Heating underneath snooker tables

[TSN79]

I'm into watching snooker. The tables have slabs of slate under the cloth. They also have heating elements underneath in order to heat the surface to 21°C which apparently is perfect. What I don't get is that the arena is probably around 21°C in the first place as people are sitting there watching the whole thing. So wouldn't the table just reach 21°C because of that...?

 

[fresh_42]

As far as I know, they are heated up to ca. 35°C surface temperature. At least this was the number the Eurosport reporter told. The heating element itself has more. Wiki speaks of 5°C above room temperature, but I think the professional tables are warmer (or the TV arenas are hotter anyway, such that isn't necessarily a contradiction).

 

[TSN79]

The tables have digital displays you can sometimes get a glimpse of, and they show 50. I guess that would indicate °C, but I have no idea if that is the temp of the heating elements or something else...

 

[fresh_42]

Yes, that's the heating element. But as this is beneath the slate, it results in much less on the surface. And 50 - 35 is more plausible than 50-21 would be.