There are solely 4 months left till the gamers return to the Crucible Theatre for the 2025 World Snooker Championship.
Kyren Wilson might be again because the defending champion having obtained his fingers on the game’s blue-riband trophy for the primary time in Might.
The Kettering cueist might be joined by his fellow prime 16 members and an extra 16 qualifiers who handle to make it via the exhilarating preliminary competitors in Sheffield.
However a brand new version of the World Snooker Championship will inevitably reignite the controversy surrounding the way forward for its venue, the Crucible Theatre.
Each World Championship since 1977 has been held on the iconic stage, however the present contract to stay there expires in 2027.
There was ongoing hypothesis and rumours as to the place snooker’s largest event would possibly find yourself past that.
Many insist that the World Snooker Championship ought to all the time keep inside the intimate setting of the Crucible, which has created lots of the recreation’s most historic moments.
There are others, nevertheless, who consider that the high-profile event has outgrown a venue that’s restricted in measurement and potential.
Different venues within the UK, throughout mainland Europe, and notably into Saudi Arabia and China have been touted as potential future locations.
It’s undoubtedly the most well liked matter in snooker in the mean time, and opinions from followers and gamers alike are consistently driving debate.
Elliot Slessor, a semi-finalist on the latest Northern Eire Open, believes one thing has to vary so as to enhance the prize fund for gamers up and down the rankings.
“I’d upset some folks right here, however I’ll inform you a spade’s a spade, and I wish to inform you the reality,” world quantity 30 Elliot Slessor mentioned on The Snooker Corridor Podcast.
“I’ve performed there twice. Clearly, it’s an iconic venue. However within the grand scheme of issues, they’re on about making it a worldwide sport and rising the sport.”
“Honest sufficient to maintain it on the Crucible in case you put the prize cash up. However the prize cash has stayed the identical the final eight years for qualifying.
“That doesn’t look like a rising recreation to me. That’s the head, that’s the Everest of your sport.
“You’ve obtained different international locations which can be rumoured to be giving tens of millions to the winner.
“I’m not being humorous, however I’m going to do some maths for you. The winner this yr obtained £500,000.
“He’s obtained tax out of that, he’s obtained 2.5% to World Snooker out of that, he may additionally should pay a coach or a supervisor or one thing out of that.
“So let’s say he takes £300-350,000 out of that. You possibly can’t even purchase a pleasant home in London for that.
“And that’s the Everest of the sport. You’ve climbed the largest stage, executed each particular person’s childhood dream, and also you’re not a millionaire out of it.
“That blows my brains. Contemplating if that’s the head of the game in a recreation as large as snooker, you have to be a millionaire, for my part.
“Within the different international locations which can be providing to place this on, the figures I’m listening to via different gamers is that they’re on about making it tens of millions for the winner.
“So don’t get us incorrect. I’ve no drawback with it staying on the Crucible, however the prize cash has to stack up. It might probably’t keep the identical.
“However I additionally really feel sorry for folks lacking out on it as effectively, as a result of I believe it solely seats 985 or one thing – simply lower than 1,000.
“There are lots of people who wish to watch it, and there’s nowhere to construct on prime of it.
“I perceive the historical past, however historical past doesn’t pay payments. It merely doesn’t pay payments.
“If the lads additional down are qualifying and getting £20,000, they usually take it Saudi or Shanghai or wherever it might be, and it’s £100,000 for qualifying, I believe it’s going to promote itself.
“From what Barry [Hearn] says, he desires the sport to develop. I believe it’ll be a matter of time earlier than it leaves the Crucible for my part.”
The 2025 World Snooker Championship on the Crucible Theatre is scheduled for April nineteenth to Might fifth subsequent yr.
Featured picture credit score: WST
