Snooker is facing a financial crisis after two of its largest financial supporters have announced withdraw. 888.com, the gaming company and the major sponsor of the World Snooker Championship, the most important event of the sport, has cut off its 5 years sponsorship contract after 3 years and at the same time, Saga Insurance, had quit supporting the Wembley Masters. The fiscal damage to snooker is estimated in £1.5 million. It is the second serious financial crisis faced by snooker due to lack of sponsors that followed the 2005 tobacco sponsorship ban. 

Here’s a reminder from snooker better days, when snooker players used to smoke and drink anything but water during championships:

The Crucible Theater in Sheffield, which serves as the World Championship snooker castle for over 3 decades is currently going through renovation. Therefore, pieces of the famous foyer carpet are offered for sale. Snooker fans who would like to literally worship the carpet on which snooker champs stepped on since 1987, will be asked to pay £50 for a carpet square sized 18X18 inch and £75 for a 27X35 inch piece of history. The incomes from the carpet sales will be donated to the next stage campaign, purposed to renovate the Sheffield Theaters.