The Crucible has housed the World Championship for 43 years, providing countless moments, winners and spectacles (Dennis Taylor). However, at some points there have been whispers as to whether Sheffield should continue to accommodate snooker’s largest event. Is there any merit in allowing the WSC to travel around the globe or should tradition continue to dictate its future?
I don’t joke on my ‘About’ page when I say that snooker is pretty much the only sport I care to follow. So I can’t say specifically, but I know there are sports in which their prize tournaments are held in differing venues at each iteration. I guess it could be comparable to how the World Cup or the Olympics, despite being every four years, travel around the world.
There’s no denying that wherever the WSC was chosen to be held, it would boost the local economy tremendously. Looking at what’s happened with Sheffield, the WSC has boosted their economy by over £100m since 1977. Imagine the wonders it could do if it travelled to similar locations in countries across the ocean.
The main case against keeping the WSC in one constant venue are the limitations it provides. Considering the increased globalised presence of the sport, it’s sometimes seen as unfair to other countries that are as fond of snooker as the UK don’t get the opportunity to see the top tournament in their hometowns.
There’s also the fact that they could select venues that contain more seating to allow the amount of people watching the WSC in person to multiply. The Crucible currently seats 980 people but there wouldn’t be any issues with selling 2-3 times the amount of tickets if an overseas venue could support it. And I am certain that World Snooker (now WST) have had numerous offers that dwarf the amount offered by Sheffield when they toy around with the idea of moving elsewhere.
But why does the World Championship remain in Sheffield after all these years? Mainly due to the Crucible being synonymous with the WSC. When people think of the Crucible, they’ll think of snooker; when people think of snooker, they’ll likely think about the Crucible. And it all goes back to the tradition. The memories and highlights; the ups and downs; the late night dramas. If you were in any of those 980 seats, you’d have been able to witness it all with a great view of the table. Not something you’d be able to achieve in a larger venue.
That’s why the contracts with Sheffield are always being renewed. And why WST aren’t accepting the substantial offers that come their way for the WSC. It also provides a level of comfort and consistency for the players as the WSC is the fixed constant in the calendar where they know exactly what they’re working towards.
That’s perhaps why they are focusing on such high-ticket events in countries like China and Saudi Arabia. To provide the experience to those who reside there; to see the top players compete where the stakes are seemingly as high as the World Championship. Don’t be surprised if we see a China Triple Crown series in the future. The only way I can see WST experimenting with the idea of taking the WSC elsewhere was if they expected the Last-32 draw to contain a significant number of Asian competitors. But if they did try to relocate the tournament, it would certainly not be well received.
It all depends on how you view the WSC. Do you view it as something similar to the World Cup and Olympics, where the main event tours across the globe, reaching differing continents? Or, much like snooker itself, do you see it as a standalone event with its own established history at the Crucible for which its location has become a paramount factor in its attraction? I personally think Jason Ferguson (WPBSA Chairman) said it best: ‘taking snooker from here would be like taking Wimbledon out of Wimbledon’.
Like this Short? Click here to read: Brief History of The Crucible
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