The Professional Snooker Players Association has been set up with John Higgins as chairman and a string of big names involved as a new independent voice in the sport.
The association (PSPA) intends to work with the current powers in snooker, representing the interests of players and the sport in general.
A number of top stars including Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen, Ali Carter, Stuart Bingham, Stephen Maguire and Jack Lisowski are set to be on a players board of the PSPA.
Four-time world champion Higgins hopes that the PSPA can be a more impactful vehicle for the opinions of players than the current systems in place.
Clearly frustrations have been mounting among players, who feel that the authorities could be doing more for them and the progress of the sport.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the 50-year-old said: ‘We feel as though we’ve not been listened to as we should have been in recent years.
‘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.’
Ronnie O’Sullivan is one big name of the sport not included on the players board, but Higgins says the Rocket is on board with the plans.
‘I’ve had lots of discussions with Ronnie. He’s really excited about it, so it’s full steam ahead,’ Higgins told the BBC.
The sport’s governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), already has WPBSA Players which was formed in 2020 as a Players Association and features Ken Doherty, Mark Davis, Ben Woollaston and Tian Pengfei on its board. It was announced last month that Neil Robertson had also joined the board.
Clearly a number of the biggest names in the sport do not feel like it is representing their interests effectively, though, and hope to have a ‘stronger voice’ thanks to the new association.
The PSPA intend to work in a ‘collaborative relationship’ with the WPBSA, WPBSA Players and World Snooker Limited, the ‘commercial entity responsible for the commercial exploitation and promotion of professional snooker events and is the custodian of the sport’s commercial rights.’
World number 10 Mark Allen suggested it was time for an independent players’ union earlier this year and now appears to have got his wish.
‘I think there are exciting times ahead for a players’ union,’ he told the Irish Daily Mirror. ‘I’d love to be involved. It if was something that happened in the near future then I’d love to be as involved as I can be. I’m someone who’s very passionate about the sport.
‘Things are better than a few years ago when I was critical a lot. But there are still things that aren’t right in my view. I don’t think the WPBSA Players’ Board is running the way it should be. Now could be the time for us to look down the road of a players’ union that’s completely independent.’
