As the debate over the future of the World Snooker Championship continues, a string of the sport’s bigget stars have called for the event to stay at the Crucible in Sheffield.
The sport’s greatest tournament has been held in the same venue in the South Yorkshire city since 1977, with the theatre becoming synonymous with snooker’s biggest show.
However, the current contract to keep the World Championship at the Crucible expires in 2027 and there has been more than a suggestion that the event could move elsewhere.
The Crucible is an iconic venue but with less than 1,000 seats and with outdated facilities backstage and when it comes to hospitality, there have been calls for a new home to be found.
Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn publicly asked Sheffield City Council to build a much bigger arena or the World Championship would be leaving to pursue greater riches elsewhere.
Talks are ongoing between World Snooker Tour and decision-makers in Sheffield as to how the city can best elevate the tournament without building a new arena, which is a fanciful suggestion.
While a greater capacity and more prize money could be found elsewhere, some of snooker’s greatest players do now want to go chasing those things and feel that the history and status of the Crucible are worth holding onto.
Four-time world champion John Higgins told Eurosport: ‘Stay in Sheffield. I just love the Crucible. I just think if we ever move from the Crucible it would be something like me not having my birthday anymore. I’ve been there for so long.
‘I would love it to say, but I just think it’s inevitable it’s going to move.’
Another four-time winner at the Crucible, Mark Selby, added: ‘Sheffield, for me, stay at the Crucible.
‘It’s the history, I just think it’s not the biggest venue we play in but it’s the most compact and the atmosphere is like nothing I’ve ever experienced in the one-table set-up.’
Three-time champ Mark Williams feels that if another part of the world wants a huge-money, enormous event then that is fine, but the World Championship should remain where it is.
‘Stay in Sheffield,’ said the Welshman. ‘Why not just have a tournament out there £1m the winner? You don’t have to call it the World Championships, call it the Saudi Masters, the Saudi World Cup, whatever you want to call it. They can have their own tournament with £1m the winner, £2m the winner, whatever they want, but just leave the Crucible for the World Championships.
‘The Crucible hasn’t got to be the highest money. The World Championship is the World Championship, if there’s another tournament over there for £1m the winner then great.
‘I’m not a great lover of the venue, I never have been but everything there, all the history. I’ve changed my mind, years ago I thought it should leave but I’ve changed my mind.
‘It’s small, very cramped backstage but I think that’s what makes the atmosphere like it is and you’ll never create that anywhere else.’
2005 world champion Shaun Murphy agrees, saying: ‘Hand on heart, the Crucible was where I fell in love with snooker. When people take up snooker and turn pro and have dreams they dream of playing at the Crucible. I would whole-heartedly want the tournament to stay at the Crucible.’
It is not a unanimous decision, though, with Mark Allen saying he would like the event to stay, but if the winner’s prize were to quadruple from its current £500,000 then he would change his mind.
‘There’s rumours that the World Championship could be £2m the winner. If that’s the case then move away from Sheffield,’ said the Pistol. ‘If it stays at Sheffield and it’s £1m the winner, I’d say keep it.’
World number one Judd Trump is in favour of the idea to tour the World Championship round a number of venues, returning to its iconic home every few years.
‘I’d like to see it there but not every year,’ said Trump. ‘I’d like to see it move around and see other different countries and places get the chance to experience it as well.’
There are also some players firmly in the ‘leave’ camp, including former Crucible finalist Ali Carter who feels the game has to move in order to grow.
‘Let’s do something else. Let’s grow it,’ said the Captain. ‘How can our biggest tournament be in our smallest venue? If you keep doing the same old thing it just doesn’t grow.’
2023 world champion Luca Brecel was so impressed by the recent Saudi Arabia Masters in Riyadh that he fancies a move there.
‘Saudi Arabia was so good, I would say Saudi Arabia,’ said the Bullet. ‘The players’ lounge was amazing, the tables were amazing.’
The debate will rumble on for a while yet and will really kick back into gear when the next edition of the World Championship gets underway in Sheffield on 19 April.
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