A couple of days ago I was wondering about the fate of this season World Grand Prix because the event doesn’t currently feature in the season’s calendar. Yesterday I found this in the Hong Kong press:

Introduction

Invitation to Tender

World Grand Prix Hong Kong 2025
A World Snooker Tour Ranking Tournament

Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited (“HKBSCC“) has been engaged by F- Sports Promotions Limited as its exclusive contractor to promote and implement the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong (the “Event“).

The Event is a professional snooker ranking tournament sanctioned by World Snooker Tour. The dates for the Event will be in the first quarter of 2025 which is expected to last 5 to 7 days. The intended venue is the Kai Tak Arena.

HKBSCC hereby invites tender for the work of marketing and managing the Event as sub- contractor of HKBSCC.

Eligibility

The tenderer must have a track-record in planning, promoting, marketing and managing similar major sport events.

Scope of Work

1. Engagement of Players and Professional Body The top 32 highest ranked professional snooker players are eligible to participate in the Event. There may also be a small number of wild-card players and other players who are not in the top 32. The tenderer is required to:
   • ➢  liaise with World Snooker Tour which is the sanctioning body of the Event.
   • ➢  liaise with the players, their managers and/or management companies.
   • ➢  assist in applying for applicable working visas for the players to participate in the Event.
2. Event Management The tenderer is required to arrange for and co-ordinate: At the venue

HKBSCC Tender Invitation

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• ➢  venue set up including but not limited to setting up equipment, lighting, spectator stands and venue decoration, etc.
• ➢  broadcasting set up including but not limited to setting up cameras, commentators’ box, etc.
• ➢  security of the venue, the players and other personnel.
• ➢  opening and closing ceremonies.
• ➢  masters of ceremonies.
• ➢  programme for the Event.
• ➢  players’ lounge and practice area, etc.
• ➢  media center including but not limited to interview area and media facilities.
• ➢  bilingual press release and results for media distribution.
• ➢  players’ autograph sessions.
• ➢  catering services.
• ➢  lucky draw and other promotional events.
• ➢  contingency plans in emergency situations. Outside the venue

• ➢  air ticketing and hotel accommodation for the players and other personnel.
• ➢  reception of the players and other personnel at the airport and related transportation.
• ➢  ground transportation for the players and other personnel during the Event.
• ➢  applications for all necessary and applicable licenses for the Event.
• ➢  other activities as described in section 3 below.

3. PR & Promotions The tenderer is required to plan, manage and co-ordinate public relation and promotional activities which include but are not limited to:
   • ➢  press conference
   • ➢  press release
   • ➢  advertisements
   • ➢  interviews and featured articles
   • ➢  website and pages on social media
   • ➢  production of booklets, souvenirs and other promotional items
   • ➢  welcome reception
   • ➢  closing dinner or banquet
   • ➢  other public relations and promotional activities as decided by HKBSCC or the organizer
4. TV Broadcast The tenderer is required to liaise and co-ordinate with broadcasters on TV production and broadcasting.

HKBSCC Tender Invitation

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5. Sponsorship, Sales and Liaison The tenderer is required to:
   • ➢  Liaise with various stakeholders including but not limited to the Government, venue operator, players, sponsors and media.
   • ➢  arrange for and co-coordinate ticket sales.
   • ➢  invite and liaise with government officials and other officiating guests.
6. Miscellaneous

➢ The successful tenderer will meet with officials of HKBSCC regularly to take instructions and report on progress, and is required to submit a final written report to the HKBSCC after completion of the Event.

Confidentiality and No Assignment

The tenderer must keep the terms of the agreement with HKBSCC and other commercial terms and information concerning the Event which are not available to the public in strict confidence. The tenderer may not assign or sub-contract any of its rights or obligations under the agreement without the prior written consent of HKBSCC.

Tender Requirements

The tenderer shall submit its tender by e-mail setting out its background, relevant experience and fee proposal under subject “Tender for World Grand Prix 2025”.

• ➢  Tender closing date: 19 July 2024 (Fri), 17:00 hours
• ➢  Tender should be sent by e-mail to the following address: info@hkbilliardsports.org.hk Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited 5 July 2024

HKBSCC Tender Invitation

The green/bold highlight was added by me.

So, what is this? It’s a call for tender inviting potential promoters/event organisers to submit their proposal for the organisation of the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong during the first quarter of 2025.

If WST intentions are to move the event outside the UK, you have to wonder wether ITV will still be the broadcaster. That looks unlikely to me but you never know. If they don’t, as a person living outside the UK without access to ITV, I won’t be particularly sorry. As good as ITV coverage might be, it wasn’t available to me ¹.

But it IS an interesting move by WST. So far all the big invitational or “on merit events”², other than the Shanghai Masters, were always held in the UK (or Ireland in the past). Is that about to change? Could we see some of those big “restricted field” events starting to travel around the World? Like the Football World Cup, or the NITO ATP Finals in tennis, or many other prestige events in other sports do? I hope it happens. It should really.

1. Not in a straightforward way anyway. ↩︎
2. By that I mean events not open to the the full tour, but only to players who have “earned” their spot through ranking (be it the one year list, or two years list) or because they won something over the course of the last year. ↩︎