Hearn looks to conquer Europe 21/01/2010 |
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Barry Hearn wants to boost snooker’s popularity in Europe as part of his plans to breathe new life into the game.
Hearn, who was appointed chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association in December, revealed that Berlin could host a new ranking event from February next year.
He said: "The basis of the game is good. It just needs a few simple things to freshen it up. Europe is right up there at the forefront of my plans."
Hearn, who also chairs the Professional Darts Corporation, has made an immediate impact, introducing walk-on music for the recent Masters event at Wembley.
"The nicknames and entrance music are just very small steps in making the game more appealing to a younger audience," added Hearn.
"Inevitably there will be more razzmatazz, but we mustn't lose track of the strengths of the game.
"There are certain events that are almost untouchable – like the World Championships – but we need events to have their own personality and identity.
"It might involve shorter formats, outrageous razzmatazz or may involve absolutely nothing if the product is right."
Berlin's proposed tournament next year would be the first of its kind in Germany and with China already an established market, Hearn is turning his attention to Europe
"I'm very excited about Germany, Austria, eastern Europe and the Nordic countries," he continued. "It's showing some resurgence in interest and it's a market that can make us money and therefore I'm even more interested!"
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