Eddie Hearn on the challenges facing rugby league
Eddie Hearn would "come in with a bulldozer" and shake up rugby league if given the chance to run the sport.
The boxing promoter recently met with Ralph Rimmer, the Rugby Football League's acting chief executive, to discuss the potential for his Matchroom Sport company to get involved in the game.
Hearn says his interest is serious and has now gone beyond merely promoting Super League or the Challenge Cup to taking a controlling interest in the sport, as Matchroom already has in snooker and darts.
Hearn told Press Association Sport: "There is the argument we could get involved in making the key events bigger or we can get involved with the clubs and the game.
"We'd prefer the latter because that is what we do. Look at darts, look at snooker. We don't really want to come in and play with it. If we're going to come in we want to come in with a bulldozer and take it all over.
"But to do that we need the support of the clubs. They need to be onside with what we are doing because there is only so much the RFL can do."
Since Hearn's name was first linked with a move into rugby league late last year he says he has received much support from fans of the sport.
Having made his interest public, he and his father Barry are now planning follow-up talks with the RFL and will take a more in-depth look into how the professional game functions.
"It's been a roller coaster that has gathered so much pace from fans and clubs," said Hearn, who was in Sheffield on Wednesday at world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua's training camp.
"I met with Ralph Rimmer and we had a very good meeting. We're having another meeting with me and my old man and we are going to look at the business more closely.
"We are going to look at the structure of the business and the key events."
Hearn concedes his knowledge of rugby league is limited - but that is all the more reason for a company like Matchroom to get involved.
He said: "I like watching rugby league. I think the players are extremely tough, great athletes - but I've never heard of any of them. That's the problem - and I follow all sports.
"They're not producing stars and if they're not producing stars it will die at grassroots level. The broadcasters won't be interested because people won't tune in."
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