Darts is ready to grow to be as large as golf because of its enjoyable fanbase of fancy costume blokes in “bras and panties”, in line with sports activities guru Barry Hearn.
The promoter and proprietor of the Professional Darts Corporation – aka PDC – reckons the sport is about to go world and grow to be a serious sporting participant within the Middle East and US.
Baz has already grown it right into a thriving £42million-a-year enterprise. And he can not watch for it to comply with boxing by changing into an enormous hit throughout Arab nations.
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“We set about it like our snooker business where we created a party atmosphere with a sports event happening within it,’’ Hearn said.
“Today you will find 6ft 5in muscular dockers walking up towards Alexandra Palace in bras and panties.
“Where are you going to find that in any event in the world?”
When Hearn, 75, went to his first World Darts Championship in Purfleet, Essex, he discovered it a small and seedy’ affair. Two a long time later the match has grow to be a part of Christmas, drawing an viewers of tens of 1000’s of partying followers in fancy costume to the Grade II listed sports activities venue, dubbed the ‘Ally Pally’.
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The darts explosion occurred after Hearn determined to show it right into a ‘get together with a sports activities occasion occurring inside it’.
Cash has flowed into the sport ever since with its annual income rocketing from £13m 10 years in the past £42.6m final 12 months (2022) and earnings up from £1.9m to £12.3m. Ticket gross sales account for 35% of the earnings with the World Darts Championships alone anticipated to have a turnover of greater than £4m this 12 months (2023).
It is already extra worthwhile than boxing, snooker and pool. The finest gamers now make £2m-a-year.
Now it’s seeking to storm into the Middle East, North America, Canada and south-east Asia. ”Darts goes from energy to energy to energy,” Hearn mentioned.
“And I see this as the beginning. It’s going to end up as the working man’s golf because it’s accessible and it’s diverse.”
(Image: PA)
PDC chief government Matt Porter mentioned: “We’ve had substantial growth over the last several years mainly due to an increased international footprint.
“We’ve expanded into a lot of new territories and that’s been coupled with the continued growth in popularity of darts here in the UK and our core markets in the Netherlands and Germany.”