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Barry Hearn Snooker New World

" Darts Golf is the working class "is one of their own. And" my age is not a candidate for that I am invited. "And, perhaps most relevant, given its concern by now, "I have people who fight against me, I feel very easily."

At 62, Hearn is on top of their game. Although as the case without peer as a sports promoter in 10 sports, is probably the only one in your game. Sitting at his desk pool table size in the headquarters of your organization Matchroom Essex, the accounts of dozens of events in hopes of their control, with a stable of supercars purring in the outdoor unit, which is the image of success. The sports entrepreneur serial, chairman of Leyton Orient, president of the Professional Darts Corporation, which has more seats in the curriculum of the dining room table average. And just added one.

In December he became president of the dangerous proximity to the World Professional Billiards and dying title = "Snooker Products"> Snooker Association. During the height of the game when Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor epic struggle drew a television audience of 18 million, rode the wave of success, but always as an outsider, a thorn in the side of body control. Now, as the sport struggles to find sponsors and television audiences, has taken charge. What is a bit like Russell Brand to become director general of the BBC.

"Yes, I am the establishment, "He says." Nice is not it? "Nice, maybe. But something unexpected. Apparently, after a love story 30 years to play in changing century, like many of his former followers, seemed to have cooled his ardor. During the last decade, while managing the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan, stopped the promotion of events than usual, concentrating their energies on other interests. Why the change of heart?

"It brings to mind a beautiful story about [the boxing promoter] Bob Arum, "he says." He was involved in a court case and completely changed his plea during night. The judge said: 'That's not what he said yesterday. It was the same with me a few months ago, when the question of me became president was first raised once told me: 'Snooker, nah, not for me, been there, done that, not just buy the shirt, I printed.

"Suddenly I find myself rolling their sleeves and get down to sorting out the game. Well, the answer Bob Arum for the judge was "Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth '."

As always with Hearn, is a clear line. But the mask of a step backward? After all, he made his name – and fortune that keeps the engines unit – the development of new sports markets. Poker, which did not exist as an exercise in television 10 years ago, now earns him a fortune. Has developed the new boxer in the boxing series, which is becoming a big profit. And darts has grown exponentially with its administration. In fact, says darts now in place care pool before.

"Listen, I've done a few pounds, but I'm a young working class in the heart," he says. "For me, There is no better night to have a lager a few darts, then a curry on the way home. I am a man of simple tastes. "

So why then, is behaving like a middle-aged man looking for his girlfriend for the first time on Friends Reunited and back to the cloth? Especially since many observers think snooker is a sport that has had its day.

"I do not think the dead pool. I described it the other day a little like Sleeping Beauty and I keep fingers crossed that I am the handsome prince. But in my genes. I remember the fun we had with him. I look back and laugh all the time. Age good times. And I do not see why they can not return. "

Except that when once he presided over a stable of household names in These days beyond O'Sullivan and Jimmy White, you'd be lucky to find someone involved in the game to be recognized in their local Tesco.

"People say there are no characters left," he says. "That's not true, are there, but do not know enough about them. Mind, I admit that I am a bit outside the loop. I entered the room of the players in a tournament recently and I said that I am in first person: "Who is the son are you?" And it is only number 11 in the world. "

Hearn admits, napping or not, billiards has its problems.

"You can not deny that. First day this worked from 5.30am to 9.30pm and it took me five paracetamol to relieve the pain in my head, "he says." The feeling among players was that something had to do.

"They had taken a look at what we did for the darts. We took a sport that prizes had £ 500,000 in a season 5 million pounds. There are no smiles on the faces of the players. The crowds are large. It has been a huge success, very reminiscent of billiards in the eighties. The principles of promoting are the same: to value for money and make customers leave with a smile on their faces. It is about changing the dynamics. It is not rocket science. "

So what did not intend to do with the game? Beyond that is giving players in the recent Masters UK walk-in music, a movement an observer had many shaking their heads in amazement.

"Listen, I know I have some criticism for that," he says. "But when Mark King for a little dance to his cabin in the music and said that was fun, that's what I want to hear. The best example here is Twenty20 cricket. The purists are so wrong has been a massive success.

"The problem with billiards tournaments is that all look the same, no change. You have to be brave enough to experience. Maybe I'm not brave enough to change the world championship, I'll leave things as they are. But further down the hierarchy, maybe we will have a structure Shoot Out, on the Cape, Bish bash bosh. Perhaps it will attract a new market. Maybe it will be a disaster. I had a lot of disasters in my time. The secret of my success is to keep silent about them. The point is, what I am promising is that we have a chance. "

Although "we" has some real tint to it. Hearn is not someone who is comfortable in the traditional structures of British sport organizations.

"We do not live in the world of Matchroom committee, "he says." The players wanted to stand for election against Rodney Walker [for] WPBSA presidency. I told you not to stay. My name is David Cameron. Democracy is fine, but I'm not in the business of democracy. I learned the business rule larger pool of all. I walked away thinking it can not be bothered with all the infighting. Since that time I learned anything if I do, I can control. It is a total or no control.

"I know that no one else in the world can do what I can do. That sounds terrible big head. But this is my strength. And before that, I do not like the dictator term. I prefer the term benevolent despot. "

To underscore its determination to do things his way, Hearn has given the players that make up the composition WPBSA of an ultimatum.

"March 31 is my personal deadline," he says. "By then I will not have all the answers, but I'll have a game plan to present to the players. New ideas, new tournaments, a continuation of my control. Have to make a decision. If they say yes I will deliver. If they say no, I'm leaving stage left and wished them God speed.

"I'm not in this for a popularity contest. I have other things to do. But this is the challenge: on 11 February we had 10,000 at the O ₂ to see the eight best darts players in the world have a shootout. Can you get 10,000 pool to ₂ O? That is the question. "

Well, is not it?

"I suggest you watch this space."

About the Author

Martin Wyatt | www.blackpoolsnooker.co.uk | Blackpool Snooker Company

Winston the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in his officechair