Darts TV chiefs accused of enjoying ‘faux cheers’ over dodgy throws at main occasion

EXCLUSIVE: Viewers branded coverage of the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters an ‘embarrassment’ after the audience was heard ‘clapping and cheering’ at scores of ‘45’.

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Darts fans have slammed telly chiefs for playing fake cheers over dodgy throws.

Viewers branded coverage of the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters an ‘embarrassment’ after the audience was heard ‘clapping and cheering’ at scores of ‘45’.

Fans alleged bogus crowd noise was being played over the footage in a bid to make it seem those watching were more engaged.

The Darts-gate row blew up after arrows ace Nathan Aspinall suggested the Saudi crowd ‘weren’t all there of their own accord’.

One fan tweeted: “Why are @ITV playing fake crowd noise on the coverage of the Saudi darts?

“It’s ridiculous – crowd clapping and cheering when players hit 45. Please turn it off. It’s an embarrassment.”

Another messaged: “Saudi Arabia Darts Masters is genuinely the worst I’ve ever watched.

“The atmosphere is that bad they’ve added in fake crowd celebrations. Goto scored 60 n the fake crowd speakers are going wild. @OfficialPDC sort this out.”

One more viewer moaned: “I swear all the ‘crowd noise’ at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters is pre-recorded. The crowd is dead as a rock.”

“Have they added crowd noises or is there another sport on in the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters? Unbelievably cringe,” said someone else.

Another fed up fan said: “Darts crowd in Saudi Arabia pure silence except when they’re clapping like they’re watching golf after scores of 60. Awful.”

“I’ve seen better atmospheres at funerals than this Saudi Arabia Darts Masters,” added another.

Some fans asked if they could have jobs as paid spectators.

One said: “Hi guys where do I apply to be a paid saudi arabia darts masters attendee and applauder?”

Another said: “Hello PDC darts can I be a paid crowd attendee of the Saudi Arabia darts masters? I can also clap single digit scores, missed doubles and bust scores!”

Others suggested it would have been better played ‘behind closed doors’. “This Saudi Arabia Darts Masters is absolutely terrible,” said one viewer.

“Absolutely no atmosphere whatsoever. May as well play it behind closed doors! @OfficialPDC – probably one of the 1st things you’ve got wrong.

“The walk ons look like something out of gladiators too. Ridiculous.”

Some claimed the Professional Darts Corporation – aka PDC – was producing the coverage and ITV was just the ‘host broadcaster’.

“It’s not @ITV anymore the production is now done in house so it’s the @OfficialPDC adding the fake crowd bud,” added one viewer.

The two-day event featuring world champion Luke Littler, compatriot Luke Humphries and Dutchman Michael van Gerwen is the first to be held in Saudi Arabia which has strict no-alcohol regulations.

It is part of the World Series of Darts but is being held at the 1,000-capacity Global Theater in Riyadh.

Aspinall, 34, said there was ‘definitely a long way to go’ before the PDC and Saudi Arabia could build a long-term partnership.

“It’s certainly different,” he said.

“I’m not stupid. I feel like they (the crowd) weren’t all there of their own accord, shall we say, and it was quite a small venue.

“Everything needs to start somewhere, but as long as people walk away from the week and are like, ‘you know what, we really enjoyed the darts’, and it gets good coverage.”

A PDC spokesman said the organisation was ‘delighted to see such strong interest’ in the event.

Aspinall’s comments were ‘reflecting on the fact that this was a first-of-its-kind darts event in the region’.

The spokesman said all spectators attended as ticket-holders or guests, adding: “As with any new market the atmosphere and crowd make-up can differ from long-established darts events such as those in the UK and Europe.”

Neither ITV nor the PDC had responded to requests for comment on fake crowd noise claims.