Stephen Hendry warns taking World Snooker Championship away from Crucible risks losing things money can’t buy

STEPHEN HENDRY has warned snooker chiefs against moving the World Championships away from the Crucible.

The sport's flagship event has taken place at the iconic Sheffield venue since 1977.

But snooker boss Barry Hearn has spoken in recent times about moving the tournament away from the 980-capacity arena.

And if it was to switch locations, a likely alternative is Saudi Arabia.

This is because, as well as holding more people, it could also bring in increased gate revenue.

Yet seven-time champion Hendry, 55, believes that could be a mistake.

Speaking on his , he said: "Barry [Hearn] says he's got three, four, five times as many people who want tickets but can't get them so he's got to go bigger.

"But I think what those four or five times as many people want is the Crucible experience, not to go somewhere [else].

"So I don't know, but it is great that snooker is going to new territories."

Speaking last month about the world championships potentially moving to Saudi, Hearn told . "Yes. Of course. I mean, look, it's very straightforward. Saudi, we do events in Saudi now, and they're getting bigger.

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"But they're still not the crowd and not the atmosphere. I understand all that."

He then went on to add: "Instead of me selling the Crucible out and making £3.5million, £3.7m on gate, I get a £20m site fee from Saudi.

"If I get £20m from [the] site fee, I can double, treble the prize money.

"All the players say, 'Oh, we love the Crucible, we don't want to leave.'

"I'd say, 'I'll tell you what I'm going to do, I'll treble the prize money.'

"We're gone, straight away. We're led by money, let's not kid ourselves."