Luke Littler's rival hails teen sensation for turning darts players into celebrities
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Nathan Aspinall admits the exploits of Luke Littler has allowed the profile of darts to soar with the players now reaping the rewards. The teenage sensation burst onto the scene at the World Darts Championship 12 months ago, eventually finishing as runner-up having arrived as an unknown commodity. He's in the hunt again this year with his talent and personality leading the sport's renaissance.
The emergence of Littler, who is part of the same management group as Aspinall, has helped the the individuals within the sport with interest firmly on the rise. Aspinall now admits it is rare for him to go out these days without being stopped and asked for a selfie.
He has compared it to the same nationwide attention Jimmy White, Steve Davis, Alex Higgins and Tony Knowles captured when snooker enjoyed a boom time around 40 years ago - another sport that was managed by Barry Hearn. Aspinall said: “Being in the spotlight is tough. I do believe we are the snooker players of the 80s. Snooker players in the 80s were hanging around with the likes of Guns N’ Roses. Everyone wants a piece of a darts player now. Everyone loves darts and, yes, it comes from Luke Littler. But Luke Littler is a 17-year-old kid.
“The other lads, myself, Michael Smith, Gezzy Price, they are the ones they can get close up to. I might be out in Manchester on a Friday night and, oh my God, it’s mental. It’s unbelievable but you’ve got to look at it in a positive light. And think, ‘Wow, darts is that popular’. I never thought I was a celebrity until this year. But I am.
