BARRY HEARN claims snooker’s World Championship will “travel around the world” – unless the Crucible sees major changes.
The Matchroom president believes the 980-seat Sheffield Theatre is “not fit for purpose”.
Barry Hearn says snooker’s future at the Crucible is in the balance
GettyChina’s Zhao Xintong has become Asia’s first world snooker champion, boosting the profile of the event across the region even further[/caption]
And although the Crucible‘s 50-year contract for the event runs until 2027, Hearn expects a decision over its future in the next few months.
Zhao Xintong becoming Asia’s first ever Crucible king surely means the sport’s popularity across that region will now expand even faster.
And Hearn reckons players deserve greater financial rewards – as available in Asia – as well as better facilities and more fans.
He told Sky Sports: “If we were still in the same sport we were 10, 20, 30 years ago we wouldn’t have a problem.
“I’ve been there for 48 years. The sport has changed my life.
“But it has to be fit for [purpose]… to offer the commercial rewards necessary to keep the event in the UK.
“I would love to see it remain at an enlarged Crucible with Government funding.
“They fund so many other sports for the interests of the country. But we’re in a strong position.
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“We have huge amounts of money on offer, especially now from the likes of Beijing and Shanghai, that would love to have the World Championship with their world champion defending his title.
“History says we want to stay Sheffield. I want to stay at Sheffield. But it can’t be at the expense of holding the game back.”
Hearn has played a lead role in ongoing talks with the city council over the tournament’s future.
He added: “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.”
Hearn has been “super impressed” with the council and knows “they’re desperate to keep” the event.
He said: “I want it to remain but to do so we’re on a world stage and I want it to live up to that – world standard, both in terms of facility and commercial value and most of all for the players themselves.”
He also believes players are “looking for increasing prize money so they can change their life through the sport of snooker, and that’s our responsibility to provide that”.
And Hearn insists stars of the baize have the potential to match aces of the oche like Luke Littler and Luke Humphries for popular appeal.
He said: “Sheffield is the city of snooker, no longer the city of steel.
“You’ve seen what we’ve done with darts, because commercially it ticked all the boxes.”
He wants the Government to treat snooker as an image booster around the globe.
He said: “When I think about the amount of money we’re talking about, I don’t think it’s significant in the bigger picture.
“So when you’re talking about spending £14billion on the Olympics, whether you’re talking about bringing the Commonwealth Games, whatever you’re talking about, to keep this event in England is not expensive.
“But this Government has got to help because no councils have got a lot of money to spare.”
The Crucible’s limited capacity is a big drag on potential ticket sales.
Hearn is convinced the World Championship would sell out if it was switched to a bigger British city.
China and Saudi Arabia have also reportedly shown interest in hosting it.
Hearn noted that Chinese star Zhao scooped a £500,000 winner’s prize at the Crucible on Monday – just half the fee received by Littler for winning the PDC world darts crown in January.
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