PowerHouse Switch on to Snooker
Electrical giants PowerHouse, the UK's largest independent electrical retailer, have turned up the heat for this year's UK Championship by announcing they are to sponsor one of snooker's top tournaments.
World No 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan will be defending his UK title at York's Barbican Centre from December 1 to 15 - and 'the Rocket' has been boosted by the news that PowerHouse are backing the event, which is being covered exclusively by BBC Sport.
PowerHouse, who have more than 230 stores stretching from Inverness to the Isle of Wight, have agreed a one-year deal to sponsor the UK Championship, which carries a total prize fund of £615,000 with £84,500 going to the winner.
The news comes only a week after the players threw their full weight behind the Board of the World Professional Billiards Snooker and Association and their new commercial partners World Snooker Enterprises.
O'Sullivan described today's announcement as 'fantastic news for the players and the sport as a whole'.
'I have always said that once snooker started moving forward sponsors and broadcasters would support us and this deal proves the point.
'It's great that a major name like PowerHouse wants to be associated with snooker and I'm sure all the players will provide them with a tournament to remember.'
O'Sullivan will be launching the 2002 UK Championship in York on Thursday (Nov 28) when he will also be turning on the Christmas lights.
Powerhouse chairman, Derrick Bloomfield said: 'PowerHouse is delighted to be involved in such a prestigious event, I am looking forward to what I believe will be the most exciting Championship yet'.
Richard Relton, chief executive of World Snooker, said: 'We're delighted that a tournament with the history and prestige of the UK Championship now has a dynamic new sponsor in PowerHouse.'
For further information please contact:
World Snooker
Media Office
T: 0117-317-8200
W: www.worldsnooker.com
World No 1 Ronnie O'Sullivan will be defending his UK title at York's Barbican Centre from December 1 to 15 - and 'the Rocket' has been boosted by the news that PowerHouse are backing the event, which is being covered exclusively by BBC Sport.
PowerHouse, who have more than 230 stores stretching from Inverness to the Isle of Wight, have agreed a one-year deal to sponsor the UK Championship, which carries a total prize fund of £615,000 with £84,500 going to the winner.
The news comes only a week after the players threw their full weight behind the Board of the World Professional Billiards Snooker and Association and their new commercial partners World Snooker Enterprises.
O'Sullivan described today's announcement as 'fantastic news for the players and the sport as a whole'.
'I have always said that once snooker started moving forward sponsors and broadcasters would support us and this deal proves the point.
'It's great that a major name like PowerHouse wants to be associated with snooker and I'm sure all the players will provide them with a tournament to remember.'
O'Sullivan will be launching the 2002 UK Championship in York on Thursday (Nov 28) when he will also be turning on the Christmas lights.
Powerhouse chairman, Derrick Bloomfield said: 'PowerHouse is delighted to be involved in such a prestigious event, I am looking forward to what I believe will be the most exciting Championship yet'.
Richard Relton, chief executive of World Snooker, said: 'We're delighted that a tournament with the history and prestige of the UK Championship now has a dynamic new sponsor in PowerHouse.'
For further information please contact:
World Snooker
Media Office
T: 0117-317-8200
W: www.worldsnooker.com