The prophets of doom are out daily on social media predicting disaster for the boxing streaming platform that is DAZN. But they should remember that its owner has the DEEPEST of pockets.
The man behind the global disruptor is Sir Len Blavatnik, who has the wealth to keep DAZN very much in business as that dream of profitability continues to be sought.
While the business lost billions in its early years the 66-year-old Ukrainian Blavatnik kept the faith and invested more in its global reach and rights portfolio.
Boxing of course was right at the start of its journey – particularly in the United States and the UK. That much-hyped $1billion US alliance with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom in 2018 really hit the headlines, followed by global partnerships with Hearn and now heavyweight superstar Anthony Joshua.
Despite the ongoing challenges for DAZN, it appears to have been a highly successful year for Blavatnik and his Access Industries – which is the dominant shareholder in the streaming platform.
Blavatnik gets richer per Rich List
According to the newly-released Sunday Times Rich List, Blavatnik’s wealth grew some £621million in the last year to £29.246billion – quite astonishing stuff.
It isn’t just sport of course where Blavatnik has found fame (you might have noticed him sat front row ringside for Fury vs Usyk alongside the likes of Joshua and football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo). He is also now an Oscar winner.
That is because Blavatnik’s Access was the backer behind the film The Zone of Interest – which claimed Academy Awards in 2024 for Best Sound and Best International Feature Film. Blavatnik has major music interests too as Access is the biggest shareholder in Warner Music.
That £29billion fortune does not mean Blavatnik – who lives in London – is the UK’s richest person. But it does mean he is #2 on the list (up from #3 last year), behind only the £37.196billion amassed by Gopi Hinduja and his family – which owns a glut of companies in various sectors globally.
The man who lost the #2 spot on the list this year by the way is none other than INEOS magnate and now Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Per the Rich List, his wealth diminished by £6.169billion this year, down to £23.519billion.
