Video: Barry Hearn Looks Forward to Bright Future for Snooker and Tackles Match Fixing

Matchroom Sport founder and chairman Barry Hearn has told iSportconnect TV of his pride to have put Snooker back on the map since he took a controlling interest four years ago.

Having drastically changed many aspects of the game, such as format, ranking system, entry system or prize money, Hearn made snooker competitive and more popular than ever, reaching strong audience in Eastern Europe and Asia, with the ability to attract more and more sponsors and TV deals.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) Chairman said: “Four years ago, Snooker was going nowhere. But today, thanks to a dominant management and an aggressive marketing, we managed to fast track it into the future. We had to make the game competitive, because sponsors don’t want average, they want excellence.”

Hearn also spoke of the match fixing issue in Snooker, and sports in general, stating that the problem will certainly never go away, as long as people will be tempted by quick money. Quoting the on-going Stephen Lee case, Hearn has firmly condemned those actions and assured that everything was made in order to avoid that sort of misconduct in the future.

“At some point we thought we were untouchable. But that was a mistake, match fixing is affecting every sports, even football now. But we are fighting it, in a very thorough fashion, and Steve Lee’s 12 year-ban is a good example. That’s what other players have to see, what you risk if you get into match fixing.”

Watch the interview with Barry Hearn on iSportconnect TV below

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