Beers, cheers and the rise of darts

Some people used to belittle darts as a sport, but with a growing TV audience and a sprinkling of celebrity fans it’s enjoying a resurgence. Chris Bond reports.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor is one of the players in action during the 2015 Premier League.Phil 'The Power' Taylor is one of the players in action during the 2015 Premier League.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor is one of the players in action during the 2015 Premier League.

WHEN I was younger, darts was one of those sports I would watch if there was nothing better on the box.

It certainly trailed behind football, cricket and even snooker when it came to compulsive viewing. Yet, as a child of the 70s and 80s I can still remember the names and faces of its larger than life characters – Jocky Wilson, John Lowe and, of course, Eric Bristow.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

These were men who wore gold chains and enjoyed a pint, and were as cool as ice. They made it look easy which, as anyone who’s ever played a game of darts before can tell you, it isn’t. It requires a steady hand and nerves of steel, and that’s just playing in your local pub – imagine the pressure of performing in front of thousands of boisterous fans (and in the olden days, surrounded by a pall of smoke).

Even so, darts was sneered at by a lot of people who took umbrage at all the beer and tattoos on show. The notion that it was even a sport was derided by some. Darts in the Olympics? You must be joking.

There are still people who feel this way, but there are many more who don’t. Darts is one the rise once again. If you doubt this you only have to take a look at the flurry of comments on Twitter during the recent climax of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championships.

Over the past 15 years or so a new generation of players, led by the evergreen Phil “the Power” Taylor, has helped boost the sport’s profile which has led to bigger sponsorship deals and increased TV coverage.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Its legion of fans also includes the likes of Martin Amis, Clare Balding and Stephen Fry, who once said: “The ability to send tungsten into a small area reliably and consistently is breathtaking.”

It’s a busy time of year for the darts world and next month Leeds First Direct Arena hosts the opening night of this year’s Betway Premier League.

The prestigious tournament will kick-off on February 5, following the runaway success of the sport’s inaugural visit to the venue earlier last year, which attracted a crowd of 11,000 fans – the highest figure for any event in the history of the Professional Darts Corporation.

Speaking a few months back Taylor, the 16-time World Champion and six-time Premier League winner, said he was looking forward to returning to Leeds. “I played Wes Newton there back in March and I remember that we both fed off the atmosphere – it was the best night of the season as far as I’m concerned and I can’t wait to get back there.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But darts isn’t all about the glitz and glamour of the big arenas. Linda Ware, of the Professional Darts Organisation (PDO), says the sport hasn’t lost touch with its working class roots and points out that her organisation has 33,000 members who play in 67 counties up and down the country.

“There does seem to be bit of a resurgence in the sport, although we feel it’s always been popular at grass roots level,” says Ware. “There was a decline in TV viewing during the early 90s after the heyday in the 80s, but it kept on being played in pub and clubs.”

But with Sky and the BBC boosting darts coverage the sport is reaching an even wider audience.

“There are a variety of people who play darts now and there’s a growing popularity among younger people,” says Ware.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’re encouraging people to play darts in schools and at university and we have our inaugural youth world championships this week.”

Part of the enduring popularity of darts is the fact it looks relatively easy. “You don’t have to be great with your feet, which you need if you want to be the next David Beckham,” she says.

“It is harder than it looks but if you have good hand-eye co-ordination then you can do it, and it’s something you can play with your mum and dad – darts is a sport for all.”

Related topics: