Darts on the brink of a new era

IT WAS not just the double tops that would have had Barry Hearn bubbling with excitement as the William Hill World Championship came to an end last night.

Top players such as last night’s finalist Phil Taylor are set to see an increase in prize moneyPA

Top players such as last night’s finalist Phil Taylor are set to see an increase in prize money

The sport finds itself on the brink of a new era because Hearn is planning on a different kind of double – that of the annual prize money going up from £10 million to £20m.

“I believe darts is only just beginning and there is another level to go to,” said Hearn, chairman of the PDC.

“The perception of the game is changing globally. We have the Tokyo Masters this year which will be a huge event and it is financed by very wealthy people in Japan who just love darts. And this time we have had our own channel on Sky.

“The Ryder Cup and Ashes series, these are multi-million pound rights fees deals and so are we.”

Once more the size of the crowds has been outstanding at the Alexandra Palace and tickets are selling fast for the Premier League which starts a month today in Leeds where a crowd of 11,000 is expected.

But now for that next step, which could see the prize money reaching a level that not even Hearn would have predicted.

He said: “I thought one day that maybe we could get to £10m but I think I can smash £10m very soon and I am looking at £20m in prize money.”

Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson took to the oche for the final last night with £250,000 to the winner and £100,000 to the runner-up and the sport in a good financial position.

Hearn said: “We have five-year contracts with Sky, five years with ITV and we don’t have a major event through 2015 without a sponsor.

“We are in tip-top shape and we have £10m in the bank, a nest egg in case things go wrong. We can withstand sudden things.

“I have seen it with snooker – suddenly if they say no more gambling sponsors, that will not affect us while we have the funds.”

Hearn is also World Snooker chairman and it is the example of this sport that he would like to follow.

He said: “The dream would be to do a job with darts like we have done with snooker in China.

“Forty per cent of the prize money on the snooker circuit comes out of China and that has such capabilities. But Tokyo is right up there. It is a global sport.”

With venues sold out, a television audience of a million expected to watch last night and Prince Harry in the crowd earlier in the week, why has darts become such a phenomenon?

Hearn said: “It is has the speed of T20 cricket, all the players are still characters like in the old days, these darts boys are real people and it is hypnotic TV. It is tough to turn over.”

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