 Walker has had "expressions of interest" from China and elsewhere |
The chairman of snooker's governing body has played down the prospect of the World Championship being taken out of the United Kingdom to China. Sir Rodney Walker has held talks with parties in China and the Middle-East. But he hinted that Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, home to the tournament for 31 years, is likely to remain so when its current contract expires in 2010. "The only offer on the table is from Sheffield," Walker said. "The bird in the hand is well worth considering." Two-time world champion John Higgins has suggested some players would be more than happy for the tournament to move if it meant more prize money. "We've got to think what we can earn out of this sport," said the Scot. "But they would have to come up with the money to take it from the Crucible."  | Unless the offer we got was of such a size - and long term - then the likelihood is that it would stay within the UK and within Sheffield WPBSA chairman Rodney Walker |
Walker, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, reiterated it was his responsibility to "consider any serious expression of interest" in taking the sport's most prestigious event into new territory. "I know there's a lot of interest in the possibility of the World Championship going outside the United Kingdom," he told BBC Sport. "But from a commercial view we have a contract with the BBC which underpins a lot of what we do in snooker. "If we left the shores of the United Kingdom it would put that contract at risk and would have very serious consequences. | I aspired to play in that Crucible arena as a youngster and I hope it stays there |
"I've outlined to the players that unless the offer we got was of such a size - and long term - then the likelihood is that it (the World Championship) would stay within the UK and within Sheffield." Six-time world champion Steve Davis believes it would be preferable for China to create a new event, rather than "pinch" the World Championship, if officials - who already host the Shanghai Masters - want to invest heavily in the sport. Fellow former world champion and BBC analyst John Parrott said he would rather the tournament stayed in Sheffield. "I understand the position if they were to treble or quadruple the money and it is a long-term deal," he added. "But I aspired to play in that (Crucible) arena as a youngster and I hope it stays there."
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