Exclusive:Sheffield City Council refuses to reveal fee to keep World Snooker at Crucible
‘The Championship contributes substantially to Sheffield's international reputation, visitor economy and cultural identity’
Sheffield City Council has refused to reveal how much it paid to keep the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible after Barry Hearn played hardball in negotiations.
The authority has confirmed it pays a ‘staging fee’ to World Snooker Ltd.
But in response to a Freedom of Information request it said the amount could not be disclosed because it was ‘exempt’.
The FOI response said: ‘The detailed financial commitments and commercial arrangements associated with the Staging Agreement are contained within the exempt appendices.’
Last month, council chief executive, Kate Josephs, and Steve Dawson, chairman of World Snooker Tour, the operator of the championships, signed a deal to keep the contest at the Crucible from 2030 until at least 2045.
It will see a £45m expansion of The Crucible to add 500 seats.
It is being funded with £35m from taxpayers - £25m from the mayor of South Yorkshire and £10m from central government - and £10m in donations from the private sector and unnamed ‘philanthropic partners’.
The city council also pays Sheffield Theatres Trust for the use of Crucible during the tournament under a separate ‘venue hire agreement’.
Barry Hearn is president of Matchroom Sport, the majority owner of World Snooker Tour, and was involved in negotiations lasting years.
In 2025 he said the Crucible was “not fit for purpose” and continuing to hold the contest there was letting down many people.
He also urged Sheffield City Council to “show me the way” to increase attendance and prize money - or he would take world snooker on the road.
He said other venues would “cut off their arm” to host an event with up to 700m viewers a year.
Last year he insisted government backing was essential to make the deal work, adding: “The onus is still on Sheffield to come up with something in line with our thinking.”
After it was announced in March he said he had “put up a fight” so “everyone took us seriously.”
Sheffield City Council says World Snooker is expected to deliver a total economic impact of £208m, if the option to extend the agreement until 2050 is exercised.
At the signing, Ms Josephs said: “The World Snooker Championship brings visitors from across the globe, showcases our city to millions of viewers and delivers significant benefits to local businesses, jobs and the visitor economy.
“This is fantastic news for Sheffield and a deal that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
A city council report states: ‘The Championship contributes substantially to Sheffield's economy, international reputation, visitor economy and cultural identity and has become synonymous with the city over almost five decades’.
A 50-year contract to stage snooker at the Crucible ends in 2027.
It is set to close from summer 2028 for expansion lasting 18 months and reopen in 2030, when the new snooker deal starts.
It runs until to 2045, with the option to extend for a further five years by mutual agreement.
A Sheffield City Council spokesperson said: “Sources of income from the World Snooker Championship are commercially confidential.
“The World Snooker Championship currently generates around £6.5 million for Sheffield and the wider region each year through spending in hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions.”
World Snooker Tour declined to comment.
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A Sheffield City Council spokesperson said: “The cost of the staging fee for the World Snooker Championships isn’t secret, it’s commercially confidential in order to protect the council’s competitive advantage when it comes to negotiations on this and ensuring that the tournament stays in the city.
“The reason the FOI referenced it being exempt was because the papers were included in the portion of the Strategy and Resources Committee that was closed to the public.
“Staging fees are a standard feature of agreements to host major sporting and cultural events, with cities across the UK and internationally investing to secure events that bring visitors, economic activity and international exposure.
“The Council's contribution to this is about securing the wider economic and reputational benefits that hosting an event of this scale brings to Sheffield.
“The above is normal practice for a local authority hosting a major event.”