Barry Hearn makes booze ultimatum to Saudis as World Darts Championship future addressed | Other | Sport
Barry Hearn has issued an ultimatum to the Saudis by insisting the World Darts Championship won’t be heading to the Middle Eastern nation until alcohol is permitted.
As Littler mania and Humphries hype reaches fever pitch ahead of this year’s World Championship at Alexandra Palace, the conversation of moving the event away from north London has once again popped up.
A larger venue in the capital has been mooted, as well as moving the event around Europe and perhaps even the world.
Among the alternative suggestions has been Saudi Arabia, as they look to build on their already vast influence over the world of sport.
But head honcho at the PDC, Hearn, has insisted the darts won’t be going anywhere near Saudi Arabia until booze is allowed.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Friday, Hearn said: “I’ve taken a couple of big events out there and the players are loving it. We actually start the 167 event next week, next Wednesday, before the Fury Usyk fight.
“This is our busiest time of the year. I mean, the Saudis asked me for darts about a couple of months ago, and I asked them a simple question – ‘Can we have alcohol?’ And they said no. And I said, ‘Well, then you can’t have the darts’.”
Relief for the pint-loving darts fans, but Hearn refused to rule out a move away from Ally Pally, with suggestions the Worlds have outgrown its current home.
He continued: “We are the biggest party in the world and there’s going to be 90,000. And we will have to look at trying to make it longer, trying to make it bigger. Do we look at a new venue one day? Yes, of course. It’s our job to look at things and evaluate. We’re very happy at Ally Pally at the moment.
“The only danger for me is I’ve got so many people saying they’re disappointed and I don’t want to disappoint punters because one day they’ll turn their attention elsewhere, so I’m not going to be complacent.”
One of the reasons for darts’ boom in popularity throughout 2024 was the emergence of teenage sensation Littler, who reached the final of the competition as a 16-year-old last year.
When quizzed about his impact on the sport, Littler did admit in an interview with the PA news agency, that his rise to stardom has helped put darts on the map: “Ever since the final everyone has seen a young lad doing well so they have gone and bought their kids everything to try and be me.
“It’s good because darts was big but, I don’t want to say it, since I’ve come along it’s got even bigger, seeing a young lad coming through. Hopefully we can have more come through.”
