Eddie Hearn has been made Chairman of the Matchroom Sport group with his father Barry stepping aside after more than four decades at the helm of the family empire.
Barry Hearn OBE – now 72 years old – will become President of the group in an advisory capacity and will still work in event strategy and global development.
Hearn Sr has built Matchroom into an incredible promotional and broadcast business, taking sports like snooker and darts to new heights. The Hearns have even enjoyed success in TV broadcast with sports such as fishing.
For Eddie meanwhile, this is the opportunity to take on an even more significant role within the Matchroom group – which is key in a number of sports and broadcast areas.
Hearns create global behemoth
Eddie has already built Matchroom Boxing into arguably the most successful boxing promoter in the world (just ask ‘Canelo’ Alvarez). He has a long and successful association with Sky Sports in the UK, and an eight-year DAZN deal in the U.S. worth a reported $1billion.
Barry Hearn said of the move: “It has been a huge honour to have worked with some of the greatest sports people on the planet across the last 40 years and enjoyed so many wonderful experiences across our spectrum of events in that time, from snooker’s glory days of the 1980s to record-breaking boxing shows and the incredible growth of professional darts, as we have created opportunities for thousands of sportsmen and women during that time.
“Great challenges have been met, but none more so than the COVID pandemic. I have been determined to stay in charge until this disaster passed and now there is light at the end of the tunnel and I believe it is the right time to pass control of Matchroom to my son Eddie and the brilliant teams we have assembled across all our activities.
“I shall continue to be available to all Matchroom companies as non-executive President, an advisory role concentrating on group strategy and global expansion, but Eddie will be elevated to Group Chairman with overall responsibility for the entire group.”
Greater responsibility for Eddie
Eddie Hearn commented: “Anyone that knows me is well aware of what Matchroom means to me and our family. It has a legacy that spans 40 years from a small office under a snooker hall in Romford to a global powerhouse of sports entertainment. My father has dedicated his life to the company and since I joined in 2004 I have done the same.
“Now a greater responsibility falls on my shoulders and I am very proud to continue his great work and lead the business and the incredible team that we have built at Matchroom. We have seen astounding growth in the last ten years but we have only just begun. I look forward to continuously evolving and continuing the global growth of this astonishing family business.”
Eddie’s new role means he will become Chairman of the Group of Companies and Chairman of Matchroom Sport, Professional Darts Corporation, Matchroom Boxing, Matchroom Boxing USA, Matchroom Media, and the PGA EuroPro Tour.
Steve Dawson will take over from Barry Hearn as Chairman of World Snooker following the 2021 World Championships.
Eddie is pretty busy right now, finalising plans for the massive Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua superfight this summer. The bout is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia on either July 24, July 31 or August 7.