SNOOKER’S biggest competition, the World Snooker Championship, looks set for a major change in the near future.
Matchroom chief Barry Hearn has given an ultimatum to Sheffield Council that could see the tournament taken away from the Crucible.
Hearn, 76, has long been hinting at the possibility of taking the World Championship away from the iconic Sheffield venue as snooker continues to grow.
Snooker’s most prestigious competition has been held at the Crucible since 1977.
But Hearn has now doubled down on his plans to take it elsewhere, claiming the Crucible is “not fit for purpose”.
Speaking on The Barry Hearn Show podcast, he said: “I have to live in the real world.
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“It’s why I don’t do pay-per-view shows or Anthony Joshua fights at York Hall, Bethnal Green.
“I think York Hall is the greatest fight atmosphere venue in the world, it’s just not fit for purpose.
“And the Crucible is not fit for purpose. When you go backstage, today’s audience wants different things. They want better hospitality. They want more space.
“The players want more things. They want more practice room. They want extra tables. The press and the media want to have more, the list goes on.
“The hardliners say ‘I’ve been here since I was a boy. I was here with my grandad who’s long since passed’, I’m sympathetic to that. The Crucible made me.
“I want to stay in Sheffield, and I’ve told the Sheffield City Council numerous occasions over the last few years. They have three more years. I will move.”
Snooker ace forced to apologise to ITV reporter for ‘burn the table’ interview
The Crucible, which only hold 980 spectators, is currently locked into a contract which means the World Snooker Championship will remain at the theatre until at least 2027.
However, Hearn went on to explain what options he believes Sheffield City Council have regarding the future of the tournament.
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He added: “Sheffield City Council have a job to do.
“One, they can ignore the billions of pounds of investment that’s gone into Sheffield on the back of snooker. The number of Chinese companies in Sheffield where they have snooker? We go, they’re off.
“They will call it the New Crucible if they wish, or they can call it the Crucible and change the name of the theatre that’s still there that does a wonderful job for fringe theatre.
“We’re mainstream, and they have to accept we’re mainstream. I need three thousand tickets per session, not eight hundred, as part of my plan to try and keep the World Championships in England.”
Hearn also added that the £2.5m prize pot for the World Championship is “not enough”, suggesting it should be increased to £5m or £10m.
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And players have chimed in on the argument in recent months too with the talent explaining what they would like to see happen going forward.
A.J. McKee has some business to handle on Saturday but if all goes well it looks like he’ll finally get the fight he’s been chasing for over a year.
At the upcoming PFL: Battle of the Giants event, McKee faces fast-rising prospect Paul Hughes in the first bout on the pay-per-view main card but it seemed like a showdown against Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov was inevitable. An injury knocked McKee out of the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix, which prevented him from chasing the fight back then, but a recent encounter with Usman’s cousin and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov gave him the news he’s been waiting to hear.
“That’s the fight everyone wants is Usman and McKee,” McKee told MMA Fighting. “I think that’s what’s on the roster next. That’s what everybody wants and I don’t think there’s any other fights to make.
“I was down at [Usman’s] fight in San Diego and Khabib [Nurmagomedov] walks by and says ‘see you in Dubai.’ I’m like I’ll see you in Dubai so it looks like they’re pushing for it and I’m pushing for it. So it looks like we’re going to make it happen. There’s really no other fight to make happen.”
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Since moving to lightweight, McKee has gone undefeated with a perfect 4-0 record including a lightning quick finish over PFL favorite Clay Collard back in February.
This time around he’s facing an up and comer in Hughes, who just signed with PFL as a free agent earlier this year and only has one fight under his belt with the promotion. Going from a win over a journeyman like Bobby King to a fight against arguably the No. 1 contender in the lightweight division might seem like an almost unrealistic step up in competition.
McKee can’t get inside Hughes’ head to know what he’s thinking but he plans on showing him there are levels to this game when they meet on Saturday.
“He really hasn’t dealt with any pressure,” McKee said. “He’s just been kind of walking through guys. How’s he going to react when things get a little nitty gritty and sticky? I’m not one to back down. So I’m going to be in his face the entire time. That’s what we’re going to have to see. How does Paul Hughes react when things aren’t going his way? What is he going to be capable of in those moments?
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“I remember wanting to be neck and neck with the best. But it’s like Fast and the Furious — too soon Junior. That’s the quote I’m looking to drop in this one.”
Truth be told, McKee didn’t even really knows Hughes before he got offered the fight because he leaves scouting up to his father and trainer, Antonio McKee.
Maybe Hughes really is the next big thing but McKee promises he’s not going to be the stepping stone on his ascension to stardom.
“I don’t really pay attention [to my opponents],” McKee said. “My dad’s the one who watches video and footage and puts together the game plan. For me, a name is a name. The hit list is the hit list and I’m just going to continue to go in there and take out people one at a time. Paul Hughes, he’s a tough cat. I can’t take anything away from him. He’s been in there, he’s been fighting and I’m just going to go in there and show him I’m a different breed.
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“I’ve been in his position so I know that young, hungry feeling. I remember the first time I fought a vet. My first vet was Pat Curran. So I remember that hungry feeling. I remember wanting that moment. I’m older but I ain’t that old. I’m still holding my ground. I’m going to do what I do best and that’s come out victorious by any means.
“He lacks some game time, but that is normal,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said Friday. “He is feeling very well, doing well, has good sensations and has trained very well this (international) break with us. He is ready.”
Adams was limited to three EPL games last season because of a hamstring injury that sidelined him from Sept. 27 until March 13. He returned for two matches, then didn’t play for Bournemouth after March 30 because of back spasms.
The 25-year-old Adams played a full game for the U.S. when it was eliminated from the Copa América with a 1-0 group stage loss to Uruguay on July 1 and had back surgery days later.
Watch as Great Britain’s Josh Charlton wins silver in the men’s individual pursuit, as Italy’s Jonathan Milan breaks the world record to win gold at the Track Cycling World Championships in Copenhagen.
LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 245 weigh-ins took place Friday, and the fighters came face-to-face one final time before Saturday’s event.
The weigh-ins took place at the UFC Apex, which hosts Saturday’s event (ESPN+). Check out the video above to see the athletes from all 11 scheduled matchups come face-to-face, and don’t miss the photo gallery below.
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