Barry Hearn has stated that he is unconcerned about Ronnie O'Sullivan's future participation in snooker, describing the seven-time world champion's presence as 'nice' but not essential. The Matchroom president expressed hope that O'Sullivan, now 50, would continue competing into his 60s, but emphasised that the sport is strong enough to thrive without any single player.
O'Sullivan's Reduced Schedule
O'Sullivan, widely regarded as snooker's biggest star, has significantly reduced his tournament appearances over the past two seasons. This campaign, he competed in only eight ranking events and two non-ranking tournaments. His last ranking title came in January 2024 at the World Grand Prix. At the recent World Championship, O'Sullivan exited in the second round, losing 13-12 to John Higgins in a classic encounter. After the match, O'Sullivan reiterated that he would not commit fully to snooker and would decide on events based on appearance fees.
Hearn's Perspective
Speaking about O'Sullivan's presence at the Crucible, Hearn said: 'It's just nice. It's not important, it's just nice because if it's important, it means you can't deal without him and that's not the case. We have so much talent in this game.' He compared O'Sullivan's impact to Tiger Woods in golf, noting that while such figures bring commercial advantages, their time eventually passes. 'Ronnie is a legend. How important was Tiger Woods in golf? Very few players ever brought about the commercial advantages that Tiger did, but their time comes and I'm just hoping that Ronnie's this enigma that will be playing when he's 60. Occasionally, when he feels like it and good luck to him.'
Hearn stressed that O'Sullivan should play only when he wants, as long as it keeps him happy. 'Let him play when he wants, and the day he wants to play, the doors will always be open. I want him to do that because I want him to be happy. If he's not happy, he's not the same person, he's not the same player.' However, he reiterated that snooker must be robust enough to survive the departure of big names. 'The game has to be strong enough to survive big names, as any sport has over the years, and we will adjust, and we will create other big names. Will they get to the stature of Ronnie O'Sullivan? I personally doubt it, but who knows?'
The Class of 92
Hearn also praised the longevity of the 'Class of 92' — O'Sullivan, John Higgins, and Mark Williams — all of whom remain in the world's top 16 despite being in their 50s. 'Mark Williams is still there, John Higgins is still there. Ronnie, the great Ronnie. These people are legends. What other sport's got 50-year-olds playing at the standard they're playing, taking on the teenagers and coming through strong?' Higgins, in particular, is enjoying a remarkable run at this year's World Championship, facing Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals as he seeks a fifth world title just shy of his 51st birthday. On the other side of the draw, Mark Allen and Wu Yize are aiming for their first Crucible finals.
