Snooker’s stars answer the biggest question in the game... stay or leave?
SHEFFIELD’S Crucible Theatre is synonymous with theworld Snooker Championship.the iconic venue has been the annual tournament’s spiritual home since 1977. But despite all the rich history, incredible memories for players, commentators and fans alike, is it time for the green baize game’s 17-day premier event to leave South Yorkshire after nearly 50 years in the city?
The current agreement between World Snooker Tour (WST), the sport’s governing body, and Sheffield City Council is due to expire in 2027.
And after nearly five decades at the Crucible, the debate about whether a new home is needed for the prized competition has never raged greater.
A string of top potters have this week pleaded for a new home, with cash-rich Saudi Arabia even rumoured as a new suitor.
It was Iranian potter Hossein Vafaei who last week caused the biggest stink of all when he said the Sheffield venue “smells really bad” and then added that he thought the inadequate practice facilities mirrored that of a glorified “garage”.
As a parting shot following his first-round loss, the ‘Prince of Persia’ said: “History is important, but everything is so bad.
“If they don’t want to lose the Crucible, invest some money – make it shinier, make it nicer and more luxury.
“In China everything is different, Saudi Arabia everything is probably going to be different.”
Fellow professional John
Higgins, who has won all four of his world titles at the Crucible, admitted: “I think it’s inevitable (it will move).
“But it will be sad to leave, it’s been a massive part of my life and so many other players.”
But Welshman Mark Williams, a three-time Crucible winner, is in the opposite camp to his fellow Class of ’92 professional.
“If I had a choice I’d keep it in Sheffield forever,” said Williams.
“To be honest, I’ve done a big U-turn.the Crucible is my least favourite venue to play in, but when it turns into the one-table format it turns into the best arena.
“Years ago I thought it would be good if it left, but I think it should stay here.
“Yes, you could take it to other parts of the country and maybe have £1million for the winner in a 2,000-4,000-seater stadium, but how many times do we play in these stadiums and there’s only a couple of hundred people watching?
“The Crucible brings a great atmosphere because of the closeness of it, no other venue could do.”
Every session of the World Championship, which celebrates its centenary in 2027, is sold out pretty much a year in advance when tickets go on sale on the day of the final.
But perhaps surprisingly there are only 980 seats available for each of those sessions while the Masters, snooker’s most prestigious invitational event, commands a 2,000-strong sell-out crowd for nearly every match at London’s *
Alexandra Palace. Earlier in the season, the inaugural Hong Kong Masters attracted a record crowd of around 9,000 spectators for the final.
This season’s firstworld Masters of Snooker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, further emphasised the growing worldwide interest to host major snooker tournaments.
The purists will say theworld Championship should stay in
Sheffield, with former winner Shaun Murphy critical ofvafaei’s comments, which he called “almost sacrilege”.
But the 2005 winner (right) says everyone must see the bigger picture and added: “The World Championship, in my opinion, should stay in this building. I would want it to remain here forever, it’s very special.
“But it can’t stay as it is. It’s our biggest event, but in our smallest venue. It will have to change.”
WST chairman Steve Dawson is open to ideas about the tournament’s future. One plan is to build a new ‘Crucible’ on the same site, with more seats for fans, increased prize money and the chance to retain some of the tournament’s history.
“That would be the perfect solution, wouldn’t it?” said Dawson.
“Theworld Championship is such an amazing tournament, but it’s important for every sport to keep an eye on changes.”
Theworld Snooker Championship concludes on Monday, May 6 with £500,000 for the eventual winner.