Unsnookered: how Sheffield’s leaders pulled off a seemingly impossible trick shot

It’s a blustery day and dozens of journalists, radio hosts and politicians are packed into the Crucible for the big announcement. Mayor Oliver Coppard is in his happy place, chatting away about buses. Council leader Tom Hunt and local MP Louise Haigh are fielding compliments for their part in months of tense negotiations. And, of course, there’s the man of the moment: Barry Hearn. The grand snooker consigliere is full of beans, telling anyone who will listen what a marvellous day he’s having. 

Hearn stands up to give a speech, straightening his bright pink tie. “As Rockefeller said once, the best deal is where everyone ends up with a bit of bread in their mouth,” he says. “You're never going to get a deal which is just one-sided, because it won't work and there will be bad relationships coming from it.”

It’s clear what Hearn's sports promotion company Matchroom Sport is getting — they’ve successfully pushed for a £45 million refurbishment of the Crucible to increase its capacity to 1,500, representing a big boost to ticket sales. So what exactly is the company giving? I corner Hearn to ask: will they be contributing towards the cost? “Certainly not,” he splutters. “It’s not our responsibility. We have a choice of venues around the world, and we contribute by allowing events to take place.”

No-one could deny that, by saving snooker, our city pulled off an extraordinary coup. “Everyone connected to the game and the wider industry absolutely believed it was gone and was very fatalistic about it”, Louise Haigh tells us. Sheffield and snooker felt like they were going through the worst kind of slow break up, where no-one had the courage to pull the plug. Now, it’s not only back on, the parties are renewing their vows. The tournament is staying until at least twenty forty-five. How did we do it?

‘A fundamental shift in attitude’

It’s January of this year, and Keir Starmer is wandering through a scene so British that it couldn’t possibly be in Britain. He’s being shown round “House of UK”, an “immersive country branding experience” in Shanghai, which his hosts have laid on to make him feel at home. As he trundles between Peter Rabbit plushies and shop models dressed in Burberry, something catches his eye: a snooker table.

When the news broke last Tuesday afternoon that the snooker world championships would be staying in Sheffield until 2045, the scramble to get stories out was intense. The dozens of local and national newspaper, TV and radio reporters who had descended on Sheffield were all desperate to get the story out to their audiences as soon as possible.

Breaking news is an important part of the news cycle, but The Tribune was set up to do something more. To go beyond the headlines, get deeper into the story and show you what’s really going on in this city. Today’s piece was put together over four days and is a real team effort (it’s the first time we’ve ever had all four of our reporters on the byline).

We spoke to dozens of people to try to understand how one of the most consequential decisions in Sheffield for years was taken and why. Because it’s such an important story, we’re making it free to read. But in order to read it in full you’ll need to sign up to our mailing list. You won’t get charged and you can unsubscribe any time. Thank you.

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