Snooker Curtain could come down on Crucible Theatre hosting world championship warns Hearn

LONDON - Sheffields Crucible Theatre is to snooker what Wimbledon is for tennis but its days of hosting the world championship could be numbered according to Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn.

Since first hosting the tournament in 1977, the venue has provided the backdrop to a golden age for snooker but Hearn says it is no longer fit for purpose.

With the hosting contract expiring in two years, Matchroom, which has largely controlled snooker since 2010, is heavily involved in negotiations and Hearn says ideally the World Snooker Tour wants to stay.

But the 76-year-old, whose son Eddie is Matchroom chairman, has called on Sheffield city council to expand the venue from its 980-capacity or face losing the event.

Its black and white: we love the Crucible, we love Sheffield, but the Crucible and Sheffield have got to love us, Hearn, former chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) told BBC 5 Live.

We want to stay but the financials have to be taken into consideration. The facilities where the Crucible is are no longer fit for purpose, thats the key issue.

Hearns Matchroom Sport also runs darts which draws crowds of several thousands to large arenas and subsequently can offer huge prize money and he believes snooker must go the same way.

The Crucibles been a big part of my life and a big part of snookers life, Hearn said. But it has to move with the times and someone, whether its government or Sheffield, have to come up with a way of showing us that theyre going to treat us with respect and give us the type of facilities we require.

Its as simple as that. Its not complicated.

The Crucibles cosy intimacy is loved by fans and TV audiences alike, but the capacity cannot