Business of Sport Ep.8: Frank Smith, CEO @ Matchroom Boxing, 'We feel the pressure to deliver the biggest fights'

This week, we are delighted to welcome Frank Smith. Frank first worked within Matchroom as a 14-year-old on work experience, and started full time in September 2008 after he left school.

Having worked across many of the sports that Matchroom promote, Frank joined the Boxing department full-time in 2011 and worked his way through the ranks to assume the post of CEO in April 2018. Frank was appointed to the main board of the group’s parent company, Matchroom Sport, in December 2018.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

From internship to CEO:

• How chasing down Eddie Hearn’s car led to a job at Matchroom.
• As CEO of the boxing department, what are Frank’s key roles in the business and how does it complement Eddie’s work?
• The value of working in a family run business with a culture that encourages you to push yourself, try new things, and not worry about failing.
• How to be taken seriously as a young CEO in an industry that places huge demands on leaders.
• Lessons from working with Barry and Eddie Hearn.

Putting on the big fights:

• Why it is so important for boxing to put on the biggest fights and give the fans the match-ups they want.
• The challenges associated with agreeing deals and pre-fight negotiations: purse splits, media rights, location.
• How Anthony Joshua doesn’t let the details stop him from agreeing to fight and why more boxers need to worry less about the small print and more about the overall value.
• The rise of Saudi Arabia has presented new opportunities to take boxing to different audiences and drive more revenue for all involved.
• How governments are using boxing fights to promote their countries on a global stage.
• What happens when a fighter fails a drug test, and how does that impact the wider business?

The future of boxing:

• The rise of influencer boxing and the new opportunities it provides the sport.
• Does Frank view it as a corruption of the professional end or opportunity to build new audience and brands?
• Influencer vs. influencer is better than professional vs. influencer, but the pay packets are now often too large to turn down.
• How Matchroom had the opportunity to build an influencer division but chose to focus on professional boxing.
• The rise of women’s boxing: new audience, grassroots development, commercial growth.
• What next? How does the company keep innovating and ensure they are representing the best talent and putting on the best shows.