Hopes of snooker return to Shropshire are dashed
Hopes the UK Snooker Championship may return to Shropshire have been dashed by World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn.
Hopes the UK Snooker Championship may return to Shropshire have been dashed by World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn.
The UK Championship returned to York's Barbican Centre in December after four years in Telford, while the Masters in January switched from Wembley Arena to Alexandra Palace.
Hearn said: "We've signed a new two-year deal with the Barbican in York for the UK Championship and we've signed a new three-year deal with Alexandra Palace for the Masters.
"We will announce a new sponsor for the UK Championship next week."
Hearn also announced next season's snooker calendar will feature action in 50 weeks, with Christmas week and a summer week currently blank.
His big hope is there could be room for one more major tournament in the United Kingdom, featuring a random draw rather than seedings.
"I would love to do one more event in the UK, as a proper event with 128 players and everyone in from the first round," Hearn said.
"That's the last event I've really got the buzz for. I like the idea of 128 players coming out of the hat like the FA Cup draw."