‘Save our snooker' – UK warned about LOSING sport in ‘nuts' scenario after World Championship
The World Championship has been held at the Crucible in Sheffield since 1997 and it has become a staple of British sport.
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The World Championship could leave the Crucible
Credit: Rex
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Barry Hearn has admitted the 'clock is ticking' on a decision
Credit: Getty
But the deal expires in 2027 and chief Barry Hearn has hinted at
Ex-Bank of England chief economist Andrew Haldane has urged the government to intervene and come up with a plan to keep snooker's home in the UK.
Haldane has called on them to invest in the game as it is "growing rapidly" across the world and losing it would damage the economy.
In his "Save our Snooker" SOS in the
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"Capacity at the
"This is nuts. The UK can ill-afford to lose winners like these.
"The government will only achieve national growth by growing the UK's regions and nations. Backed at scale, sport is one of the most effective drivers of local growth.
"In this century Sheffield and snooker could become as synonymous, and internationally recognised, as were Sheffield and steel in the previous one. Industrial strategy is not about picking winners but sticking with them.
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'For the UK economy sport, snooker and Sheffield are a winning team and rising star.
"An investment here would deliver the holy grail of local growth to meet national objectives with global ambition."
Zhao Xintong's classy act towards Ronnie O'Sullivan revealed after knocking legend out of World Snooker Championship
Haldane uses the Premier League and Wimbledon as examples of how sport can boost the economy and improve local areas.
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Discussing the future, Hearn told
"So much of professional sport is about money.
"We must know by the end of the year. The clock is ticking."
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