'You're gonna need a bigger Crucible' – Barry Hearn keen to rebuild iconic venue for World Snooker Championship

ByEurosport

Updated 21/04/2022 at 15:18 GMT

Barry Hearn has revealed he has held talks with Sheffield City Council about rebuilding the Crucible to safeguard its future as the home of the World Snooker Championship. Despite staging the sport's biggest event since 1977, the size of the 980-seat venue is prompting increasingly fierce debate with 2010 world champion Neil Robertson leading calls for it to be moved to a bigger arena.

The World Championship can safeguard its long-term future in Sheffield by building a bigger Crucible Theatre to host the event, according to former World Snooker Tour chairman Barry Hearn.

WST are halfway through a 10-year agreement to stage the sport's blue-chip event at the 980-seat venue and do not pay any rent to Sheffield City Council to hold the tournament over 17 days in April and May with all profit from tickets being ploughed back into the sport's main commercial organisation.

Hearn admits he is "totally committed" to staying in Sheffield, but would like to see the local area adapt to the need for a larger venue that could potentially attract greater hospitality for fans and sponsorship.

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Judd Trump and Neil Robertson are two former world champions who are keen to move with the times to enhance snooker's standing with both players wanting to replicate the atmosphere of the Masters at Alexandra Palace in London which can house 2,000 fans for a session.

The thirst for greater numbers would involve leaving the Crucible, but Hearn has cautioned against such a move despite the cramped nature of the iconic theatre, home of the tournament since 1977.

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“I have always said in my lifetime we will never be moving. But I would challenge Sheffield Council, as I am doing, why don’t we evaluate the idea of building a new Crucible in Sheffield, which is bigger, and then we get the best of both worlds," said Hearn in the Yorkshire Post. "That’s what I shall I be aiming for.

There’s a lot of people not looking at the big picture. The big picture is what snooker brings to Sheffield, and what Sheffield brings to snooker.

"It’s called history, it’s called reputation, if you want to be modern, it’s called brand value.

"It’s not just a question of a few extra bums on seats in a bigger arena. It’s about enhancing the broadcast value which brings in far more money than a few ticket sales.

"We are committed under a 10-year deal for the next four years to be in Sheffield."

Robertson has also floated the idea of playing the tournament at two venues in Sheffield with increased space, but Hearn has dismissed that suggestion with the current agreement due to expire in 2027.

“The idea of running simultaneous venues is not new, it just doesn’t work," he said.

“It doesn’t work from a PR point of view, it certainly doesn’t work from a TV production point of view – you are doubling up.

‘That would be amazing’ – Robertson on moving World Championship to another venue

“It’s an idea, and God bless snooker players, they have some great ideas, and are also great snooker players.

“I can’t play snooker, but I have great ideas.”

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