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Sheffield forges new deal for snooker championships

Sheffield's Crucible Theatre will host the World Snooker Championships until at least 2017 Credit: Tim Goode/PA Archive/Press Association Images

The World Snooker Championship will stay in Sheffield until at least 2017.

A new deal's been struck between the organisers and Sheffield City Council to keep the event at the Crucible Theatre for at least the next three years.

The tournament, the richest and most prestigious in snooker, was first staged at the Crucible in 1977 so 2017 will mark its 40th anniversary in Sheffield.

  • The World Snooker Championship is worth £5 million to Sheffield.
  • It's watched by a global audience of 285 million viewers.

For those two weeks it puts the city right in the spotlight not just nationally but internationally. This deal shows that Sheffield has real ambition. We are determined to use this partnership with World Snooker to grow their audiences and open up new global business opportunities for the city.

– Cllr Julie Dore, Leader of Sheffield City Council