Hearn ready for snooker to leave Crucible after 2027

Without the replacement of the Crucible’s storied home, Barry Hearn has promised that the World Snooker Championship will leave after 2027.

Hearn claims the venue is “no longer fit for purpose” and that the contract to host Snooker’s biggest event at the Sheffield theater is up for renewal in two years.

Hearn, the president of Matchroom Sport, says the ideal World Snooker Tour player “wants to stay” in the South Yorkshire city.

The Crucible, which has hosted the event since 1977, has a long personal history with the 76-year-old, who retired as Matchroom chairman four years ago and gave the reins to Eddie Hearn.

Since Matchroom has largely controlled professional snooker since 2010, it would be divisive to leave.

Eddie Hearn claimed “five years ago” that he would have removed the World Championship from the theater.

His father claims that unless central government or Sheffield City Council, with whom he has a meeting scheduled for next week, step up their commitment, the 980-seat theater will forfeit the tournament.

Rick Edwards asked Barry Hearn on 5 Live Breakfast if the World Championship could continue in Sheffield without a new venue or extension to the Crucible. “No. We love the Crucible and Sheffield, but they also have a strong love for us.

He continued, “We want to stay, but the financial factors must be taken into account.”

Hearn compared snooker to darts, which has been successfully run by Matchroom, and said players want “more lucrative prize money.”

The PDC World Darts Champion of the following year will be awarded £1 million. The winner of the World Snooker Championship in 2025 will receive a $500, 000 check.

The Crucible has been a significant part of my life and a significant component of snooker, as stated in “Hearn said,” but it must change as the times and need to be communicated to us in a way that both Sheffield and the government can use to demonstrate their respect and provide the kind of amenities we demand.

It’s “as straightforward as that.” It is not difficult.

Before promoter Mike Watterson took it to the Crucible almost 50 years ago, he had lived a nomadic existence and had listened to his wife Carole’s advice after seeing a play in the theater and believing it had the qualities necessary to stage a snooker event.

It is where the most well-known moments of the sport’s history can be found, and many people find it to be almost synonymous with the actual competition.

Although it hasn’t been the first time Matchroom has been contacted about moving away from Sheffield, or that similar comments have been made about it, the city’s 50th anniversary could be its final day.

The tournament, which could take place elsewhere in the UK, has been linked to bids from China and Saudi Arabia.

Eddie Hearn, who has successfully created the boxing division of Matchroom, is unflinchingly “not a snooker guy.”

The 45-year-old claims that sticking by the Crucible leaves a “many millions of dollars on the table.” If the sport departs from its traditional ways, he claims, there could be 4, 000 tickets sold for each session elsewhere.

He continued, “I believe World Snooker and my father have been unquestionably committed to the game, the venue, and the Crucible dream, but we can eventually offer more opportunities for our players and potentially life-changing opportunities.”