Mark Selby: The Crucible's Legacy Shouldn't Be Lost to Saudi Money

With the World Snooker Championship now less than two weeks away, the future of the iconic tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield is once again a hot topic. The event's current contract with the venue is set to expire in 2027, a year marking 50 years since the first World Championship was held in South Yorkshire.

This conversation dominated discussions during last year’s tournament, with players like Shaun Murphy passionately defending the Crucible's rich history and legacy. On the other hand, players such as Iran’s top-ranked snooker star Hossein Vafaei argued that the venue is outdated and that moving away from Sheffield might be necessary for the sport’s progression.

Ongoing Talks Leave Future of Crucible in Limbo

World Snooker Tour released a statement that did little to clarify the situation. The statement confirmed that discussions are still ongoing regarding the tournament’s future in Sheffield, with no final decisions made.

“Sheffield City Council, World Snooker Tour and Sheffield Theatres are longstanding partners. Over the last 12 months we have had constructive conversations, with national Government, and key partners, about the World Snooker Championship beyond 2027.”

“Due to the sensitive and commercial nature of these ongoing discussions, no announcement on the future of the Championship will be made by Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Theatres or World Snooker Tour during this year’s event,” read the statement. 

Rumoured Move to Saudi

While the official stance is still unclear, unconfirmed reports suggest that Riyadh Season, the Saudi Arabian entertainment and sports venture, is reportedly looking to bring the World Snooker Championship to the Middle East. This has sparked concerns among many snooker purists.

We had the chance to speak with four-time World Champion Mark Selby at last week’s Tour Championship in Manchester, where he shared his thoughts on the potential move and the future of the tournament at the Crucible.

“You hear the rumours that if it leaves the Crucible then it could be going elsewhere, like Saudi or something.”

“But if it does eventually leave the Crucible, I hope it stays in the UK. I wouldn’t want it to go elsewhere, we deserve to keep it in the UK, it’s always been a British sport,” Selby told SportsBoom.com.

Atmosphere at Crucible Unmatched, Says Selby

For Selby, the debate isn’t about the money—it’s about the fans, the history, and the atmosphere. While Saudi Arabia’s investment group may offer greater financial incentives for players, Selby is firm in his belief that no amount of money can replicate the unique atmosphere of the Crucible.

“I know it could go to Saudi, and they could be throwing ludicrous amounts of money at it. But it’s hard to get that atmosphere like we do at the Crucible. When it goes down to the one-table setup, you can’t replicate that atmosphere anywhere else.”

Legacy Above Money

In stark contrast, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) recently raised the prize money for the World Darts Championship to £1 million. Both the PDC and the World Snooker Tour (WST) fall under the same promotional umbrella, Matchroom Sport, which is headed by Barry Hearn. Despite the dramatic increase in prize money in darts, the snooker World Championship winner still takes home £500,000.

We asked Selby whether he thinks snooker’s prize money could also reach the £1 million mark, but he believes that would only happen if the tournament were to relocate to Saudi Arabia.

However, Selby remains indifferent to the idea of increased prize money, as he would rather see the World Championship stay at the Crucible.

“If somebody said to me, right, you're gonna get half a million, it stays at The Crucible for the next 10 years. I'd rather have that than a million pound and play somewhere else with no atmosphere.”

“That’s what we play the game for. We strive to play out there in front of full houses, that’s what you get the buzz for.”

“That’s what gets you up in the morning to go to work. And a few times when we’ve been out there [in Saudi], there’s not that many people watching.”

“Obviously, it’s difficult, and if you’ve got a big tournament out there, to try and get motivated for it, it might be difficult.”

“I know people could say, well you got the million-pound dangling on the purse, but at the end of the day it’s money. It doesn’t bring you happiness. You know, obviously it makes life a lot easier. It makes life being miserable a lot easier if you got the money, but it doesn’t make you happy.”

As the future of the World Snooker Championship remains uncertain, one thing is clear: for Mark Selby, the atmosphere, history, and legacy of the Crucible are what make the tournament special—and he hopes that Sheffield’s iconic venue will continue to host snooker’s most prestigious event long after 2027.