Neil Robertson drops bombshell hint World Snooker Championship will leave UK | Other | Sport
Neil Robertson has suggested that players could benefit from the World Snooker Championship being moved away from the Crucible. The iconic Sheffield theatre has played host to the tournament since 1977 but a change in venue has been mooted for the near future. It will remain at the Crucible until at least 2027, when the current contract runs out.
Some players have criticised the Crucible’s lack of modern facilities despite it having a special place in the hearts of snooker fans worldwide. Others have suggested that moving the World Championship elsewhere could allow for prize money to be increased. It comes after the jackpot for the darts equivalent was doubled from £500,000 to £1million for the latest edition of the tournament.
Robertson believes there is little chance of snooker receiving a similar boost unless its premier event is moved away from the Crucible, which can only hold 980 spectators at a time.
He said: “One million pounds for the world champion would be nice, wouldn’t it? Yeah it’d be good, but I mean it’s not going to happen while we’re playing in an arena with 900-odd fans allowed in, right?
“It’s just as simple as that. If we want to play for a million pound-plus to the winner, we need to move. If we don’t move, we’re going to be stuck.
“We’ve got to move. Could you imagine if Lords could only hold like 5,000 people? How well would the darts do at Ally Pally if there’s only 2,000 allowed in? If the money can’t come in then it’s not going to change.”
Saudi Arabia has been touted as the most likely destination for the World Championship if it is moved away from the Crucible after 2027, with Robertson convinced it will be off to the Middle East very soon.
“The fairytale, the dream, is to have a new Crucible built, but I don’t think Sheffield Council are going to come up with £15-20million to build a new building,” added Robertson.
“I think next year we’re going to be off, probably to Saudi or something. We won’t go to China because of the TV contracts and stuff and the time difference makes it tough for them.
“So, yeah, we’ll be off after 2027 unless something amazing kind of happens. It would be a shame to go.
“I mean, talking to some of the younger guys like Louis Heathcote, if it moved and he never got to walk down those stairs at the Crucible, as a player, he’d be absolutely gutted and I totally get that if someone’s never played there before.
“Look, I really want it to stay in the UK, 100 per cent. I’m not going to make any secrets about that. But, you know, the venue’s got to get sorted out because it’s outdated by 30 years.”
