The World Snooker Tour has introduced one other new rating occasion with the inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters set for this summer time in Riyadh.
A profitable pot of over £2 million will put the event behind solely the World Snooker Championship for prize cash.
In distinction to the invitational Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker that was introduced final month, the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters can be open to all 128 gamers on the primary tour.
Six native wild playing cards from the Saudi Arabian Billiard & Snooker Federation may even be invited to take part within the competitors.
Maybe essentially the most eye-catching a part of the 10-year deal is that the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters is ready to be categorized as the game’s “fourth main”.
This is able to doubtlessly rank it alongside the Triple Crown occasions by way of standing.
The 2024 World Pool Championship from the World Nineball Tour may even be held in Jeddah with a prize fund of $1 million.
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn stated: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has solid a status for progress and creating new alternatives for sports activities to develop in a brand new market to new followers.”
“The nation has hosted among the world’s premier sporting occasions lately, welcoming guests from throughout to expertise its ardour for sport and distinctive tradition.
“The addition of each the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters and World Pool Championship over the subsequent decade additional enhances that because it heralds an thrilling chapter for Snooker and Nineball pool.
“We’ve got seen the unimaginable affect Boxing has had on this area.
“Now, I imagine we are going to see Billiards cement its legacy right here too, creating unimaginable alternatives and competitors for the best gamers on the planet.”
Saudi Arabia Billiard & Snooker Federation President, Dr. Nasser Saab Al-Shammari, added: “The introduction of two model new world occasions in Saudi Arabia with long-term offers in place is absolute recreation altering second for our sports activities.”
“We’ve got a flourishing neighborhood however till now alternatives have been restricted expose to the sport’s elite. It will undoubtedly speed up our progress and growth.
“We stay up for warmly welcoming the easiest snooker and Nineball pool gamers on the earth to the Kingdom and taking their sports activities into the guts of our communities, whereas additionally giving rising younger Saudi gamers the possibility to compete at this stage for the primary time with a ‘dwelling’ occasion.
“Each occasions can be underpinned by neighborhood engagement to introduce new gamers to the game and can open up new expertise pathways over the last decade.
“Clinics for coaches, for referees and participant visits will assure an enormous enhance and a brilliant future for each snooker and pool in Saudi Arabia.”
The announcement comes per week after the World Snooker Tour revealed that there could be a brand new rating occasion in China subsequent season as effectively.
The Xi-an Grand Prix, signed below a multi-year deal, will run from August nineteenth to twenty fifth later this 12 months.
The event will boast a complete prize fund of £850,000 and supply a winner’s cheque value £177,000.
WST Chairman Steve Dawson stated: “That is implausible information for our gamers and followers as we proceed our world growth and significantly our presence in China.”
“Through the 2023/24 season we’ve been capable of stage occasions in China for the primary time since 2019 and this return has been a fantastic success, with three world rating occasions in addition to one invitation event, and a superb reception from our associates and companions within the cities we’ve visited.
“We’re thrilled and excited to announce a brand new occasion and to be heading for the primary time to the fascinating location of Xi’an, with its outstanding historical past and tradition.
“The native followers may have the possibility to see their heroes play reside.
“And for the gamers that is one other alternative to expertise a brand new location, whereas competing and incomes a excessive stage of prize cash.
“Our specific thanks go to the CBSA for his or her long-term dedication to rising our sport all through China, and to Shaanxi Sports activities Business Group Restricted.
“We stay up for working with them intently on the primary Xi’an Grand Prix and to a profitable long-term partnership.”
Featured picture credit score: WST
