Barry Hearn: Net Worth, Career, Family, What He’s Doing Now

If you’ve ever sat down to watch the World Darts Championship over the Christmas break, you’ve already experienced Barry Hearn’s handiwork – even if you didn’t know his name. The 76-year-old sports promoter built Matchroom Sport from a small talent agency into a billion-pound media powerhouse, a journey that began when he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1970.

Estimated net worth: £150 million (multiple sources) ·
Age: 76 (born 19 June 1948) ·
Founded: Matchroom Sport (1980s) ·
Sports promoted: snooker, darts, boxing, pool, fishing ·
Award: OBE (2015)

Eight key facts show the breadth of Hearn’s career — from accountancy to global sports media.

The implication: Hearn’s business footprint is far larger than a single net-worth number captures.

How did Barry Hearn make his money?

Early career as an accountant

• Qualified as a chartered accountant in 1970 before moving into sports promotion (Matchroom Sport).
• Began managing snooker player Steve Davis in the late 1970s, leveraging his financial background to structure prize money and TV deals.

Founding Matchroom Sport

• Founded Matchroom Sport in 1982 (Matchroom Sport).
• The company initially managed top snooker players including Steve Davis, Jimmy White and Dennis Taylor (Matchroom Pool).

Snooker revolution in the 1980s

• Negotiated landmark broadcast contracts with the BBC and ITV, turning snooker into prime‑time weekend viewing.
• Increased prize money dramatically, making snooker one of the richest sports in Britain at the time (Wikipedia).

Darts commercialisation

• Created the World Darts Council (later the Professional Darts Corporation, PDC) in the 1990s, splitting from the British Darts Organisation.
• Launched the PDC World Darts Championship and Premier League Darts, securing TV deals with Sky Sports (Matchroom Sport).

Boxing and other sports

• Entered boxing promotion in the 2000s, with son Eddie Hearn later taking over Matchroom Boxing (Forbes).
• Expanded into pool, fishing and other sports to diversify revenue.

Media rights revenue model

• Matchroom became one of the leading independent suppliers of sports programming (Matchroom Sport).
• In fiscal 2023, Matchroom reported $365 million in revenue and $60 million net profit (Forbes).

How rich is Barry Hearn?

Estimated net worth

• Most credible estimates place his net worth around £150 million, though exact figures are not publicly audited (Forbes).
• Some social media claims suggest $600 million or more, but these lack verification (Instagram (low reliability)).

Income sources

• Majority stake in Matchroom Sport and its subsidiaries.
• Lucrative broadcasting contracts with Sky Sports, DAZN and other platforms.
• Boxing promotion revenue through Matchroom Boxing, which stages some of the biggest UK fight nights.

Matchroom Sport valuation

• In 2021, Hearn sold a reported 15% stake to private equity firm at a valuation exceeding £1 billion (Express).
• Forbes valued the company’s revenue at $365 million for fiscal 2023, underlining its scale as a media business (Forbes).

What is Barry Hearn famous for?

Snooker promoter

• Transformed snooker in the 1980s, turning it from a working‑mens club pastime into a televised spectator sport (Wikipedia).
• Managed world champions Steve Davis and later helped Ronnie O’Sullivan’s early career.

Darts innovator

• Architected the PDC’s separation from the BDO and created the modern darts touring circuit.
• Introduced the Premier League Darts in 2005, now a winter TV staple on Sky Sports.

Founder of Matchroom Sport

• Built Matchroom from a single‑office agency into a global sports media company covering six sports (Matchroom Sport).
• Recognised by the International Boxing Hall of Fame as a non‑participant inductee.

Television personality

• Regularly appears as commentator and pundit on Sky Sports’ darts and boxing coverage.
• Featured in documentaries and high‑profile podcasts, including Inside Matchroom HQ (YouTube).

The pattern: Hearn’s fame rests on turning niche pastimes into TV properties — a formula he repeats across snooker, darts and boxing.

Is Barry Hearn still with his wife?

Marriage to Juliette Hearn

• Married to Juliette Hearn for several decades; she is rarely in the public eye.
• No public records of separation or divorce have been reported by credible sources (Champions Speakers (biography)).

Family life

• Two children: Eddie Hearn (boxing promoter) and Leia Hearn (works in media).
• The family resides in Brentwood, Essex, where Matchroom is headquartered.

What is Barry Hearn doing now?

Role at Matchroom Sport

• President of Matchroom Sport; day‑to‑day operations are led by his son Eddie (Matchroom Sport).
• Continues to advise on strategic decisions, especially regarding media rights and new sports acquisitions.

Recent projects

• Reportedly working on expanding Matchroom’s presence in the US market through boxing and darts.
• Released an autobiography in 2026 (Matchroom Pool).

Public appearances and interviews

• Guest on the High Performance Podcast (2025), discussing risk‑taking and innovation.
• Frequent commentator on Sky Sports during major darts and boxing events.

Timeline

• 1948 – Born in Dagenham, Essex (International Boxing Hall of Fame)
• 1970s – Qualifies as chartered accountant; begins managing Steve Davis
• 1982 – Founds Matchroom Sport (Matchroom Sport)
• 1990s – Expands into darts, creates the World Darts Council (later PDC)
• 2000s – Launches Premier League Darts; enters boxing promotion
• 2015 – Awarded OBE for services to sport (Matchroom Sport)
• 2021 – Sells minority stake in Matchroom; Eddie takes over boxing operations (Forbes)

“[Barry Hearn is] the man who turned snooker into one of the biggest sports in Britain during the 1980s.”

— BBC Sport (profile description)

“Matchroom Sport is a billion‑pound business.”

— Express (quoting Barry Hearn, 2024)

For anyone following British sports business, the lesson is clear: own the media rights and the stars — or stay out of the ring. Hearn’s playbook of vertical integration, from talent management to broadcast production, has turned niche pastimes into global TV commodities. For emerging promoters, the choice is straightforward: copy the model, or find a smaller arena.

Frequently asked questions