Ronnie O’Sullivan says he would love to see a LIV-style breakaway tour in snooker if it meant the same money as the rebel golfers have been offered.
A rival snooker tour has been mooted to begin next season, with top players approached over playing a string of events with guaranteed money.
Judd Trump has declared that he is not interested, while the Rocket is not going to be involved after signing a deal with Saudi Arabia that has contracted him to play in World Snooker Tour events.
However, last week O’Sullivan backed any players that fancied joining a new tour and now says he would be thrilled to see LIV-style events, if it meant mind-blowing money on the table.
‘I’d love to see a LIV-style breakaway!’ O’Sullivan said. ‘I’d love to get a phone call which says “do you want £600million to play for three years” I’d love that phone call. Wouldn’t you?
‘Would you turn that down? If someone said “come and work for my radio station for three years and we’d pay you £600million” would you turn it down?’
It is a fair question from the Rocket but the possible breakaway tour in snooker is not offering that kind of money, instead around £320,000 guaranteed, with prize money to be won on top of that.
Players including Kyren Wilson and Jack Lisowski have admitted they are at least tempted by an offer elsewhere and the Rocket says they are welcome to make their own choices.
‘I don’t know. I don’t get involved in it. Each to their own, everyone’s got to do what they’ve got to do,’ said the world number one.
‘I know what I want from the sport, I know what I’m prepared to do and I know what I need in return from it. As long as I keep getting that I don’t mind playing. Everyone has to make that decision up for themselves.
‘Everyone’s in different positions in the game, stages of their careers. One might work better for one person. Working more or less could work for others. It’s not always about money. It’s about the time as well. That’s the most important thing, for some people it’s money. It’s really hard to give you a straight answer.’
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