed Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA), the independent players' body said on Wednesday, as it seeks a stronger voice in the sport. Among those on the players' board are Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, and Mark Selby, while Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong have signed up as members, the PSPA added. "The PSPA has been founded at this time because players currently do not believe they have a large enough voice in the commercial direction of the sport and that they feel the governance of snooker, as a whole, should factor in more of the views of the players," PSPA said in a media release. The association says it wants to have a collaborative relationship with snooker's governing bodies, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), World Snooker and the existing WPBSA Players Board. "Our sport deserves a strong, independent players' association that stands for fairness, transparency, and progress," Higgins said. "We seek to work closely with the WPBSA, World Snooker, and the WPBSA Players Board to ensure that players benefit from a full suite of support mechanisms ... while also maintaining true independence when it comes to commercial negotiations and agreements." (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New association gives players 'stronger voice'
A new, independent association for leading snooker players will give them "a stronger voice", according to its chairman John Higgins. The four-time world champion is a director of the Professional Snooker Players Association (PSPA) which says it is launching to "champion the sport", along with its leading names. "We feel as though we've not been listened to as we should have been in recent years", Higgins told 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 association also claims the governance of snooker "should factor in more of the views of the players". It has vowed to foster a "collaborative relationship" with the sport's authorities, including the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the existing WPBSA Players' Board, and World Snooker Tour "to enhance the sport's future, while safeguarding player welfare and commercial interests". The PSPA says it has established a players board comprising of 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. Another player - Matthew Selt - has been appointed a director, alongside lawyers Ben Rees and Mark Kenkre. The association also claims that seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has agreed to become a member, along with Chinese stars Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong. "I've had lots of discussions with Ronnie" said Higgins. "He's really excited about it, so it's full steam ahead." The fact so many of the top players are behind the new body suggests some feel they do not have enough say in the running of the World Snooker Tour (WST), particularly the commercial side. During the 2024 World Championship, the headlines at the Crucible were dominated by talk of a potential breakaway tour. This came after the game's top players were approached to play in lucrative events in China and North America as part of a potential breakaway circuit. Professional players sign a contract which does not allow them to compete in any outside events while WST tournaments are being played, unless they are events sanctioned by the WST, although players have recently negotiated more flexibility. However, the WST has been increasing the amount of prize money in the game, and is preparing to stage the sport's "fourth major" in Saudi Arabia with a prize pot of more than £2m. The second Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters will take place later this week in Jeddah. The WPBSA's own players' body was formed in 2020, and the governing body says it has "a specific mandate to act in the collective best interest of members in relation to welfare and issues affecting the professional game." It says 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 says 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.
