In our exclusive interview, the World Snooker chairman reveals the face of the sport is about to change…
Barry Hearn answers his phone before the dial tone has even reached its second ring.
I ask if he has a spare five minutes to answer a few questions.
“Absolutely, boy. Fire away.”
A quarter of an hour – and a lengthy transcription – later, it is clear this piece requires little input from me.
Better to enjoy the wit and wisdom of the World Snooker chairman – also known as the ‘loudmouth barrow boy’ – in his own words.
Over to you, Barry…
‘The model is not really rocket science’
Over the last two years we’ve created a huge number of new events and trebled the prize money, so the players now have a reason for getting better and better and they haven’t disappointed me.
The model is not really rocket science.
It’s common sense: create events which give opportunity. Then leave it to the players to take that opportunity and perform at a level that will entertain millions of people.
Good quality sport always sells.
‘Snooker’s in the best place it’s ever been’
China is going to be a massive market for us, probably the biggest market in the world.
There should be some deals announced in the next six months on that which will change the face of snooker.
Europe has become a major hunting ground for us, too.
On Eurosport now we’re second behind soccer, which is really good, and the UK is the established, historic market.
So, with the three balancing parts, snooker’s in the best place in my 40 years it’s ever been.
‘The classics in our Belmont Stakes’
The established majors like the World Championship, the UK Championship and the Masters are the classics in our Belmont Stakes.
Underneath that, events like the Home Nations have given 128 tour players the opportunity, one, to earn a regular living – which is important – and, two, to change their lives.
I think Sunday night for Mark King, winning his first ranking event for 25 years, was a life-changing moment.
‘It puts pressure on the Ronnie O’Sullivans’
You don’t want to lose your big stars too quickly, commercially.
By making [the world rankings] two years, the cream comes to the top.
The classic events – the UK Championship, the Worlds and the Masters – is based on a two-year list, but there are lots of opportunities on the one-year events for people to suddenly accelerate their career by one big result.
It also puts the pressure on the Ronnie O’Sullivans of this world to say: ‘Christ, I’m a massive name, but I’ve got to play, because otherwise I’ll lose my ranking.’
‘Our TV contracts in China run out next year’
There’s probably nine massive media companies in China that identify snooker… some people say it’s number one, some say it’s behind basketball, or some say it’s behind basketball and football.
Whatever it is, it’s huge.
Our TV contracts in China run out at the end of next year’s World Championship, so we’re in a free market there, in terms of listening to offers from the media companies that want to buy either our linear broadcast rights or our digital media rights. Or both.
There is a partnership that we’re looking to create with one of the big nine, to say we need a 10-year deal to exploit snooker to its fullest extent, which would include not just TV rights, but licensing deals, Q-Schools and spreading the game through the community.
It’s a very wide-ranging deal and it’s been about a year in discussion.
I’m hopeful that we should get some answers shortly.
‘The Rack Pack was like being in a time machine’
We weren’t allowed to meet the actors before they finished filming, so we couldn’t influence anything.
But the research was so good, the film so accurate.
It was weird looking at yourself with someone else using the lines that you used 30 years ago – it was like being in a time machine.
I really, really enjoyed it. I thought the actors, all of them, were absolutely brilliant.
The guy who portrayed Steve, Will Merrick, was just sensational.
‘A really nerdy anorak’
I went to the premiere, but Steve couldn’t go.
I phoned him up and he said: ‘What was it like?’
I said: ‘Steve, I come across as a loudmouth barrow boy and you come across as a really nerdy anorak.
‘But let’s be totally honest with each other, that’s exactly what we were like.’
He watched it afterwards and he was laughing for half an hour and in tears at the end because it’s obviously a sad story because of Alex’s [Higgins] demise.
‘It was an emotional goodbye’
I found the perfect sportsman. Steve’s my best mate and has been for 40 years.
It was quite an emotional goodbye in a way, although there’s no question it was time – I thought he’d retired five years ago looking at his tournament results.
In his ambassadorial role for World Snooker and coaching and things like that, he’s an inspiration to kids all over the world – a class act.
‘The worst night of my life’
I went to one of Steve’s concerts once years ago, just to show support.
It was the worst night of my life.
His music is just not my type of music. There was no country and western.
But I don’t think I’ve ever seen Steve as happy as he is now. He’s got that lovely balance.
He’ll be doing the BBC commentary, he’s got his ambassadorial role and he’s got his music, which he absolutely loves.
It’s not about money with Steve. He’s just a very, very contented person.
‘I can’t ever imagine slowing down’
There’s no way I’m ever going to retire.
That’s the great thing about it. I’ll be doing it till I’m on death’s door.
The best way [to go] will probably be rolling my fifth consecutive seven in a Las Vegas casino and then just explode.
I really enjoy my life and I work with the best bunch of people, so I can’t ever imagine slowing down.
I’m 69 next birthday, but my work ethic is as strong as it ever has been.
Watch Mark Selby and Neil Robertson take on our Crazy Snooker challenge
