Ali Carter believes there are too many players on the World Snooker Tour despite a guaranteed £20,000 for the world’s top 130 in 2022-23.
Carter, 43, won the German Masters this month, his first title for seven years.
“It’s been really tough. Maybe 90% of players on the tour have got no money,” he told the BBC’s Framed Podcast.
When the tour announced the guaranteed £20,000 in September, chairman Steve Dawson said it would “support the many talented players who may need a level of security to fund their snooker careers”.
But reigning world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan is among others who have spoken about the issue of earnings in the past and Carter, from Essex, believes too many tour players are under financial strain.
“I think the tour should probably be cut [in numbers], to give a prize that if you do get your tour card, you are guaranteed a living, a good living,” he said.
“They’re earning nothing, 20 grand a year, 30 grand a year after expenses, maybe less than that. You could go and get a job stacking a shelf in a supermarket [for that], no disrespect to anyone who does that.
“But these boys have put their life into playing snooker from a very young age, so it just seems a little bit unfair to me, that’s all.”
In response, a WST statement said: “Our tour is about meritocracy. We have an abundance of talent from many different countries around the globe, the strength in depth on our tour is incredible. There are opportunities for all of them and there are huge rewards for those that succeed.
“Our ambition is to keep snooker growing on a global scale and ensure that the best players from every continent have a pathway to compete at the highest level.
“This season we brought in an initiative to provide a prize money guarantee to all tour players, ensuring that they have at least £20,000 over the season. This has given them the security of knowing that they have an income and they can budget their season around this.”
In the past two years 42 players have earned more than £100,000 in prize money at ranking events.
‘I like the fine things in life’
Carter has won five ranking titles during his career and twice been a finalist at the World Snooker Championship, losing to O’Sullivan on both occasions.
He said: “I like the fine things in life, I want the nice things in life, so if you want them, you’ve got to go out there and get them, and there’s only one person that can do that.
“No-one gives you anything in this life, you have to go out and earn it. So that’s what I’m trying to do.
“I’m 44 in July and arguably I’m fitter and more well than I’m ever been and I’m playing some great stuff, I’m scoring heavy, I’m enjoying it and winning takes the pressure off, as well on the financial strain that all the snooker players are under, apart from probably the top eight or so.”
Carter has overcome testicular and lung cancer in the past and also suffers from Crohn’s disease, and it has taught him not to look too far ahead.
But working with coach Chris Henry for the last few months has enabled him to “rewire the brain into firing out positives instead of negatives”.
He said: “I’ve changed my practice routines, just challenging myself in practice. We all know we like doing things we’re good at, and I can go into my snooker room, and just knock a few line-ups in and a few long balls, but you’re not challenging yourself. You can go in there and just set up easy routines just from habit, really.
“But Chris is like ‘you’ve got to challenge yourself in practice all the time, make it as difficult as possible. That’s the only way at your level you’re going to see an improvement’.”
Carter added: “I’ve had a long, long career, I’ve suffered a lot with illness and I’ve battled through adversity. I should probably give myself a pat on the back, really.
“I’m not as successful as some, but I’m more successful than most. I’m probably in the top 5-10% of all snooker players of all time, so it’s not bad. I’ve won five ranking events, and some other events. Twice a world finalist, I’ve made 147s, I’ve done it all and I’m not finished yet.
“I honestly, genuinely believe now I’ve teamed up with Chris I’m playing better than I ever have.”
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