The Thorny Debate

By Elliott West

“THAT’S WHERE THE CRUCIBLE IS PRETTY TERRIBLE, REALLY. IT’S AN AMAZING PLACE TO PLAY WHEN YOU’RE IN THE SEMI-FINALS, ONE OF THE BEST VENUES YOU COULD EVER PLAY AT. BUT WHEN IT’S THAT SMALL, COMPACT ENVIRONMENT, IT’S NOT A GREAT VENUE TO PLAY AT FROM A PLAYER’S POINT OF VIEW. EVEN THOUGH YOU APPRECIATE ALL THE HISTORY THAT’S GONE ON THERE”.

Neil Robertson

Introduction

Neil Robertson recently sent sparks flying by saying that he wants changes to the ‘dated and stale’ format of the World Championship at the Crucible. His main gripe is that match lengths need to be shortened, especially the final, reducing it from the best of 35 frames to the best of 19 or 25. By keeping it at a lengthy format, he believes that players are prone to lose their focus and the visual audience dip in and out of matches, unlike other tournaments.

Neil also believes that the main bulk of the tournament should be moved away from the Crucible and played at a new location. If his strategy were to be implemented, the World Championship would return to the Crucible Theatre only for the semi-finals and final. Robertson feels that the current location is too cramped and small for a two-table set up in the early part of the tournament.

The Crucible Debate

A Shorter Format

Change can sometimes be a good thing and the World Championship has evolved over the years. In the early days of the tournament, the final was played over a week and now has been diluted to two days and this in my opinion, is the right option. By reducing the number of frames to 19 or 25, you would remove the snooker marathon element. The winner of this tournament has to play consistently well for seventeen days and be prepared for the long haul. That’s why the victor is such a worthy champion.

It’s true that viewers do dip and out of this event and only the stalwarts endure watching every ball potted in every single frame but you could say that of the recent football European Championship or the Olympics and Paralympics held in Tokyo. Not every match or event appeals to everyone in the audience and as long as the viewer watches some of it, they are supporting the sport involved.

Maybe tweaks will be made in the future to the frame format but I really don’t see it changing much. It does what it says on the tin so why change it? There will always be critics of any schedule and they always shout loudest when they feel there is an opportunity. I am not saying they are wrong because after all we live in a democracy and should mould and adapt. However, to rip up the blueprints and start again, would be utter madness.

A New Venue?

Robertsons’ comments are not as seismic as they have been portrayed because this is a debate that often crops especially around the staging of the World Championship. It always upsets the traditionalists and takes a while before the heightened response dies down. The World Championship is the brightest jewel of the Triple Crown events and is steeped in history, having been staged at the Crucible since 1977 and I have to admit I am one of those traditionalists. However, if you have ever been to the Crucible, you will appreciate the unique atmosphere you get here and not at other venues. It is compact but that gives it its star quality, being able to watch live snooker as if you are living it and breathing it, in touching distance of your booked seat.

I can understand that logistically it must be at times, a headache for the players to have to compete in this small playing space but surely that’s one of the reasons that makes this tournament so special. By moving it away to another location for the mass of the tournament, you would be essentially ripping out part of the heart of the tournament. It makes no sense and is merely a fudge to appease loyalists. A watered-down option and whose real desire is to move the World Championship to a completely different location completely.

It may be in years to come and especially when the current contract with the theatre runs out again that a certain quarter of society will want the World Championship to be moved to a larger venue in China or somewhere else abroad. It depends on whether the powers to be can resist the temptation to put increased ticket sales, financial gains and headcounts over the steeped heritage that the Crucible venue has attained over the years? Time will tell but I hope and pray that it doesn’t happen anytime soon.