Drive to Survive backer buys stake in Hearns’ Matchroom empire Sport Business Bruin Capital, a backer of the maker of Drive to Survive and Bruno Fernandes’ agency, has bought a minority stake in multi-sport promoter Matchroom. No terms were disclosed but the deal will see the Hearn family continue to majority own and run the business, which generates most of its revenue from boxing, darts and snooker. [...]
Barry Hearn says ‘Saudi is a problem’ amid snooker shift Sport Business Snooker supremo Barry Hearn has admitted that “Saudi is a problem” amid reports of plans to move a lucrative event to fellow Gulf region Qatar. Saudi Arabia could be about to scale back its sporting empire due to conflict issues in the region, with LIV Golf’s long-term funding uncertain and other events potentially under review. [...]
Snooker World Championship to stay at The Crucible until at least 2045 Sport Business The Crucible will remain home to snooker’s World Championship until at least 2045 after an agreement was struck to expand the venue’s capacity. The championships will celebrate 50 years at The Crucible in 2027 but faced the threat of being moved to a larger venue overseas by the sport’s promoters Matchroom. Work will begin on [...]
PM Starmer asked to back £500m Alexandra Palace darts injection February 11, 2026 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been called upon to contribute to a £500m, one-off private-public cash injection to keep darts at Alexandra Palace. The north London venue first hosted the World Darts Championship in 2007 but a move away from the venue has been touted by tournament organisers Matchroom, with the sport exploding in popularity [...]
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Thomas the Tank Engine director launch snooker TV channel September 30, 2025 Ronnie O’Sullivan has teamed up with a former director of Thomas the Tank Engine to launch the world’s first dedicated snooker TV channel. Pluto Snooker 900, which launches next week, promises to show a combination of live action, classic matches and O’Sullivan’s coaching series, The Rocket Method. It is the brainchild of Jason Francis, a [...]
O’Sullivan backs snooker union to give players more say in deals August 6, 2025 Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ding Junhui have backed a new union for snooker players created to give them more say in commercial and scheduling decisions. The Professional Snooker Players Association is chaired by four-time world champion John Higgins, while its Players Board includes Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter and Stuart Bingham. [...]
2025 World Snooker Championship prize money: How much does the winner get? April 20, 2025 The great and good of world snooker have descended on the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield for the World Snooker Championship. England’s Kyren Wilson beat Welshman Jak Jones in last year’s final to take home the trophy in snooker’s greatest competition. This year one of Zhao Xintong or Mark Williams will lift the trophy. The prize [...]
Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters begins with near-record prize pot August 30, 2024 Snooker’s most lucrative tournament outside of the World Championship will get under way today with a line-up that includes Ronnie O’Sullivan and world number one Judd Trump. The inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which takes place in Riyadh over the next nine days , features a prize pot of £2.3m, just £95,000 less than World [...]
Barry Hearn: Crucible cannot be home of snooker for much longer May 7, 2024 Barry Hearn has insisted Sheffield can maintain its status as the home of the World Snooker Championship but the future of the famous Crucible is less certain. The iconic venue holds 980 spectators but the sport has come under pressure from money from the likes of Saudi Arabia and China to move the event away [...]
Football, snooker and the dangers of over-regulation April 30, 2024 Whether it’s the gambling white paper putting advertisers off snooker or plans for a new football regulator, our favourite sports risk being legislated out of existence, says Emma Revell When it comes to my two favourite sports, this week has been a game of two halves. On one hand, I’m a long-suffering Sunderland fan. With [...]
