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China ready to spend ‘huge amount of money’ to take World Snooker Championship out of UK
Barry Hearn has revealed that China is ready to spend vast sums of money to take the World Snooker Championship from The Crucible Theatre. The historic venue’s continued hosting of the tournament is under threat due to the growing interest in the sport.
The Crucible, which has a deal to host the World Championship until 2027, can only seat 980 people. Hearn has argued that the small capacity limits the amount of prize money that can be offered to players. Some stars, including Ronnie O’Sullivan, are in favour of taking the event away from The Crucible and staging it abroad. Promoters Matchroom have received an offer from China to take the tournament from Sheffield, where it has been played since 1977.
