World Snooker Championship 2024: Snooker must 'embrace' new opportunities amid Crucible uncertainty

Every world champion since 1977 has lifted the famous World Championship trophy at the Crucible

Eddie Hearn says snooker must "embrace" investment from different parts of the globe as the debate over whether the World Championship should leave its iconic Sheffield home continues.

The Crucible Theatre has hosted snooker's flagship event since 1977.

But with a capacity of just 980, calls to move the event have grown louder, with the venue's contract set to expire in 2027 on its 50-year anniversary.

"The problem is the Crucible is very small," Hearn told BBC Radio 5 Live.

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Hearn, whose Matchroom company own a majority stake in the World Snooker Tour, added: "The tickets sell out instantly - you could sell it out four or five times, so it is difficult.

"We look at things that can continue to provide opportunities for our players, increase prize pools, grow and keep on evolving while also remembering the history of the sport, but that does not mean standing still."

While the auditorium at the Crucible creates a unique atmosphere, the building's ageing facilities and its ability meet the demand for tickets has become a talking point within the game.

Alexandra Palace in London - home to the Masters, one of snooker's other Triple Crown events - is able to accommodate over 2,000 fans, while the invitational Hong Kong Masters drew a record crowd of 9,000 when it was last held in 2022.

"Snooker does not need to just have to land in the UK or China. There are events consistently around the world and if there is going to be investment in different regions we need to embrace that," Hearn added.

"It is not on the radar in terms of trying to move the World Championship, but as the sport grows you have to understand that the flagship event will be in demand. We have three years left on the deal.

"It is the most historic venue within the game and it is very important to the history and to the players. It would have to be an opportunity that would be difficult to refuse for the players. If there is an opportunity to drastically change the prize structure of the World Championship, for me you have to look at that."

Matchroom founder and president Barry Hearn has previously called on Sheffield City Council to build another Crucible venue in order to satisfy the pull of the World Championship.

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'I don't see a lot keeping us at the Crucible bar the history'

While opinion is split among players over moving from the famous venue, seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is among those keen on a possible switch.

'The Rocket' has said he would like to see the tournament move to Saudi Arabia - which has signed him up on a three-year ambassadorial agreement - or China.

In an interview with BBC Sport, Northern Ireland's Mark Allen agreed with the Englishman and outlined his belief that a move may benefit the game more overall.

"I love the history of the Crucible and everything that has happened there. I am a traditionalist in the sense that I love the long format and the proper test the World Championship brings, but things move on and change," Allen said.

"If we go somewhere else and it means more money and it is better for the long-term future of the sport, why not move?

"If we are able to go to arenas that can hold triple what the Crucible can, why wouldn't we? I don't see a lot keeping us at the Crucible bar the history."

Player criticism helped move game to 'another level'

The 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy described snooker as being "in the best state it has ever been in" prior to his arrival in Sheffield 12 months ago.

But his comments, which came amid a match-fixing inquiry involving 10 Chinese players, raised eyebrows among the sport's other top players.

"A lot of players were probably a bit disgruntled with where the game was at," Allen added.

Wider concerns also focused on the game's finances and venues used to host prestigious tournaments, and during the present campaign there has been a high-profile row over player contracts and appearances in lucrative exhibitions in the Far East.

However, with events in China back on the calendar and new tournaments added and prize money heading towards record levels of around £17m, the former Masters and UK champion believes that the sport has moved on to another level.

"The authorities have taken on board a lot of what the players were talking about and the game has really gone to another level," he added.

"We believed that more could be being done and it took player criticism for that to happen. The problem the players had was 'where was all this 12 months ago?' The changes they have made are amazing."

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