Matchroom Launches Talent Agency with Tom Aspinall & Sport Industry Deals Roundup
Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport is expanding its reach beyond boxing and darts, launching Matchroom Talent Agency and signing UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall as its first client. The move, announced on Thursday, , signals a significant foray into the mixed martial arts world for Hearn, and a strategic partnership for Aspinall as he navigates the complexities of being a global athlete.
The agency, created by Hearn, will manage and service talent across sport and entertainment, offering services ranging from commercial partnerships and publishing to digital strategy, broadcast rights, and legal counsel. Importantly, the agreement with Aspinall is focused on commercial and advisory support, and does not involve a change in his promotional contract with the UFC. Aspinall will continue to work with his existing media and management team, with Matchroom Talent Agency providing supplementary expertise.
This expansion comes at a pivotal moment for Matchroom, following the departure of boxer Conor Benn from the promotional stable to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing just two weeks prior. While Hearn downplayed any direct connection between the two events, the launch of the talent agency and the high-profile signing of Aspinall can be viewed as a proactive response, demonstrating Matchroom’s continued ambition and ability to attract top-tier athletes. Hearn stated, “Grounded in honesty and fierce commitment, Matchroom Talent Agency is about transforming careers through relentless ambition and telling it straight.”
Aspinall, , became the first British fighter to be crowned UFC heavyweight champion in . The 32-year-old boasts a record of 15-3-1 with 12 knockouts and currently holds the interim title after a first-round knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich in November. He is currently awaiting a unification bout against the winner of the upcoming Jon Jones versus Stipe Miocic fight. The partnership with Matchroom Talent Agency aims to maximize Aspinall’s commercial opportunities and build his brand beyond the octagon.
Hearn emphasized the agency’s core philosophy, stating, “At the heart of everything we’ve done as a business over the last 40 years is identifying ordinary people, who have extraordinary talent. It has become a guiding principle to seek out people who are humble but heroic in equal measure. Their journey is our journey. Their triumph, our purpose.” He sees Aspinall as the embodiment of these qualities, making him the ideal inaugural member of the team.
The move is particularly noteworthy given the growing rivalry between Hearn and UFC President Dana White. White’s foray into boxing with Zuffa Boxing has created a competitive landscape, and the acquisition of Benn was seen as a significant win for White. Aspinall’s decision to partner with Hearn, despite remaining under contract with the UFC, underscores the appeal of Matchroom’s expanded services and Hearn’s established track record in athlete management.
Beyond the Aspinall signing, Matchroom Sport continues to oversee a diverse portfolio of sporting properties, including Matchroom Boxing, the Professional Darts Corporation, World Snooker, and Matchroom MultiSport. The launch of Matchroom Talent Agency represents a strategic diversification, allowing the company to leverage its expertise in athlete management across a broader range of sports and entertainment sectors.
In other sports industry news, Manchester City and PUMA have announced a new youth soccer collaboration with Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA). Two full-time Manchester City coaches will relocate to Charlotte to implement the club’s development methodology within CSA’s Foundation Phase program. The partnership aims to enhance player development and coach education, with CSA players also gaining opportunities to travel to Manchester for competitive matches.
The Hundred’s Birmingham Phoenix has secured a new lead partnership with Skechers, with the footwear brand’s logo featuring on the men’s and women’s team shirts from the season onwards. This marks a further expansion into elite cricket for Skechers, following the launch of its cricket footwear range in January. The deal coincides with a new ownership structure for The Hundred, with Warwickshire County Cricket Club now holding a majority stake.
MatchWornShirt (MWS) is celebrating International Women’s Day with its largest ever women’s football auction, featuring over 70 teams and shirts worn by stars like Lauren James and Hannah Hampton. The auction includes items from Women’s Super League clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as international teams from Scotland, Wales, and the United States.
Finally, Qvest has renewed its gold sponsorship of SVG Europe and entered into a partnership with the Premier League to design and implement a new media production facility for its international coverage. The company’s technology solutions are designed to streamline the digital media supply chain, and the Premier League project will focus on creating a scalable architecture for delivering content from all 380 matches per season. Glasgow Warriors have also signed a new sponsorship deal with steel solutions provider Cairnhill Structures, while the FIM EnduroGP World Championship’s Welsh round has renewed its title partnership with Forsiteservices Ltd for the event.