Mike Watterson
Encyclopedia
Mike Watterson is a former English professional snooker
player, businessman, entrepreneur and commentator. He won a National Amateur Championship, and was an England Amateur international for two years before turning professional in January 1981.
His full name is George Michael Edwin Watterson (he was named George after his father) but was always known as Michael or Mike.
He was born on Wednesday 26 August 1942 in Chesterfield and he was the 3rd of 4 children (There was a last fifth who died only weeks old). However his birth was registered a day later as the 27th as his father who had been on nights in the steelworks during the war gave the incorrect birthdate.
when it was introduced in 1963.
In 1977, his late wife, Carole, went to see a play at the Crucible Theatre
, Sheffield, and suggested to her husband that it would make the ideal setting for snooker. Knowing that there was a real danger that there would be no World Snooker Championship
that year, Watterson spoke to the theatre's then-manager, Arnold Eliiman, and asked if he could stage the tournament there. Watterson rented the theatre for £6,600 for two weeks, and had to make a bid to the snooker association, guaranteeing them £17,000 from the tournament. It was accepted and the tournament remains at the now world-famous venue to this day, famous for its intimate atmosphere . To this day, the tournament format he introduced from 1980 onwards remains unchanged.
Later that same year, he created the UK Championship
from scratch, and within a few years had set up the British Open
and International Open
, as well as arranging the sponsors and TV contracts with the BBC and ITV. In 1979 he created the first World Cup (snooker), sponsored by State Express. In effect, he was involved with the creation of most of the major professional tournaments that sprung up during the 1980s, many of which still exist to this day.
However, his relationship with the sport turned sour in 1983, when he was told by the WPBSA that he was no longer needed as a promoter. According to Gordon Burn
's book Pocket Money, Watterson said that every time he missed a meeting, he found he had lost another tournament. In a relatively short period of time, he was squeezed out of the game, as the WPBSA started promoting the events themselves.
Watterson lays the blame for this on the late former WPBSA Chairman and snooker manager Del Simmons, as well as his former employee Paul Hatherell, and former player come WPBSA Chairman Rex Williams
. He said that when he lost the World Championship, it was like someone had killed one of his children.
At various times, he also managed some well-known professional snooker players including Kirk Stevens
, Cliff Thorburn
, Jim Wych
and Silvino Francisco
.
Watterson also created the BDO World Darts Championship
, an idea he came up with while sat in a barber's chair in 1977. Imperial Tobacco
, who already sponsored the World Snooker Championship with their Embassy brand were also interested and with Watterson promoting the event Imperial also signed up to the darts version, which they were to sponsor for 25 years. Once again, Watterson arranged the sponsorship and TV contract with the BBC. The tournament was originally held at the Heart of the Midlands nightclub in Nottingham
, which belonged to his late friend Derrick Wright. He then took it to Jollies in Stoke-on-Trent
.
However, his relationship with darts turned sour when he accused BDO Chairman Olly Croft
of ripping him off, with the help of the late Peter Dyke of Imperial Tobacco.
Today, Watterson no longer even watches the BDO World Championship on TV, believing the best players now play in the breakaway rival Professional Darts Corporation
. He supported the reasons for the breakaway, which many leading players put down to Olly Croft's behaviour and attitude towards the professional game.
Watterson also created the system of sets and legs, creating a climax every 20 minutes and thereby maintaining the interest of TV viewers, which is used in darts and bowls to this day.
Elsewhere, he staged the first floodlit cricket in Britain in 1980, which was a six-a-side tournament between Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Kent, staged at Bramall Lane
stadium in Sheffield.
In 1981 he created the first UK Indoor Bowls Championship at the Preston Guild Hall. He changed the format to 21 ends, to three sets of first to seven ends.
He took over promotion of ITV's Pro-Celebrity Snooker, held in Leeds, after Canadian Club
withdrew their sponsorship. He got a new sponsor and ran the event for a few years.
in the early 1980s, which saw him bring Brian Clough
's former assistant manager at arch rivals Nottingham Forest
, Peter Taylor out of retirement to become manager of the Rams. Within a short period, Archie Gemmill
and John Robertson had made the journey across from Forest, although Watterson never approved of the Robertson transfer, believing him to be past his prime.
Battles in the boadroom and a disillusionment with the club's hooligan fan problem led to Watterson leaving within a few years.
In June 1983 he was approached by Chesterfield FC secretary Bob Pepper and the club solicitor Roger Woodhead, who advised him that the club was being wound up in the High Court in London, for debts totalling £91,000 to the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise. They asked him if there was anything he could do to help. He gave Pepper two cheques and told him to present them at the Court in four days. Watterson still has the cheque stubs as living proof, and the club was therefore saved. He then became Vice-Chairman of Chesterfield, but only stayed until November that year. However, he did return for a spell as Chairman which lasted just over a year, but he became disillusioned with football and the people in it, and has only been to two games since 1986. However, he continues to follow the game closely on television.
, who is now a sworn enemy of his. The series presenter was Mike Smith, a former master of ceremonies at major snooker events who is now a Eurosport
commentator.
However, Watterson's main commentary career began in 1989 or 1990 when he began working for the original incarnation of Eurosport
, which was then jointly owned by Sky Television Plc
and the EBU. His regular commentary partners were Canadian Jim Wych
and Willie Thorne
. The event he most enjoyed commentating on was the one-off Mita World Masters in 1991, an innovative event created especially for television by Barry Hearn
. He also commentated on the British Open
and International Open
for several years, when the coverage moved from ITV to Sky. When Sky moved its sports programming from Eurosport to Sky Sports
, which it owned outright, Watterson continued in the role.
He stepped down from his commentary job with Sky in 1994 or 1995 because he wished to spend more time enjoying his property in Spain during the winter months. However, he did briefly work as a commentator for the current incarnation of Eurosport
for a short while after that.
However, in late 2009 he announced his support for Barry Hearn's ultimately successful bid to take over professional snooker, and described it as "the best thing to happen to professional snooker in 30 years". He has stated he is willing to become involved in snooker administration again if asked. He remains in regular contact with his friend, snooker commentator and journalist Clive Everton
.
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player, businessman, entrepreneur and commentator. He won a National Amateur Championship, and was an England Amateur international for two years before turning professional in January 1981.
Early life
Watterson was born the son of George Robert Watterson (10 June 1911 - 16 July 1967) and Olive Ethel Pilkington (16 November 1910 - 6 May 1986). They married in 1936.His full name is George Michael Edwin Watterson (he was named George after his father) but was always known as Michael or Mike.
He was born on Wednesday 26 August 1942 in Chesterfield and he was the 3rd of 4 children (There was a last fifth who died only weeks old). However his birth was registered a day later as the 27th as his father who had been on nights in the steelworks during the war gave the incorrect birthdate.
Business Activities
Watterson's early business career saw him work as a wages clerk and then as a car dealer. He was a salesman with the Sheffield-based Vauxhall dealers, Bentley Brothers, and was one of the first people in the country to sell the Vauxhall VivaVauxhall Viva
The Viva was a small family car produced by Vauxhall Motors in a succession of three versions between 1963 and 1979. These were known as the HA, the HB and the HC series....
when it was introduced in 1963.
In 1977, his late wife, Carole, went to see a play at the Crucible Theatre
Crucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
, Sheffield, and suggested to her husband that it would make the ideal setting for snooker. Knowing that there was a real danger that there would be no World Snooker Championship
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
that year, Watterson spoke to the theatre's then-manager, Arnold Eliiman, and asked if he could stage the tournament there. Watterson rented the theatre for £6,600 for two weeks, and had to make a bid to the snooker association, guaranteeing them £17,000 from the tournament. It was accepted and the tournament remains at the now world-famous venue to this day, famous for its intimate atmosphere . To this day, the tournament format he introduced from 1980 onwards remains unchanged.
Later that same year, he created the UK Championship
UK Championship (snooker)
The UK Championship is a professional ranking snooker tournament. It is the second biggest ranking tournament after the World Championship and is one of the Triple Crown events.-History:...
from scratch, and within a few years had set up the British Open
British Open (snooker)
The British Open was a professional snooker tournament. It was a ranking tournament from 1985. The tournament has not been held since the 2004/2005 season....
and International Open
Players Championship (snooker)
The Players Championship was a professional snooker tournament. It is the most recent name of the ranking tournament held in Scotland every year. The tournament has had a bewildering number of name changes in its history. Until recently it was commonly known as the Scottish Open, and prior to that...
, as well as arranging the sponsors and TV contracts with the BBC and ITV. In 1979 he created the first World Cup (snooker), sponsored by State Express. In effect, he was involved with the creation of most of the major professional tournaments that sprung up during the 1980s, many of which still exist to this day.
However, his relationship with the sport turned sour in 1983, when he was told by the WPBSA that he was no longer needed as a promoter. According to Gordon Burn
Gordon Burn
Gordon Burn was an English writer born in Newcastle upon Tyne and the author of four novels and several works of non-fiction....
's book Pocket Money, Watterson said that every time he missed a meeting, he found he had lost another tournament. In a relatively short period of time, he was squeezed out of the game, as the WPBSA started promoting the events themselves.
Watterson lays the blame for this on the late former WPBSA Chairman and snooker manager Del Simmons, as well as his former employee Paul Hatherell, and former player come WPBSA Chairman Rex Williams
Rex Williams
Rex Williams , son of Minnie Roberts and William Williams, is a retired English professional snooker and billiards player.Williams was an excellent junior player in both snooker and billiards. His professional career began in 1951, during a period of decline in snooker...
. He said that when he lost the World Championship, it was like someone had killed one of his children.
At various times, he also managed some well-known professional snooker players including Kirk Stevens
Kirk Stevens
Kirk Stevens is a Canadian professional snooker player.Stevens started playing young, achieving his first aged just 12. He turned professional aged 20, and reached the semi-finals of the World Championship aged 21...
, Cliff Thorburn
Cliff Thorburn
Clifford Charles Devlin Thorburn CM, known as Cliff Thorburn is a retired professional Canadian snooker player...
, Jim Wych
Jim Wych
Jim Wych is a sports announcer and former Canadian professional snooker and pocket billiards player. He reached the quarter-final of the Embassy World Professional Snooker Championship in his debut year of 1980, a "first" for any overseas player and duplicated this feat again in 1992...
and Silvino Francisco
Silvino Francisco
Silvino Francisco is a retired South African professional snooker player.Francisco comes from a snooker-playing family. His brother Mannie and nephew Peter both played at a high level, Mannie having been a runner-up in the World Amateur Billiards Championship on several occasions, and Peter having...
.
Watterson also created the BDO World Darts Championship
BDO World Darts Championship
The BDO World Darts Championship is a world championship competition in darts, organised by the British Darts Organisation . It began in 1978, and was the only world championship tournament until 1994...
, an idea he came up with while sat in a barber's chair in 1977. Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
, who already sponsored the World Snooker Championship with their Embassy brand were also interested and with Watterson promoting the event Imperial also signed up to the darts version, which they were to sponsor for 25 years. Once again, Watterson arranged the sponsorship and TV contract with the BBC. The tournament was originally held at the Heart of the Midlands nightclub in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, which belonged to his late friend Derrick Wright. He then took it to Jollies in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
.
However, his relationship with darts turned sour when he accused BDO Chairman Olly Croft
Olly Croft
Oliver Albert "Olly" Croft, OBE is a former darts administrator and the founder of the British Darts Organisation. He was one of the most influential protagonists in darts for almost four decades having set up and run the British Darts Organisation from its inception in 1973 until he was voted off...
of ripping him off, with the help of the late Peter Dyke of Imperial Tobacco.
Today, Watterson no longer even watches the BDO World Championship on TV, believing the best players now play in the breakaway rival Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
. He supported the reasons for the breakaway, which many leading players put down to Olly Croft's behaviour and attitude towards the professional game.
Watterson also created the system of sets and legs, creating a climax every 20 minutes and thereby maintaining the interest of TV viewers, which is used in darts and bowls to this day.
Elsewhere, he staged the first floodlit cricket in Britain in 1980, which was a six-a-side tournament between Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Kent, staged at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
stadium in Sheffield.
In 1981 he created the first UK Indoor Bowls Championship at the Preston Guild Hall. He changed the format to 21 ends, to three sets of first to seven ends.
He took over promotion of ITV's Pro-Celebrity Snooker, held in Leeds, after Canadian Club
Canadian Club
Canadian Club is a brand of whisky from Canada. Popularly known as C.C., Canadian Club began production in 1858. It was established by Hiram Walker, and was known as Walker’s Club Whiskey. The brand is now produced by Beam Inc..-History:...
withdrew their sponsorship. He got a new sponsor and ran the event for a few years.
Football Club Chairman
Watterson had an eventful spell as Chairman of Derby County Football ClubDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in the early 1980s, which saw him bring Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
's former assistant manager at arch rivals Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, Peter Taylor out of retirement to become manager of the Rams. Within a short period, Archie Gemmill
Archie Gemmill
Archibald "Archie" Gemmill is a Scottish former footballer, most famous for a goal he scored against the Netherlands in the 1978 FIFA World Cup...
and John Robertson had made the journey across from Forest, although Watterson never approved of the Robertson transfer, believing him to be past his prime.
Battles in the boadroom and a disillusionment with the club's hooligan fan problem led to Watterson leaving within a few years.
In June 1983 he was approached by Chesterfield FC secretary Bob Pepper and the club solicitor Roger Woodhead, who advised him that the club was being wound up in the High Court in London, for debts totalling £91,000 to the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise. They asked him if there was anything he could do to help. He gave Pepper two cheques and told him to present them at the Court in four days. Watterson still has the cheque stubs as living proof, and the club was therefore saved. He then became Vice-Chairman of Chesterfield, but only stayed until November that year. However, he did return for a spell as Chairman which lasted just over a year, but he became disillusioned with football and the people in it, and has only been to two games since 1986. However, he continues to follow the game closely on television.
Snooker Commentator
During his time promoting ITV's Pro-Celebrity Snooker in the early 1980s, Watterson commentated on one episode alongside Rex WilliamsRex Williams
Rex Williams , son of Minnie Roberts and William Williams, is a retired English professional snooker and billiards player.Williams was an excellent junior player in both snooker and billiards. His professional career began in 1951, during a period of decline in snooker...
, who is now a sworn enemy of his. The series presenter was Mike Smith, a former master of ceremonies at major snooker events who is now a Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
commentator.
However, Watterson's main commentary career began in 1989 or 1990 when he began working for the original incarnation of Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
, which was then jointly owned by Sky Television Plc
Sky Television plc
Sky Television plc was a public limited company which operated its four-channel satellite television service, launched by Rupert Murdoch's News International on 5 February 1989...
and the EBU. His regular commentary partners were Canadian Jim Wych
Jim Wych
Jim Wych is a sports announcer and former Canadian professional snooker and pocket billiards player. He reached the quarter-final of the Embassy World Professional Snooker Championship in his debut year of 1980, a "first" for any overseas player and duplicated this feat again in 1992...
and Willie Thorne
Willie Thorne
William Joseph "Willie" Thorne , is a former English professional snooker player and now a sports commentator.Thorne became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards in 1970...
. The event he most enjoyed commentating on was the one-off Mita World Masters in 1991, an innovative event created especially for television by Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn
Barry Hearn is an English sporting events promoter, and the founder and chairman of promotions company Matchroom Sport. He is currently the chairman of Leyton Orient F.C., and the Professional Darts Corporation and was also until July 2010 chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker...
. He also commentated on the British Open
British Open
The British Open is the Open Championship men's golf tournament.British Open may also refer to:* Women's British Open of golf* British Open Show Jumping Championships* British Open Squash Championships...
and International Open
Players Championship (snooker)
The Players Championship was a professional snooker tournament. It is the most recent name of the ranking tournament held in Scotland every year. The tournament has had a bewildering number of name changes in its history. Until recently it was commonly known as the Scottish Open, and prior to that...
for several years, when the coverage moved from ITV to Sky. When Sky moved its sports programming from Eurosport to Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
, which it owned outright, Watterson continued in the role.
He stepped down from his commentary job with Sky in 1994 or 1995 because he wished to spend more time enjoying his property in Spain during the winter months. However, he did briefly work as a commentator for the current incarnation of Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
for a short while after that.
Current Work
Watterson felt deeply hurt by the way snooker disposed of his services in the early-mid 1980s and never returned to business full-time again. He continues to hold a significant share portfolio and owns property in Britain and Spain.However, in late 2009 he announced his support for Barry Hearn's ultimately successful bid to take over professional snooker, and described it as "the best thing to happen to professional snooker in 30 years". He has stated he is willing to become involved in snooker administration again if asked. He remains in regular contact with his friend, snooker commentator and journalist Clive Everton
Clive Everton
Clive Everton , is a Welsh veteran BBC snooker commentator, journalist and author. He began his BBC career on the radio, but has been commentating on the television from the 1978 World Championship through to the present...
.