Barry Hearn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barry Hearn
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Hearn at the Snooker German Masters, 2015
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| Born | 19 June 1948 Dagenham, England
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| Occupation | Sports promoter |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Organization | Matchroom Sport |
| Known for | Sports promotion (boxing, darts, football, snooker, table tennis) |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Hearn |
| Children | 2, including Eddie |
Barry Hearn, born on June 19, 1948, is a famous English sports promoter. He started a company called Matchroom Sport and is its president. His company, Matchroom, helps organize and promote many different sports like boxing, snooker, darts, and even fishing! He used to be in charge of big sports organizations, including the Professional Darts Corporation until 2021, and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association until 2010. He was also the chairman of the football club Leyton Orient until 2014.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Barry Hearn grew up in Dagenham, England. He went to Buckhurst Hill County High School. As a teenager, he worked hard, running small businesses like washing cars and picking fruit.
After studying to become an accountant, Hearn became a finance director for a design company around 1973. This experience helped him learn about business and finance.
A Career in Sports Promotion
Snooker Success
In the early 1970s, Barry Hearn bought a snooker hall in Romford. Around the same time, the BBC started showing snooker on TV in color. This made snooker very popular, and many people wanted to play. Hearn and his business partner bought more snooker halls, which helped him start his career in sports promotion.
Hearn began promoting sports events in 1974. In 1976, he became the manager of Steve Davis, who became a six-time World Snooker Champion.
Hearn became very successful during the snooker boom of the 1980s. He formed Matchroom with famous players like Steve Davis and Tony Meo. Other well-known snooker players who joined Matchroom included Jimmy White and Ronnie O'Sullivan. Hearn even appeared in the music video for "Snooker Loopy" by the duo Chas & Dave!
In 2009, Hearn was chosen as the new chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). In 2010, he took over a big part of the organization's business side to help make the game even better.
Boxing Promotions
Hearn started promoting boxing events in 1987. His first big boxing match was between Frank Bruno and Joe Bugner. He sold the TV rights for this event, showing his skill in business.
Since then, Hearn has promoted many top British and Irish boxers. These include famous names like Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Lennox Lewis, and Naseem Hamed.
In 2008, Hearn launched the Prizefighter series, which was a knockout tournament for boxers. Today, his son, Eddie Hearn, manages the boxing part of the Matchroom business. Barry Hearn also appeared in the film One Night in Millstreet.
Darts Development
Barry Hearn was the chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) until April 2021. The sport of darts had been split into two main organizations since 1992. Hearn tried several times to bring the two groups together to unify the game, but it did not happen.
Football Club Leadership
Hearn was the chairman of the football club Leyton Orient from 1995 to 2014. When he took over, the club was in financial trouble. Hearn's help and money saved the club and secured its future.
During his time as chairman, Leyton Orient spent a long time in the fourth division of English football. However, in the 2005–06 season, the team was promoted to the third division, which was their first automatic promotion since 1970.
In 2017, Hearn stepped down as honorary president of Leyton Orient. He disagreed with the new owner, Francesco Becchetti, who he said was not paying the players and staff.
Fishing Events
Barry Hearn is also a big fan of fishing. He came up with the idea for Fish-o-Mania, a fishing competition. He sold the idea to Sky Sports, and it became a successful TV show that has been running for many years.
Personal Life
Barry Hearn is married to Susan, and they have two children, Katie and Eddie. He has faced challenges in his career and health, but he has become a very successful multi-millionaire.
In 2021, Hearn was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to sport. In the same year, he was added to the Professional Darts Corporation Hall of Fame.
