"I don't need the money and I don't live that type of life": PDC president Barry Hearn hasn't taken a salary for 17 years
PDC
Barry Hearn is now technically retired as he left his role as PDC Chairman but he still is PDC President and maintains a role in the rise of darts with his son Eddie Hearn now running proceedings for Matchroom.
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Hearn spoke on his podcast The Barry Hearn Show that he decided to stop taking a salary 17 years ago and that he has everything he wants in life. He also opened up on the relationship he shares with his son Eddie who is known worldwide for his role in boxing heading up Matchroom but also now runs the PDC.
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“I retired seventeen years ago. I stopped taking the salary seventeen years ago because I don't need the money and I don't live that type of life,” Hearn admitted.
“But at the same time, I can't retire from something that's been my life. And outside of my family, nothing's more important to me than kids getting their chance, especially, and I'm biased, kids perhaps with the background I had. house. My dad was a bus driver. My mum was a charlady.
“We didn't have any money, but we were still happy. But then, when you get into the business element, you get this competitive streak where you want to be number one and be the best. And I can't walk away from that.”
“We have a fabulous father-son relationship,” Hearn added. “We take the mick out of everyone. It's not everyone's cup of tea. I remember Chris Eubank saying to me: 'Bazza, I don't like the way Edward speaks to you. And I go, ‘look. We're friends. And he speaks to me like a friend would speak to me. And it's not disrespectful’.
“It's just the type of relationship we have and I wouldn't change it for the world. I love him to death, but I also disagree with him quite a lot, and we don't hold back. We're a very competitive family.
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“I will drive Eddie mad because I'll pester him and say: ‘Why are we doing this? Why don't we do that?’ And a lot of the times, he'll turn around and say: 'Dad, different age now. You're yesterday. I'm tomorrow. Listen to me.'
“I do listen to him and I still sometimes disagree with him – and I'm invariably wrong. But I know the business, I've led the life, and I can still make a contribution. And I hope I'm big enough that when I get to a stage where I can't make a contribution, I hope I recognise it myself. By the way, I don't see that bit coming in the near future.”
Barry Hearn says there will be over 2,000 players at Q-School this year. For context, the past three years there's been:
— FEBsData (@FEBsData) November 20, 2024
2022: 659
2023: 855
2024: 861
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- Good, absolutely no loss if we never see this dancing goof ever again......no that is not fair. He absolutely cannot and has never been remotely able to dance!richieburnettrocks10-11-2026
- Yes Phil,now the money in the game is bigger than ever,you'd play littler. Well so would I! Retire on your memory Phil,and your successful careerrick6709-11-2026
- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026