Jak Jones has raised concerns about the financial barriers facing young players in the UK, warning that the cost of playing snooker could prevent talented youngsters from developing into future professionals.
The Welshman, who reached the 2024 World Championship final, believes the sport can be difficult for families to support because serious development requires regular access to tables, coaching, equipment and travel. Jones’s own rise to the Crucible final demonstrated that players outside the established elite can reach the highest level, but he has also highlighted the challenges facing those trying to follow a similar path.
“It’s an expensive sport”
Jones’s message is particularly significant at a time when the snooker community is focused on developing the next generation of players.
For a young player, simply owning a cue is only the beginning. Regular practice is essential, and that often means paying for table time at clubs. Add coaching, competition entry fees, travel, accommodation and other expenses, and the cost can quickly become difficult for ordinary families.
Jones’s warning is that financial circumstances should not determine whether a talented youngster gets the opportunity to pursue snooker seriously.
The pathway can become expensive
Unlike some sports where young players can practise relatively cheaply in schools or community facilities, snooker generally requires access to specialist tables.
That can create a major difference between youngsters who have strong financial support at home and those whose families cannot afford frequent practice sessions and trips to tournaments.
For an aspiring professional, competition experience is also important. Players need opportunities to test themselves against stronger opponents, but travelling around the country can add another layer of expense.
The result can be a difficult cycle: a youngster may have the talent to progress but lack the financial resources needed to obtain enough practice and competitive experience.
Jones’ own journey
Jones knows what reaching the professional level requires. His biggest career breakthrough came at the 2024 World Championship, when he emerged from qualifying and went all the way to the final at the Crucible.
He eventually lost 18–14 to Kyren Wilson, but his run was historic. Jones became only the ninth qualifier to reach the World Championship final and the first since Ding Junhui in 2016.
His story provides an important example for younger players because it shows that success does not necessarily belong only to the biggest names or most heavily funded players.
But Jones’s comments also underline how difficult it can be for the next generation to reach that stage in the first place.
A wider issue for UK snooker
The concern extends beyond Jones.
British snooker has produced generations of world-class players, but maintaining that tradition requires young people to enter the sport and remain involved long enough to develop.
If costs become too high, promising players may choose other sports or abandon competitive snooker altogether.
That makes affordability an important issue for clubs, governing bodies and development programmes. Creating more accessible opportunities for young players could help ensure that talent is not lost simply because a family cannot afford the full cost of a competitive snooker pathway.
Jones’s warning therefore carries a message beyond his own career. The future of UK snooker could depend not only on finding talented youngsters, but also on making sure those youngsters can afford to keep playing.
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