Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn ponders move into rugby union with plans to ‘blow it up’

Northampton announced on Tuesday that rising star Pollock had signed a new multi-year deal, widely reported to be in excess of €466,000 (£400,000) per year.

Matchroom, founded by Hearn’s father Barry in the early 1980s, has been instrumental in the rise of darts, as well as boxing and snooker, and rugby is now in its sights.

Hearn told the Daily Mail: “I sit in those rooms with all these big broadcasters that spend billions of dollars a year on sports, and rugby is not spoken about in a very high regard, commercially.

“I know what needs to be done and I don’t even think it’s that tough a job.

“I’ve got meetings with Prem Rugby in two weeks’ time and, after that meeting, I will probably decide whether I’m going to move into rugby or not.

“If we come in, we come in as a partnership with them to blow it up and change the sport forever.” 

Hearn believes the Gallagher Prem salary cap should be scrapped to allow the sport to grow in England, and cited the rise in profile of Pollock as a blueprint for other players.

He said “four or five” new commercial deals for Pollock will be announced over the next few weeks, claiming the 21-year-old rejected significantly more lucrative offers to stay with Saints.

“Now it’s time to take the shackles off, take the stabilisers off, and let the players earn their money,” Hearn added.