Snooker’s williamhill.com UK Championship will be back at the York Barbican later this year – and tickets for one of the sport’s most important tournaments are now on sale.
The event runs from November 27 to December 8 with world number one Mark Selby defending his title against the best players on the planet.
There is a brand new format for the event this year with all players on the professional tour to start in the same round. So established stars like Selby, Judd Trump and John Higgins could come up against up-and-coming rookies in the first round.
This means that the tournament is three days longer than usual and fans will have the chance to see many more players in action, with a multi-table layout at the Barbican in the early stages.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW as many sessions are sure to sell out quickly. Tickets start at just £8 (concessions £4), phenomenal value for a top class sporting event. Call 0844 854 2757 or book online at yorkbarbican.co.uk or worldsnooker.com/tickets
And there are two amazing special offers running for a limited time:
• 128 PAIRS OF TICKETS TO GIVEAWAY!!
To mark the fact that for the first time the tournament has 128 players in the opening round, the first 128 people who visit the York Barbican and quote 128 FREEBIES will be given a complimentary pair of tickets for a session of their choice (subject to availability) between 26-29 November. The offer started at 10am on Thursday 23 May.
• HALF PRICE TICKETS UNTIL THE END OF JUNE
For a limited time only tickets will be half price. Half price tickets are valid between 30 November and 5 December. Tickets must be purchased by Sunday 30 June. A limited number of tickets are available at this special price. Terms and conditions apply.
Last year’s final saw Selby beat Shaun Murphy 10-6. The total prize money for the event has increased from £625,000 to £700,000, with the winner’s cheque up from £125,000 to £150,000.
A spokesman for World Snooker said: “This is a new era for snooker as we have made revolutionary changes to many of our world ranking events this season.
“With the support of the BBC we are able to take all players on the tour to the venue in York, thanks also to the excellent facilities at the Barbican.
“This is fantastic news for fans as it gives them a chance to see a great variety of players, from legends of the sport through to the current crop of leading players, to new and exciting talents. It will be fascinating to see how results pan out.
“We have had incredible support at the UK Championship over the past two years from the people of York as well as fans from further afield, with record sales. We look forward to seeing packed arenas again, and strongly urge anyone who wants to attend the event to book their tickets immediately to make sure of your seats.”
A spokesman for title sponsor William Hill added: “After a fantastic tournament last year, William Hill are excited to be heading up to York in 2013. Last year’s finalists Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy find themselves towards the top of the betting at 6/1 and 12/1 respectively although they will have a whole host of fantastic names to compete against, not least, World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan potentially returning to the Barbican Centre.”
Odds for the title: 3/1 Ronnie O’Sullivan; 6/1 Judd Trump; 6/1 Mark Selby; 7/1 Neil Robertson; 9/1 Ding Junhui; 12/1 Shaun Murphy; 14/1 Mark Allen