World Snooker has announced separate title sponsorship deal with online gaming operator 888 Holdings and UK-based bookmaker Betfred.
888’s title sponsorship of Snooker’s new World Grand Prix, titled as the 888.com World Grand Prix, will take place on March 16-22 in North Wales.
The field is comprised of 32 players who qualified from a unique ranking list which ran from the 2014 World Championship to the 2015 Gdynia Open, competing for the £100,000 ($150,000) top prize
“We are thrilled to welcome 888.com on board for this fantastic new tournament. They have shown tremendous support for snooker in the past and we are pleased to continue to build that relationship,” said World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn. “This tournament is a wonderful addition to the calendar as we will see the very best players in the world competing for the inaugural title, in Llandudno, where we know there is a great support for snooker. It’s going to be a superb week for fans in the arena and viewers at home.”
Meanwhile, Betfred‘s three-year title sponsorship with Snooker’s World Championship will be named as Betfred World Snooker Championship.
This year’s tournament will be held on April 18 to May 4 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
“We are thrilled to welcome back Betfred as title sponsor of our blue riband tournament and we look forward to working closely with their team on delivering another top class event,” said Hearn. “We recently announced that we are staying at the Crucible until 2017, so this agreement with Betfred fits perfectly and gives us a firm foundation to keep growing the event in the coming years.
“The World Championship has a rich history dating back to 1927 and the international audience we are now reaching is extraordinary. Last year’s figure of over 330 million, in our key markets in the UK, Europe and China alone, was up 30 per cent on the previous year. That shows the extent to which we are developing as a global sport,” Hearn added.
Betfred Co-founder Fred Done also commented on the deal saying, “I’m absolutely delighted to be once again sponsoring the World Snooker Championship. It’s the pinnacle of the game and one of the key sporting events of the year. I’m really looking forward to be back at the Crucible which I regard as the home of snooker.”
Betfred sponsored Snooker’s World Championship from 2009 to 2012.
