Luke Littler's impact on darts laid bare as Barry Hearn makes telling prediction
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Luke Littler is not the messiah - he’s a very talented boy. But when godfather of darts Barry Hearn listens to the jingle bells of Christmas now, they are the cash tills ringing up another fortune from his greatest success story. Luke the Nuke’s second coming at Alexandra Palace, after his fairytale run to the final as a 16-year-old, has made Hearn count his blessings. Darts is now the biggest show in town every festive season and New Year.
“We take it a bit for granted,” he said. “It is amazing what has happened and we should rejoice. Christmas is a time for rejoicing – not just for Jesus but for the darts as well. “I thought I’d seen it all when Michael Smith hit that nine-darter in the final and in the commentary box Wayne Mardle is shrieking, ‘I can't spake! I can’t spake!’ And then Luke Littler comes along…”.
When Hearn took over as Professional Darts Corporation chairman in 2001, Sky Sports were paying £100,000-a-year for all their darts coverage and he told the broadcaster’s head of sport Vic Wakening: “It’s tough to negotiate with you as I always feel you have on of my testicles in your safe.”.
Wakeling replied: “Barry, I’ve got both your testicles in my safe.” Now Sky pay £12 million annually for 60 days a year of live darts, but their seven-year deal expires this year and Littler’s phenomenon means they may need to triple their offer to retain the rights.
After a lifetime in sport, mentoring careers from snooker deity Steve Davis to boxer Chris Eubank and arrows royalty Phil Taylor, Hearn says he can “smell” money - and Littler is his latest golden ticket. He said: “Luke Littler’s story gives me a reason to turn round to my wife and say, ‘You told me you didn’t like darts, but you don’t miss a dart when Luke is on the box.’ He has brought in a new generation of fans and we have to be ready to harness their custom.
