It is hardly surprising that the Snooker Shoot Out fails to capture the imagination of the so-called purists of the sport.
After all, this frantic four-day green baize bonanza is effectively a madcap snooker lottery with rapid-fire 10 minute frames played in front of crowds more befitting the darts.
Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and John Higgins have all snubbed this one-off event that sees hyped audience members desperately calling for players to pot the yellow and players scrambling against the clock.
And Neil Robertson perfectly encapsulated the essence of the tournament when he condemned its ranking point status as 'absolutely nuts.'
But the frenzied event at Leicester's Morningside Arena still holds its rightful place on the snooker calendar. The Shoot Out is primed for incredible shocks, offers youngsters unique exposure and gives fans a glance at the possible future faces of the sport.
Take history-making Moldovan teenager Vladislav Gradinari as prime example. Gradinari, who celebrated his 14th birthday in October, has just become the youngest player to ever win a televised ranking event snooker match.
The nerveless youngster knocked out three-time women's world champion Ng On Yee 40-1 with a series of stunning long pots in his one-frame cameo on Wednesday.
"My mum was making jokes that I felt more nervous doing interviews than I was at the table," Gradinari tells Mirror Sport after his unforgettable win.
"I am really proud of myself. I felt natural and proud that I made the people in Moldova happy.
"[The tournament] gives many kids opportunities to play and TV table matches are very good experience. When we get older we're going to be more experienced than the players at the top now who didn't have the possibilities to play on the TV tables at such a young age.
"It gives me even more inspiration because I have seen how professionals live their lives and I want to be a professional as well. My dream is to get into the tour and then get to the top."
There are only a handful of snooker tables in Moldova but Gradinari was gripped when watching the sport on TV with his mother and grandfather before picking up a cue for the first time aged seven. He idolises Mark Selby and Jack Lisowski and wants to combine the duo's contrasting styles to become the complete player.
Gradinari's proud parents moved to Leeds from their country of birth two years ago to help make their boy's snooker dream a reality. His talent had become apparent when he was already making centuries at the age of 12.
By the time Gradinari reached 13 he was playing the hours of a full-time pro and had made dozens of ton-plus breaks. His highest break stands at 143 and he is now targeting his maiden 147 maximum.
And Gradinari's talent is being nurtured at the impressive Northern Snooker Centre, where he gains invaluable experience playing alongside seasoned pros such as David Grace and Peter Lines, while being home-schooled.
"My parents want me to improve as much as possible so we moved here," he explains. "I do home-schooling in the mornings from 6:30am to 9am and then I go into the snooker club. I practice until like 5-6pm and a few days in the week I have lessons after practising.
"My mum is really proud and she couldn't believe I won! I hope to get further in the tournaments and my parents will be even more proud. My dad stays in Leeds because he gets too nervous when he's watching my matches live!"
Gradinari will soon learn his next opponent in a random draw for Friday's second round match. And he knows anything is possible after another 14-year-old, Riley Powell, stunned world no.8 Kyren Wilson on his own TV debut on Thursday.
But beyond this week, the teenager is more importantly already eyeing a tour card and plans to enter snooker's gruelling Q School next year.
The Shoot Out understandably has its critics and its status as a ranking event is contentious, with the eventual champion required to win only seven frames to claim the £50,000 top prize in front of an unfamiliarly rowdy, alcohol-fuelled audience.
But this compelling four days of snooker mayhem is in no way demeaning the sport's traditions and can certainly survive without some of its headline acts.
Just ask Vladislav Gradinari.
