Last week’s Shanghai Masters was a significant moment for the World Snooker Tour as it was the first event staged in mainland China for four years, and the tournament delivered outstanding success across television and digital audiences.
The seven day event in China’s largest city attracted packed crowds to the superb Grand Stage venue, as fans took the chance to watch their heroes for the first time since 2019. Ronnie O’Sullivan won the title for a fourth consecutive time, beating World Champion Luca Brecel 11-9 in a sizzling final.
On WST’s social media platforms in China, managed by Red Lantern, the tournament’s hashtag received over 43 million impressions during the week.
WST’s Western social media platforms also saw their highest numbers since the World Championship in the Spring. On Facebook, 11.3 million accounts were reached during the week, with 9.4 million video views. On X, O’Sullivan’s title-winning century had 885,000 views, making it one of the most watched clips ever on WST’s account.
On Eurosport UK, the average audience was up 52%, compared to the same tournament in 2019, while the peak audience for the week was up 31%.
Kyren Wilson surrounded by fans as he enters the venue
WST Chairman Steve Dawson said: “The Shanghai Masters was an incredible success and our appreciation goes to the CBSA, Juss Sports and all of our partners. Despite the challenges we have faced in recent years, we have maintained and strengthened those relationships and now, together, we can build a bright future for snooker in China and beyond. To be back in the arena and to give the fans the chance to see their heroes play was a fantastic experience for all of us.”
Next month’s Wuhan Open will be the first world ranking event in China since 2019, to be followed by the International Championship in November and the World Open in March.
