Huge 12,500-capacity venue in Sheffield touted to replace Crucible as possible World Snooker Championship host
ByEurosport
Updated 15/05/2024 at 13:51 GMT
Sheffield Arena has emerged as a possible alternative to the Crucible Theatre to stage the World Championship beyond 2027 as the sport's organisers bid to find a larger venue to keep the flagship event in the city. The Crucible has hosted the sport's biggest tournament since 1977, but can only hold 980 fans with the contract set to expire on the 50th anniversary of the iconic Crucible competition.
The Crucible and Sheffield, the home of snooker
Sheffield Arena has been touted as a possible replacement for the Crucible Theatre as Sheffield bids to keep the World Snooker Championship in the city beyond 2027.
According to a report in local newspaper The Star, the 12,500-all seater venue could meet the requirements of the sport's organisers when the contract with the 980-seat Crucible expires in 2027, after the tournament's 50th anniversary at the venue which began in 1977.
Sheffield Arena hosts local ice hockey team the Sheffield Steelers, but has staged boxing, basketball, gymnastics, professional wrestling and Premier League darts, as well as huge pop concerts – including performances by Take That and One Direction – since it opened in 1991.
With car parking space for over 1,000 cars, it would be a huge upgrade on the facilities available at the Crucible as the game's chiefs bid to emulate the Hong Kong Masters in 2022 that saw a world record audience of 9,000 watch the final between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Marco Fu at the Hong Kong Coliseum.
“We have a huge and dedicated fan base, not only across the UK but also Europe, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Middle East," said Simon Brownell, CEO of World Snooker Tour.
"As a sport we have grown fantastically in recent years, for example the Masters in London has become a complete sell out from start to finish with an incredible atmosphere.
O’Sullivan and Fu get huge reception from record-breaking crowd at Hong Kong Masters
“We have also seen that in Germany at the Tempodrom and in China we recently staged an event in Yushan with over 2,000 in the audience. In 2022 in Hong Kong we had just shy of 10,000 in the audience.
"So we want to make sure that where we are growing all of our events worldwide, the World Championship keeps pace with that.”
Hearn on Crucible future - 'You can't eat history'
The options on the table include remaining at the Crucible, building a bigger venue to host the venue in Sheffield, or moving the event to a larger venue overseas, but former World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn insists the preference is to remain in Sheffield, the sport's "spiritual home" amid ongoing talks with Sheffield City Council.
Kyren Wilson claimed his maiden world title earlier this month with a 18-14 win over Jak Jones in the 48th Crucible final, becoming the 23rd man to win the sport's biggest trophy at the celebrated venue.
"The priority is to stay in the Steel City of Sheffield because it's been our home for a long, long time," said Hearn on the BBC.
"Great moments. But we have a duty to everybody to listen. We listen to the fans, listen to the local people, we also listen to the players.
"The effect on prize money. We look at the conditions, and say the game has moved on, and deserves better than the current conditions."
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