Riyadh Season becomes official partner of the World Snooker Championship, Ronnie O’Sullivan signs three-year deal to play in all Saudi tournaments and coach aspiring talent while golden ball prize rises to $1m
- A new agreement has been announced between Riyadh Season and the WST
- Ronnie O’Sullivan, 48, has also signed a three-year ambassadorial deal
- He will participate in all WST events in Saudi Arabia and coach aspiring talent
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has announced an agreement between Riyadh Season and the World Snooker Tour to further their cooperation.
Riyadh Season has agreed to become an official partner for snooker’s most prestigious tournament, the World Snooker Championship.
His Excellency Alalshikh – the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) – has also announced a new three-year ambassadorial deal with snooker world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan.
The partnership will see O’Sullivan – who has won a record 23 Triple Crown titles – compete in all WST events in Saudi Arabia.
O’Sullivan will also make special trips to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to coach and nurture aspiring talent in the Middle East.
His Excellency (HE) Turki Alalshikh has announced an agreement between Riyadh Season and the World Snooker Tour to further their cooperation
Commenting on the partnership, HE Alalshikh said: ‘Riyadh Season is delighted to be a partner of the World Snooker Championship, which kicks off this Saturday and continues until May 6 at the Crucible in Sheffield.’
While WST Chairman Steve Dawson added: “We are honored to be working with HE Turki Alalshikh on his visionary plans for progress. We share his ambition to bring snooker to many more fans in the Middle East, and to nurture new talent and develop grassroots structures.
“We share the dream that Saudi Arabia will one day produce a world snooker champion, and each of the three initiatives announced today is a step towards that dream.
“We are pleased to work with His Excellency and deepen our relationship with Saudi Arabia. The first Riyadh season of World Masters of Snooker was a fantastic event and many players enjoyed the atmosphere created by the local fans.
“We look forward to returning to the Kingdom in the summer for the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, the first ever world ranking event in the region. These tournaments grow the sport and provide fantastic opportunities for players to compete for excellent prize money.”
His Excellency Alalshikh has also announced a new three-year ambassadorial deal with snooker’s number 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan
Saudi Arabia hosted its first-ever WST event last month: the Riyadh Season World Masters.
O’Sullivan was the star attraction, winning the first event, beating Luca Brecel 5–2 in the final.
The tournament also featured an innovative new concept, introducing a 23rd ball – called the Riyadh Season Ball – into a frame.
The ball had a value of 20 points, meaning that there was a possibility of a maximum break of 167, instead of the traditional maximum of 147.
The first player to pocket the ball would earn around £400,000. However, no one managed to claim the prize.
HE Alalshikh has announced that the prize for the golden ball 167 break at next year’s Riyadh Season World Masters has been doubled to $1 million (£800,000).
The partnership will see O’Sullivan – who has won a record 23 Triple Crown titles – compete in all WST events in Saudi Arabia
O’Sullivan has told HE Alalshikh that he will focus on hoarding the Riyadh season ball during next year’s tournament.
Speaking about playing in Saudi Arabia, O’Sullivan said: “Playing in Riyadh last month was a great experience, I love the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the fans.
‘We can make snooker big in Saudi Arabia. So I’m excited about this opportunity to work on growing the sport there and the opportunity to coach the best young talent and pass on my experience.
“I also enjoy the opportunity to play in more major events in the Kingdom and work with HE Turki Alalshikh on his ambitions.”