Hearn Unveiled As Wpbsa Chief

Promoter Barry Hearn has been confirmed as the new chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.

Hearn and six-time world champion Steve Davis were co-opted onto the WPBSA board after former chairman Sir Rodney Walker was voted out on 2nd December.

A board meeting this week officially ratified Hearn as the new man at the head of the sport.

Hearn, who also chairs the Professional Darts Corporation, has promised a ‘fresh approach’ to the sport.

A number of snooker players have become increasingly disgruntled over a lack of playing opportunities with just six ranking events currently available on the circuit.

Walker announced plans recently that the tour would be boosted to 15 tournaments to revive interest in the sport.

But after putting himself up for re-election a year earlier than was mandatory – effectively calling for a vote of confidence in his leadership – he lost out in the WPBSA’s annual general meeting.

Board members Jim McMahon and Mike Dunn were also voted off the board with Lee Doyle and Dr Hamish McInnes remaining.

Hearn, who already runs snooker’s Premier and Champions Leagues and has helped to revive darts, said it was ‘the beginning of a new era in snooker’.

Having transformed the fortunes of darts in recent years, Hearn expressed his desire for doing the same with snooker.

He stated: ‘There’ll be more formats. I’ll try to be innovative and creative. The patient is not dead – it just needs waking up.’