Barry Hearn is most famous for turning snooker, darts and boxing into television spectacles that attract millions of viewers. Even at the age of 78, the Matchroom founder remains one of the most recognizable promoters in global sport. While his work in combat sports is widely documented, his involvement in football is less well known, yet it is equally compelling. In March 1995, Hearn stepped in to rescue Leyton Orient, the club he first watched as an eleven‑year‑old, from the brink of insolvency.
He acquired the team for the symbolic sum of £2.43 and set about rebuilding it from the ground up. By 2007 the three stands at Brisbane Road had been completely refurbished, and by 2012 Hearn had eliminated all outstanding debt and poured roughly £8 million of his own money into the club. The 2013‑14 season saw Orient reach the League One play‑off final, where they narrowly missed promotion to the second tier after a 4‑3 penalty shoot‑out defeat to Rotherham at Wembley. Within two months of that heart‑breaking loss, Hearn sold the club to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti, ending his first foray into football ownership.
For the next nine years Hearn turned his attention back to his core businesses, but his passion for the game never faded. In July 2023, Matchroom entered a sponsorship agreement with Brentwood Town – a modest Isthmian League North Division side located just three miles from the Matchroom headquarters. The partnership began with the club’s home shirts bearing the Matchroom logo.
The following year Hearn deepened his involvement by acquiring a minority shareholding, and in the summer of 2023 a five‑year partnership and a "significant investment" were formally announced. "The reason Barry came over initially was we were doing something for Saint Francis Hospice, which he is a patron of, and he sat next to me for a game," recalls Brentwood chairman Jez Dickinson.
"It was an entertaining match and Barry joked afterwards, ‘I’m never going to sit next to you again, Jez! Every time the ball went into the box you were jumping up for a header and elbowing me in the side!’ Barry is a man of passion and wears his heart on his sleeve – that’s probably where we clicked." After a few lunches, Dickinson says Hearn asked what he wanted. "I told him I wanted him to get involved, but I wanted him to do it because he wanted to, not because I asked," Dickinson explains. "He agreed on the spot." Although Hearn’s name naturally draws attention, Dickinson has been the driving force behind Brentwood Town since he took over as chairman in May 2019.
When he arrived, the club suffered from a lack of a clear pathway for youth players to reach the first team, the bar resembled a 1970s pub, and the ambition was simply to avoid relegation. Under Dickinson’s stewardship the club installed a brand‑new 3G pitch in the summer of 2024, captured the Isthmian North Division title in the 2024‑25 season, and reached the play‑off final the following year, where a place in the National League South was at stake.
Today Brentwood Town boasts a Centre of Excellence that serves 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve. "If you don’t have a solid youth structure, the whole project feels hollow," Dickinson notes. He has spent seven years laying the groundwork, and Hearn’s involvement now offers the opportunity to elevate the club to a new level. The partnership works in a very informal yet effective way.
"I speak to Barry probably once a week, maybe twice, depending on what’s happening," Dickinson says. "He’s hands‑on as much as his schedule allows.
Every couple of months we sit down, review the financials and discuss progress – he loves his numbers!" Although Hearn holds a minority share, he makes it clear he does not want to run the day‑to‑day operations. "He looks at me and says, ‘Jez, you’re stressed enough, I don’t want any of that,’" Dickinson recounts. "What Barry does is raise the bar for me subconsciously.
When we meet at Matchroom, it’s inspiring – you walk away thinking, ‘let’s go for it.’ That mental boost is probably ten times more valuable than the actual cash he puts in." Dickinson adds that Hearn is also a superb ambassador for the club. "When I talked to a potential sponsor recently, they said they were interested because Barry is committing to five years and he never does things by halves. That builds confidence for us and for anyone looking to partner with Brentwood." Brentwood Town currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight games, drawing an average crowd of just under 700 spectators.
The club’s ambition is to push that figure to 1,000 by the end of the season. Plans are already underway for a 1,000‑seat stand, but the development hinges on finalising the purchase of the Brentwood Centre Arena, which will provide the necessary infrastructure for further expansion.
Looking ahead, Dickinson believes the five‑year partnership with Hearn and Matchroom could transform the club’s fortunes. "Barry decided on a five‑year partnership to drive the club to the highest level of the pyramid possible.
Hopefully after those five years, there’ll be another five! Realistically, if we’re playing National League football in five years, that will be a massive success for us.
It shows the faith Barry and Matchroom have in us – it’s now up to us to deliver," he says. In summary, Barry Hearn’s entry into Brentwood Town may appear at first glance to be a high‑profile celebrity endorsement, but it is far more than that.
It is a strategic alliance that combines Hearn’s business acumen, his love for sport, and his willingness to invest both money and reputation in a community club. For Brentwood, the partnership represents a rare chance to climb the English football pyramid, improve facilities, nurture local talent, and inspire a new generation of supporters. As the club works toward its goal of reaching the National League and beyond, the collaboration with Hearn and Matchroom will likely remain a cornerstone of its long‑term vision. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m!
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