However a new name is emerging as a potential force majeur in international sport, one Leonid Blavatnik, owner and bankroller of TV subscription streaming service DAZN which now operates in some 200 countries.

Actually it is Sir Len, born in Odessa, in the Ukraine - then part of the Soviet Union - 63 years ago, reared in Russia, educated in the United States and now domiciled in London.

He holds both US and British passports and was knighted by the Queen in 2017 for services to philanthropy.

Apparently this was because of his generous donations to various charitable institutions, as well as Oxford University, the British Museum, which named its new wing "the Blavatnik Building", the Royal Opera House, National Portrait Gallery and Museum of Modern Art.

An intriguing if relatively low profile character he is listed by Forbes Magazine as the fourth wealthiest person in the United Kingdom and the 45th in the world with an estimated net worth of $25.9 billion (£18.6 billion/€21.7 billion).

In 1986 Blavatnik founded Access Industries, the international conglomerate company located in New York of which he is founder and President.

Initially he moved into Russian investments in petroleum chemicals and oil just after the fall of communism. He also owns the Warner Music Group as well as Hollywood movie company A1 Film and was an early investor in Rocket Internet and Beats Music.

Unlike Abramovich he has resisted any involvement in football club ownership and does not flaunt his wealth with luxury yachts and the like. But he does move in high society circles in the UK.

In 2017 he was mentioned in investigations in the US into Russian donations to the Trump administration. But he is also on record as having donated to Democrat Joe Biden’s successful Presidential campaign.

It has been as the owner of DAZN - pronounced da zone from its German origins that is now bringing him to the fore of the sports industry.

DAZN carries live and on demand streaming of a number of major sports events, including the Premier League, Major League Baseball as well as scores of less significant ones from around the world.

It also has exclusive worldwide rights to the Japanese Football League with a 10 year $2 billion (£1.4 billion/€1.6 billion) contract described by the league as being the largest broadcast rights deal in the history of Japanese sport.

Up to now DAZN has been relatively low profile and is not currently competitive with the major channels such as those in the US and UK. However it is ambitious and expansion is very much in the mind of Sir Len.

This is where it becomes of particular interest to the UK.

DAZN has a deal with Matchroom Boxing here to show its promotions in the US and elsewhere and it works closely with British promoter Eddie Hearn.

It so happens that Sky’s exclusive contract with Matchroom in the UK expires shortly.

New negotiations have already begun - not only with Sky but with DAZN. and the word around the rings is that the latter are strong favourites to secure a deal which would represent a major breakthrough for Blavatnik’s baby.

Rival promoter Frank Warren, who has a long-term deal with BT for his own shows, believes that Hearn will switch from Sky to DAZN which would leave Sky without one of its major selling points.

Of great significance in this situation is the upcoming all-British world heavyweight championship unification bout between unbeaten Tyson Fury and former Olympic champion Anthony Joshua.

.Apparently contracts have been agreed for the £200 million ($277 million/€233 million) blockbuster. The venue has yet to be decided. Probably somewhere in the Middle East this summer.

Crucially what still have to be settled are the massive TV rights. Currently Joshua, via Matchroom, is exclusively contracted to Sky, whereas Fury, for whom Warren is a co-promoter with American Bob Arum, appears only on BT.

Unless a highly unusual shared arrangement can be made whoever pulls out of the plum for boxing's biggie will have substantial bragging rights.

A fascinating question, should DAZN now snatch boxing away from Sky, is whether Blavatnik will throw his hat into the ring for what is already being billed as a fight of this century.

If so it would really put Sir Len - who rarely gives interviews and then only on the condition that he is not described as an oligarch - firmly in the spotlight. Whether or not he would welcome this remains to be seen.

In the meantime stand by your sets. A Russian Revolution for sport may be on the cards.