
World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn has announced the UK Championship and Masters will remain at the venues they moved to this season.
The UK Championship returned to York's Barbican Centre in December after four years in Telford, while the Masters in January switched from Wembley Arena to Alexandra Palace.
Hearn said: "We've signed a new two-year deal with the Barbican in York for the UK Championship and we've signed a new three-year deal with Alexandra Palace for the Masters.
"We will announce a new sponsor for the UK Championship next week."
Hearn also announced next season's snooker calendar will feature action in 50 weeks, with Christmas week and a summer week currently blank.
His big hope is that there could be room for one more major tournament in the United Kingdom, featuring a random draw rather than seedings.
"I would love to do one more ranking event in the UK, as a proper event with 128 players and everyone in from the first round," Hearn said.
"That's the last event I've really got the buzz for. I like the idea of 128 players coming out of the hat like the FA Cup draw. I don't think we should protect these people. I think they've got to earn their money."
Meanwhile, The Wuxi Classic will become a world ranking event for the first time next season, thanks to a new five-year agreement.
The tournament will run from June 25 to July 1 and will be the first ranking event of the 2012/13 season.
It has been a regular fixture on the calendar since 2008, initially as an invitation tournament, and has now been given full ranking status. It will be one of five ranking events in China next season.
Total prize money for the event this year will be £400,000, rising to £425,000 next year then £450,000 for the following three years.
"We have built an excellent relationship with the CBSA and that has been fundamental to our success," added Hearn.
"China is a rapidly expanding market and we are going where the demand is because this game belongs to the world. There were five Chinese players in the World Championship this year and there are many more waiting in the wings."








