SPORTS promoter Barry Hearn famously walked into the Circus Tavern in the 1990s, watched world-class darts as cigarettes and alcohol were consumed, and gasped: “I just smell money.”
Now, 30 years on, darts is generating more cash than ever before for Hearn’s Matchroom Sport company, outstripping the income produced by rival sports snooker and boxing.
Darts chief Barry Hearn has lifted the lid on the sport’s evolutionDave Benett/Getty Images for BGC Group
Hearn gives most of the credit to darts superstar Luke LittlerDennis Goodwin/ProSports/Shutterstock
And a large part of that unprecedented success is down to the emergence of “genius” Luke Littler, the reigning world champion aged 18 whose thrilling throwing has brought in millions of eyeballs.
A new Netflix Series – which charts the rise of the “dream factory” business Hearn built in 1982 and now passed to son Eddie – talks about how top-level oche action is enjoying a boom time.
Speaking in ‘Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen’ which launches today, Hearn, 77, said: “More and more people tune in the longer and longer [Littler] goes in an event.
“And the top players are under the cosh. They’re under pressure.
“Because all of a sudden, their reputation doesn’t win them games. You’ve got this kid with no fear who just walks onto the stage and takes over the world.
“As long as Luke Littler can sell out shows and darts is No1, not a worry in the world.
“In Matchroom, the biggest profit earner is darts. We’ve been blessed. We’ve had Phil Taylor’s 16 years of glory.
“We’ve had the Michael Van Gerwen aggression. But we’ve never had anything as big as this kid…
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“He’s suddenly come onto the scene and blitzed major names. You realise that we may just be in the presence of a genius.”
From roofers to royals – these days, darts is watched by people from all different walks of life and competition-wise, there is no barrier to entry.
According to PDC top boss Matt Porter – who deserves enormous credit for transforming the sport this century and taking it global – “darts turns over north of £60million a year”.
In the documentary, Eddie Hearn is “envious of the darts business”, particularly how it outperforms his dwindling boxing stable and is “probably twice as profitable”.
Porter, who was Leyton Orient CEO for eight years, said: “The demand is insane.
“The number of people applying for tickets this year was the same number as were trying to get tickets for Glastonbury.
“We’ve done events in about 25 countries. It’s just a staggering amount of money.
“It’s about the show, it’s about the players, it’s about the atmosphere. I take some pride in knowing that I’ve helped create that.”
Littler’s massive pay day
Boosted by Sky Sports’ five-year, £125m deal, which starts in November, the world champion will receive £1m for winning seven games this Christmas and New Year.
When Dennis Priestley won the inaugural PDC title on January 2, 1994 at the smoke-filled Circus Tavern, he received £16,000.
Hearn Snr added: “Ally Pally is one of my favourite events. Probably double-digit millions in profit, which is a lot of money.
“Every year looks better. When I walk into the arena at Ally Pally, I look at all these guys and girls having a great time.
“We’ve created this amazing financial vehicle. I feel so proud. I love it. It’s been a long journey and I never saw anything like this.”
Major issues to resolve
Hearn explained: “I thought we’d have some fun. I thought we’d do something for the sport. I thought we’d make some money. It’s the fulfilment of a dream. I love it. Long may it last.”
There are still major issues in darts to resolve – in terms of the general TV calendar, the Premier League format, its disciplinary process and how the world ranking will be skewed by top-loading the world championship.
And now oil-rich chiefs in the Middle East are threatening to tinker with the rules like they did with snooker’s 167 Gold Ball gimmick.
The six-episode series culminates with the Matchroom board deciding whether to sell some of the business, if not all of it, to Saudi businessman Turki Al-Sheikh.
Part of the negotiations took place ringside before the Chris Eubank Jr versus Conor Benn fight at Tottenham in April.
Turki Al-Sheikh said: “We want the snooker and the darts. I want to do the darts, but I want to do it ‘crazy way’. Crazy concept, crazy play, something.”
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