From five people in the crowd to millionaires taking over the world: How darts became the greatest show in sport - and why its Alexandra Palace days are numbered
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Before we get to princes, vikings, a nuke and other explosions that took him by surprise, Barry Hearn wishes to discuss his epiphany. It was delivered by horse 30 years ago this month. The date was Boxing Day, 1994, and the venue was Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex. Hearn loves this story. They all do.
![[The PDC World Championship is set to get underway on Sunday and will run into the new year]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/14/13/93145161-14192415-The_PDC_World_Championship_is_set_to_get_underway_on_Sunday_and_-a-1_1734182826489.jpg)
Within darts, it’s the go-to double and a flashback to a less certain time, when the PDC World Championship was in its second edition, its infancy, and no idea was considered too wild. Hence the horse, a 17-hand police hunter. Because how else would one expect Bob Anderson, the Limestone Cowboy of Wiltshire, to make his way through 900 boozed-up fans for the first round?.
![[Retired player Bob Anderson once walked to the stage accompanied by a horse in 1994 which piqued Hearn's interest]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/14/13/93145281-14192415-Retired_player_Bob_Anderson_once_walked_to_the_stage_accompanied-a-2_1734182826503.jpg)
‘I wasn’t in darts at that point, but I was there,’ says Hearn, who has run the sport since 2001. ‘I’m watching and thinking, “That’s a horse. With a bloke behind it shovelling up the s***. When was the last time you saw anything like that in sport?” I hadn’t and isn’t it brilliant?.
![[Luke Littler took the darts world by storm by making the World Championship final last year]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/14/13/93145313-14192415-Luke_Littler_took_the_darts_world_by_storm_by_making_the_World_C-a-9_1734182826587.jpg)
‘Look, it was a while before I got properly involved after that, but one step through the door and you’d see people loving every second, drinking beer, smoking, gambling on most 180s. I thought, “I've died and gone to heaven”.’. Well-renowned sports promoter Barry Hearn has run the sport of darts since 2001 and has overseen its remarkable rise.
![[The championships are currently held at the infamous Alexandra Palace in London every year, and the fans have made it the greatest show in sport]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/14/13/93145231-14192415-The_championships_are_currently_held_at_the_infamous_Alexandra_P-a-4_1734182826547.jpg)
