Sheffield City Council and World Snooker have signed a “landmark contract” keeping the World Championship in the city until at least 2045.
It comes after a £45m transformation of the Crucible Theatre was approved earlier this year.
The move puts to an end many years of debate surrounding the historic home of the World Snooker Championship, which has been held at The Crucible since 1977.
Even as recently as last year, Matchroom Sport President, Barry Hearn said he would be moving the competition out of Sheffield after 2027, unless the venue was “revamped or replaced.” His son, Eddie Hearn added that he’d have taken it away “5 years ago.”
That pressure appears to have worked.
READ MORE – £45million Crucible plans move forward as Sheffield seeks to cement World Snooker future
The deal will keep snooker at its “spiritual home” for at least anther 15 years, with the ability to extend by a further 5.
“Today marks a hugely important moment for Sheffield and for snooker. The Crucible and the World Snooker Championship have become inseparable over the past five decades, and I am absolutely delighted that we have now officially signed this agreement,” said Kate Josephs, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council.
“As we look ahead to the 50th anniversary of the tournament in Sheffield, this agreement secures the future of one of the world’s most iconic sporting events right here in its spiritual home.
“The World Snooker Championship brings visitors from across the globe, showcases our city to millions of viewers and delivers significant benefits to local businesses, jobs and the visitor economy. This is fantastic news for Sheffield and a deal that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
The World Snooker Championship generates around £6.5m for Sheffield and the wider region each year through spending in hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions.
The council added that the agreement provided certainty for local businesses, supports jobs, attracts visitors from across the UK and around the world and is expected to deliver a total economic impact of around £208m if the extension to 2050 is exercised.
“We have an incredible history with the Crucible and the city of Sheffield and we can now look forward to many more chapters in that story over the next 20 years and beyond,” added Steve Dawson, Chairman of World Snooker Tour.
“When we announced this year that the World Championship was staying at the Crucible, there was an outpouring of celebration among fans, players and everyone connected with our sport, and that underlined the emotional attachments that we all feel towards this iconic location. We look forward to working with Sheffield City Council on making this event bigger and better for many years to come.”
