CHANNEL 4 might broadcast top-class snooker motion involving the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy – per week earlier than the subsequent Crucible Worlds start.
SunSport understands a number of the finest cueists on the planet have agreed in precept to play in 4 occasions on TV subsequent 12 months – the Snooker 900 Grand Slam – with one scheduled for a London venue on April 12-13.
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The Rocket, the seven-time world champion, is the headline act linked to this new eight-player collection together with reigning world champion Kyren Wilson, Neil Robertson and Mark Wiliams.
Organisers are liaising with the World Snooker Tour as a result of gamers who’ve a Tour Card require permission to seem in any non-sanctioned TV tournaments.
Two of the 4 proposed occasions have been granted approval however discussions are ongoing in regards to the different two that are later in 2025.
The ‘Macau 5’ episode in October 2023 pressured a major change inside the sport as some stars had deliberate to skip the WST’s Northern Eire Open for a Far East exhibition.
Following that state of affairs, there was an extended negotiation of the gamers’ contract, which now permits flexibility and leniency to seem in third-party conflicting occasions which might be placed on by impartial promoters.
The 2025 World Snooker Championship will begin on Saturday April 19 as Wilson seems to defend his title and eventually break the Crucible curse.
Murphy, the 2005 world champion, was requested about social media rumours of this new Grand Slam – organised by main promoter Jason Francis – and he confirmed its existence in his onefourseven snooker podcast.
The Magician, 42, stated: “It’s true. Yeah, I’m delighted to be requested however I don’t know very a lot about it.
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“I do know that Jason was planning to placed on 4 two-day occasions.
“I had no thought till I noticed the listing on social media myself, who else was requested to play in it.
“I’m simply completely satisfied to play and looking out ahead to those alternatives.
“As luck would have it, two of these dates do conflict with potential occasions within the 25/26 calendar, so I believe solely two of them to this point have been granted permission.
“Enthusiastic about it. You already know, I believe competitors is sweet.
“I personally, for what it’s value, suppose that as knowledgeable snooker participant, as a self-employed tradesperson, I must be allowed to play snooker wherever and at any time when I need.
“That’s my very own private view. So I see this as an actual optimistic step that these occasions are going to be placed on and gamers are going to have the ability to ply their commerce.
“Put balls in pockets, put smiles on folks’s faces and entertain people who find themselves wanting to look at us. That’s what it’s all about.”
Channel 4 and the World Snooker Tour have each declined to remark.
