Barry Hearn sends warning to darts players over huge Luke Littler-inspired change
01/06/2025 06:39 AM
Barry Hearn has warned the current stars of the Professional Darts Corporation that there is a ‘tsunami of talent’ on its way thanks to Luke Littler.
The Nuke became world champion in stunning style last week, beating legend of the gameMichael van Gerwen7-3 in the Alexandra Palace final.
The 17-year-old became the youngest ever world champion in the sport, going one better than his runner-up finish 12 months earlier.
The teenager has already earned himself an army of fans thanks to his exploits on the oche, along with his endorsements away from the board and link-ups with popular streamers.
Hearn, the president of Matchroom Sports, expects a huge number of players to follow Littler into darts having seen his meteoric rise and the vast riches that has come with it.
The veteran promoter says that any players feeling comfortable in the professional game right now can expect a lot more competition in the years to come.
‘I would probably liken it to the arrival of Tiger Woods winning his first major,’ Hearn told The Sunday Times. ‘Tiger was playing golf at two. Littler has been playing darts since birth almost it seems like.
‘The similarities are there. Littler is bringing in a whole audience of youngsters, commercially he's a huge success, but it's only the tip of the iceberg.
‘The guys coming through are going to knock your teeth out. Littler is not just a once-in-a-generation prodigy. He's the guy holding the flag for the next generation of superstars and they are coming through in huge numbers.
‘We've already seen the start of it. On the junior tour, these kids are ten years old throwing nine-darters. Because of the interest, predominantly from Littler and his success story, kids are being inspired and their parents are encouraging them.
‘Trust me when I say, in the next five years, we have a tsunami of talent that will change the game.’
Littler is well aware of the impact he has had on the game, saying as he won the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year: ‘It shows how well I have done this year, not only for myself, but I have changed the sport of darts.
‘I know the amount of academies that have been brought up in different locations, tickets selling out at Ally Pally in hours and the Premier League selling out – it just shows how much I have changed it.’
