Ronnie O’Sullivan’s three-year ambassadorial agreement with Saudi Arabia is widely considered the most lucrative player sponsorship deal in the history of snooker. The new Netflix documentary series, Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen, provides an unprecedented look at how the deal came together, revealing the crucial role played by businessman Eddie Hearn in securing the multi-million-pound contract for the seven-time world champion.
The deal, signed in London on April 16, 2024, saw O’Sullivan posing for photos alongside Saudi politician Turki Al-Sheikh and both Eddie and Barry Hearn, officially ending any lingering speculation about the Rocket’s retirement.
The signing of the agreement resolved a long-standing and well-known conflict that had festered between O’Sullivan, Barry Hearn Snr, and the World Snooker Tour (WST).
Prior to the inaugural World Masters of Snooker in Riyadh in March 2024—a tournament that famously introduced a 20-point Gold Ball to allow for a 167 break—O’Sullivan had been a frequent and vocal critic of the WST circuit. He had repeatedly complained to the media that the standard of top UK events and the choice of venues reminded him of “car boot sales.”
The tension peaked in October 2023 when O’Sullivan was subject to disciplinary action. He had alleged that baize bosses had “almost” committed blackmail during a clash with top stars over planned appearances in lucrative China exhibition events.
The documentary explores the complex history between the O’Sullivan and the Hearn family. Barry Hearn had initially acted as a “father figure” to O’Sullivan when the player’s own father was incarcerated for murder in 1992, managing him during his early career.
However, their relationship cooled when Barry Hearn shifted his focus from player management to running the sport as a promoter, creating an inherent conflict of interest with his former charge.
O’Sullivan, now 49, recounted the breaking point: “Barry’s done a lot of good things for me. Fought my corner to get me to turn pro. Managed me when I was young. Then, obviously Barry’s gone from player-management to promoter. And if I was a naughty boy, they were just trying to keep me in my place. So I phoned Barry up. I said: ‘We’re done.’”
Barry Hearn, 77, offered his perspective on the challenge of dealing with genius: “Geniuses aren’t normal people. And he can be the biggest pain in the neck you’ve ever seen.” He acknowledged his past role: “I was in some ways a little bit of a father figure to him when his dad wasn’t there. So, my relationship with Ronnie O’Sullivan is a chapter of a whole book.”
With the Saudi event looming, Barry Hearn tasked his son, Eddie Hearn, who became company chairman in 2021, with smoothing over the relationship.
Barry told Eddie: “Look, Ronnie’s always been so important to us. But if you can get him involved with Saudi operations, it’d be brilliant. Because when he’s happy, he’s the best in the world. Not just on the table, but off the table. But when he’s miserable, he’s a pain in the arse. So if anyone can sort that out, you’re the man.”
Eddie Hearn, 46, approached the negotiation with a fresh perspective, keen on capitalizing on O’Sullivan’s value without getting caught in old politics. “The relationship between Ronnie and my old man’s not great. I’m hoping that I can maybe build some bridges,” he said. “I work in boxing, so I know how to handle ego. But I ain’t getting involved in all these politics. I’m here to make money. And we really need Ronnie.”
Eddie successfully bonded with O’Sullivan over shared memories of nights out at infamous Essex nightclubs, including Faces and Sugar Hut. He focused on the future, telling the snooker star: “These (Saudi) guys could be huge in snooker. This tournament, the 167, is a big deal for us. And it could be a big deal for you. I’m here to make you happy.”
Once influential Turki Al-Sheikh gave the final approval, the mega-money deal was secured. The agreement guarantees that O’Sullivan will play in all World Snooker Tour (WST) events in Saudi Arabia and will also make special trips to the Kingdom to coach and mentor aspiring talent.
Since signing the contract, O’Sullivan—who won the £250,000 title in the Middle East and now wears a ‘Riyadh Season’ patch—has relocated his life from Essex to Dubai. Conveniently, the disciplinary action that was hanging over him has disappeared, and his public criticisms of the WST have noticeably subsided.
Eddie Hearn summed up the logic: “I said to him, you’re an asset to snooker, you’re an asset to the tour. You need to be rewarded. I’m going to get you a big deal here.”
O’Sullivan himself contrasted the two generations of management: “I just think Eddie just sees it as the bigger picture. I think Barry is very stuck in what was okay back in the 1980s and 90s. Eddie’s the more up-to-date version if you like.”