Darts Begins to Take on Entertainment, but More Can Be Done

Darts, particularly PDC darts, is flying right now. Its broadcaster, Sky Sports, had to double its deal with the PDC in the face of stiff competition from Netflix, now spreading £125 million across five years. Already their second-biggest sport behind the obvious, it’s an incredible show of faith in darts’ continued momentum.

Throw in the move to a bigger hall at the Ally Pally for the next World Darts Championship and more sell-out events beyond Europe, and it’s a great time to be in the sport. Such interest has drawn in other parties looking to make the most of the darts buzz, bringing its stars into the spotlight of broader entertainment.

 

The Mandatory Docu-Series and a Game Show

 

 

Netflix is very fond of their docu-series formula. They like to dig into what could be seen as underserved sports or get access to distinct athletes and create eight or more hours of episodes to follow. They did it with Full Swing for golf, Break Point for tennis, and – in what many see as a sport-altering move – Drive to Survive for Formula One.

Looking at darts, the massive global streaming service went for a look at the showrunners, Matchroom. In Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen, darts features alongside snooker and boxing in the look at Eddie and Barry Hearn. As those who guide the massive UK sports promotion business, they’re very important to darts.

Beyond the docu-series from Netflix – a platform which almost inevitably will create a fly-on-the-wall darts show eventually – darts has also made its way back to TV through the game show Bullseye. Hosted by Freddie Flintoff, the new series on the way will feature professional players aiming to win prizes for the contestants. The show may even get a boost after Sky completes its takeover of ITV, bringing the PDC and ITV under one umbrella.

 

Further Entertainment Products and Experiences

 

 

Entertainment can be explored even further than TV shows, of course. While a darts film à la F1 might be a bit out there, a big push into the world of slingo games UK players can find and spin online could be the way to go. Already, there are PDC games, but not slingo ones – even though there is branded slingo like Slingo The Godfather and Gold Rush Scratch.

Many pubs across the UK have their own darts board and space to play. Even so, the PDC could push the sport and create a sense of extra buzz by holding its own kind of pop-up events. The Target pop-up is hailed as the world’s first-ever dedicated darts fan store, and went over rather well when it landed in Manchester last year.

The PDC could follow a similar format, creating an experience that sells goods but also offers a taste of the live darts experience, perhaps meet-and-greets with top players, and a chance to play the game. Given the prominence of the brand, it should be able to go bigger and be even more appealing, creating a unique buzz as a live event.

Darts is flying high and truly breaking beyond the confines of the sport. Over the years to come, to capitalise on this momentum, you can bet that the PDC will be exploring extra experiences and products for the fans.