{"id":42490,"date":"2025-04-23T00:48:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T00:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/42490\/"},"modified":"2025-04-23T00:48:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T00:48:07","slug":"barry-hearn-wants-respect-from-sheffield-its-pretty-basic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/42490\/","title":{"rendered":"Barry Hearn wants ‘respect’ from Sheffield – ‘it’s pretty basic’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barry Hearn has again put pressure on Sheffield City Council to produced the funds to keep the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The current deal to stay at the iconic venue ends in 2027, with the World Championship<\/a> having been staged at the venue every year since 1977.<\/p>\n

Most people would prefer to see the blue-riband tournament\u2019s partnership with the Crucible extend beyond 50 years.<\/p>\n

But the World Snooker Tour has aspirations to grow the sport and has reservations about staging its flagship event in an arena that houses less than 1,000 people.<\/p>\n

Discussions have been ongoing to come up with a solution, but WST supremo Barry Hearn has expressed his frustration with how long the process is taking.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I want to know by the end of this current year,\u201d Barry Hearn told Metro Sport<\/a> while also admitting that he is unhappy with how the discussions are going.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause plans have got to be put in place based on what we decide. I haven\u2019t heard enough about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m having a meeting with Sheffield Council in early May. I wait to hear what they\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe clock is ticking. I don\u2019t know if people think I\u2019m bluffing. It would be a bad move if they did.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping they give me a plan that ticks my boxes, and that is the improvement of facilities for players and spectators and the bigger number of seats to cope with the demand. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, we run a commercial business, we\u2019ve got to maximise revenue. We\u2019ve just doubled the prize money in darts. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt will only be a matter of time until the snooker boys say, \u2018what about us?\u2019 I\u2019ll say, \u2018while I\u2019ve only got 900 tickets to sell, it\u2019s a long old struggle, mate.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve taken the prize money from \u00a33.5m to \u00a320m in snooker. In darts, it\u2019s just gone past \u00a325m, and the two of them are quite competitive.<\/p>\n

\u201cSky\u2019s deal with darts showed me the respect I was looking for, and we managed to add \u00a37m-\u00a38m of prize money.<\/p>\n

\u201cSnooker\u00a0is in the same position as far as Sheffield is concerned. Show me that you respect what we\u2019ve built, don\u2019t take us for granted. <\/p>\n

\u201cEvery relationship, whether it\u2019s husband and wife or site fee and promoter, relies on not taking people for granted. <\/p>\n

\u201cI understand Sheffield want to keep it, I\u2019d like to stay in Sheffield. Show me the money. It\u2019s pretty basic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearn also again didn\u2019t rule out that the World Snooker Championship could be moved outside the United Kingdom in the future.<\/p>\n

China and Saudi Arabia have staged some of the most lucrative events on the calendar in recent years and may be interested in expanding their profile within the game.<\/p>\n

The renewal of BBC\u2019s partnership with the sport would indicate, however, that the World Championship is likely to stay in the UK until at least 2032.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, WST announced that the BBC had signed a new five-year agreement to broadcast the prestigious Triple Crown events until 2032.<\/p>\n

That includes the World Championship in addition to the UK Championship in York and the Masters in London.<\/p>\n

The most recent comments from Barry Hearn, meanwhile, contradict a joint statement<\/a> released by Sheffield City Council and WST on the eve of this year\u2019s tournament.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheffield loves snooker,\u201d read the statement on behalf of World Snooker Tour, Sheffield City Council, and Sheffield Theatres two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheffield City Council, Sheffield Theatres, and World Snooker Tour have been working together, along with the BBC and partners across the city, to make the 2025 World Championship the best yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t wait to welcome the snooker world back to the iconic Crucible theatre this month.<\/p>\n

\u201cSheffield City Council, World Snooker Tour, and Sheffield Theatres are longstanding partners.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last 12 months we have had constructive conversations, with national Government, and key partners, about the World Snooker Championship beyond 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to the sensitive and commercial nature of these ongoing discussions, no announcement on the future of the Championship will be made by Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Theatres, or World Snooker Tour during this year\u2019s event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we can share more information with the millions of snooker fans around the world, and with the people of Sheffield, we will provide an update.\u201d<\/p>\n

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