Barry Hearn says World Snooker Championship could stay at The Crucible beyond 2027 after positive talks with Sheffield City Council – but warns that money will be the deciding factor; “Our heart is here, our life is here, the history is here… but players need to be paid”
Last Updated: 01/05/25 4:11pm
The Crucible’s capacity is just 980 with Barry Hearn saying the venue is ‘no longer fit for purpose’ for the World Snooker Championship
Barry Hearn is a “little more hopeful” that the World Snooker Championship will remain at The Crucible beyond 2027 after productive talks with Sheffield City Council.
The Sheffield venue has held snooker’s premier tournament since 1977 but the contract expires in two years and China and Saudi Arabia have been linked with hosting duties.
Matchroom Sport president Hearn wants The Crucible to expand from its current capacity of 980, believing it is “no longer fit for purpose”.
Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, he said: “We all want to stay here but it has to be a combination. I am a little bit more hopeful after meeting Sheffield Council.
The Crucible has held the World Snooker Championship since 1977
“The positivity and the enthusiasm I saw makes me think there is more than enough chance we can stay here. Sheffield have got a lot of ideas.
“We’re going to meet in three months and we’re working to an agenda of knowing more or less where we are by the end of this year. I’ve been honest with them in saying what we need. It all comes down to money of course.
“Obviously if we do move – and it’s not something we want to do, I keep stressing that – we need two years to get it planned properly.”
‘Every player would jump at chance to earn double or treble prize money’
Hearn added: “Our heart is here, our life is here, the history is here.
“I think compromise is in the air on both sides and we can do something that maintains the event here and at the same time produces much-needed finance for the players.
Barry Hearn on The Crucible: ‘The positivity and the enthusiasm I saw makes me think there is more than enough chance we can stay here. Sheffield have got a lot of ideas’
“I’m looking at prize money levels and thinking snooker players have got to have more, so it’s Matchroom’s job and World Snooker’s job to generate more.
“While every player says there’s nothing like walking out at the Crucible, every player would jump at the chance to earn double or treble the prize money.
“That’s the world we’re in. Players need to be paid – that’s what it comes down to.
“We’ve just got to find that additional bit of assistance, which hopefully is going to be government-led, in terms of keeping our events in this country. Sheffield is the ideal home for snooker.”
Murphy: Other avenues for snooker to make money
Shaun Murphy, the 2005 World Snooker champion told the BBC: “It’s a difficult one. As a nine-year-old boy I came here in 1992 and it bit me, I got the bug and it was in this room.
Shaun Murphy, the 2005 world champion, hopes The Crucible keeps the tournament
“Barry’s making the link between finance and payments and size of audiences – that’s not the only income stream for World Snooker Ltd or Matchroom Sport, they make a lot of money in a lot of other areas.
“While we sell out The Crucible for three sessions a day for 17 days, could they sell out a 4,000 or 5,000-seater arena for three sessions a day for 17 days? There’s a bit of a question mark over that.
“He’s making a very strong link between the financial rewards of professional sport and ticket sales. There are other avenues.”
