If you like your sport loud…
colorful…
and full of world class competitors then darts is the one for you.
Welcome to the Alexandra Palace, London.
In an era where sports like golf, tennis and Formula 1
are all clamouring to retain crowds and maintain TV audiences,
darts is a sport that is showing year on year growth in all areas.
Traditionally a pub sport, the most commonly played version of darts is 501.
The object is for one player to be the first to reach zero from a starting total of 501.
In simple terms, after each set of three darts are thrown,
the throwing player then subtracts the total scored from their current total until they reach zero.
And ensuring, of course, they finish on a double.
Darts grew a large television following through the 1970s and 80s in the U.K.,
making household names out of players like Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson,
with their fame comparable to soccer stars of the same time.
It wasn't until the early 1990s that darts was taken to a whole new level,
when a player dispute meant a split from the British Darts Organization
to form a breakaway tour, known as the PDC, the Professional Darts Corporation.
Over the last quarter century, the PDC, partnered with U.K. broadcaster Sky Sports,
has grown into a multi-million dollar empire.
And now each year, more than 80,000 fans gather here for its crown jewel event,
the World Darts Championship, and a party at the palace.
This year, the championship has expanded from 72 to 96 competitors,
including, for the first time, two guaranteed places in the draw for female players,
with the total prize fund now over $3 million.
Players from 28 countries and six continents are competing for a $630,000 winner's prize fund
and of course the impressive Sid Waddell Trophy.
The 2019 edition of the World Darts Championship is the sport's biggest ever competition.
A lot of the problems in other sports don’t exist in darts.
It is a party, with a world class sporting event, wrapped into one.
And an enthusiastic darts crowd are always ready to add to the atmosphere,
not that they need much encouragement.
In the past there’s been a little bit of snobbishness amongst some circles,
looking down their nose, "Oh, it’s only darts."
Well now, all of those sports wish they were only darts.
Money brokers and city bankers, they’ll all be here, sitting alongside the guys that work in
petrol forecourts or garages, or builders, all united with the aim of having a great time.
The PDC will again be taking its tour to a variety of venues around Europe in 2019,
including events in Germany and the Netherlands.
Previous years have even seen tournaments as far away as Las Vegas, Dubai and Shanghai.
They’ve created an in-venue experience that's fantastic for the fans,
but it translates effectively and professionally onto TV.
A very important part of that is the consistency of the product,
each time you watch darts on TV, you recognize it.
Times have changed when it comes to player sponsorship as well.
Gone are the days of small local businesses adorning the flamboyant player shirts.
Now they’ve been replaced by multinational corporations
which are now part of the darting landscape.
It’s massive for everyone, sponsorship, because whatever that pays, it’s sort of guaranteed money.
On tours you have to go out and win games.
I’m very lucky with all my sponsors, in fairness, they all support me, never put pressure on me.
We do a lot of corporate things, SAP, we go out, we see them, put some exhibitions on.
Darts is easily one of the most popular televised sports in the U.K.,
regularly out-performing some Premier League soccer matches.
In 2018, more than 20,000 darts fans crammed into an arena in Germany for a one-off event
and there are talks to one day even make it an Olympic sport.
Hi guys, Adam here, thanks for watching.
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See you next time.