With snooker at a fork within the highway between historical past and funds, Masters champion Shaun Murphy continues to combat the nice combat.
The Magician was knocked out of the World Championship by Judd Trump on the final 16 stage, however has used his platform to hit again at Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn.
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Hearn has been the mastermind between the unimaginable development of snooker and darts over latest years, and thinks the subsequent step for the previous could also be to depart its non secular house.
The 76-year-old has mooted the potential for transferring the snooker world championship away from the Crucible because of its 980-capacity seating.
The menace is actual with the Sheffield venue’s contract expiring in 2027, which might make 50 years because it first started internet hosting the occasion in 1977.
Hern contested that gamers would soar on the probability to depart the Crucible for extra prize cash, however Murphy isn’t so certain.
“As a nine-year-old boy I got here right here in 1992 and it bit me,” he stated talking on the venue. “I received the bug and it was on this room.
“Barry’s making the hyperlink between finance and funds and dimension of audiences – that is not the one revenue stream for World Snooker Ltd or Matchroom Sport, they make some huge cash in a variety of different areas.
“He is making a really robust hyperlink between the monetary rewards {of professional} sport and ticket gross sales. There are different avenues.”
Murphy additionally doubted the concept that larger venue would assure larger crowds.
“Whereas we promote out the Crucible for 3 classes a day for 17 days, may they promote out a 4,000 or 5,000-seater enviornment for 3 classes a day for 17 days?” he contemplated.
“There is a little bit of a query mark over that.”
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Hearn initially made the feedback on the BBC, which led to assumptions he might be speaking a few larger UK venue, and even China the place the game’s fashionable, or Saudi Arabia, the place it’s not.
“I’ve to stay in the true world,” he stated. “Whereas each participant says there’s nothing like strolling out on the Crucible, each participant would soar on the probability to earn double or treble the prize cash. That is the world we’re in.
“Now we have received to attempt to discover some center floor. We’re not going to be tough, our coronary heart says we need to keep right here as a result of we’re followers as properly. Gamers have to be paid – that is what it comes right down to.”
Snooker made its Saudi debut with the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in August to September 2024, dipping its toe within the controversial however profitable world of the Public Funding Fund.
The match got here with snooker’s second largest prize fund of £2,302,000, and likewise featured a ‘Golden Ball’ to be potted after a 147 most break for an additional £350,000.
Nevertheless, not solely was the addition seen as a gimmick, however the stands have been largely empty and no gamers managed the feat.
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Snooker’s largest identify, Ronnie O’Sullivan, was all-in, although saying: “I’m certain that will probably be a hefty prize.
“Pay attention, the Saudis can simply do what they like. They’re a robust outfit.”
In the meantime, one other massive identify among the many elite, Australian Neil Robertson, has welcomed change within the type of a brand new Crucible whereas chatting with talkSPORT.
“For me that is wonderful. Now we have to maneuver with the instances, I do not assume the championships ought to proceed on the Crucible itself,” he stated.
“I desire a new Crucible constructed which I believe can be wonderful, like the brand new period is starting. Now we have to maneuver on with the instances and with sport, sport is all the time rising and in case you do not look to all the time take a sport ahead then you definately’re going backwards.
“Barry is totally proper, not one of the gamers need to depart Sheffield regardless of what some could say however we want a brand new venue. The prize cash would a minimum of double immediately, Barry Hearn has stated that.”