DARTS is not just for the working class but The Royal Family and Premier League footballers, claims Barry Hearn.
The PDC owner has taken darts into the mainstream since taking over in the 1990s.
The World Darts Championship final between Luke Littler and Luke Humphries attracted more than 11million viewers this year, and there may have been some members of the Royal Family amongst them.
Prince Harry took a trip to Ally Pally in 2014 to watch the World Darts Championship, and fans began chanting his name when he appeared on screen.
Hearn is proud that he has taken darts from a working class sport to one enjoyed by all, even the rich and famous.
He told Sky Sports’ Game of Throws documentary: “This is a major industry now. Over the centuries we have had in Britain a class structure which means we know our place – I never bought into that.
“We’ve transformed that now and members of the Royal Family sit down to watch darts. MPs and Premier League footballers begging for tickets to sit next to a docker or a newsagent or a busman.
“But the leaders of that world are the players themselves because without the players you don’t have anything. And in darts the players will not let us down.”
Hearn enjoyed Prince Harry‘s company at the darts and he even tried to endear him to the boisterous crowd.
The sports promoter said: “He’d just come out of the army and he’s obviously on a bit of a bender, I think. He brought three mates along. They were great fun.
“And at one stage, the crowd started chanting. The rules were quite strict. We were allowed to put his face on the big screens just three times during the evening, just a flash.
“So he was having a proper night out with his mates, having a few pints, enjoying himself. And the crowd started chanting: ‘Harry, Harry, give us a wave’. And he looked at me and I saw a bit of inquisitiveness in his face – as if to say, ‘What do I do?’
“I looked at him and said, ‘If you stand up now and you wave back to these people, your street credibility is assured for life because you’ve identified with the normal man, the people that form the majority of this country‘.
“And he looked at me and said, ‘I don’t think I’m allowed to…’ I thought that was quite sad.”
GAME OF THROWS: INSIDE DARTS from 30 November and the PDC World Championship from 15 December on Sky and NOW
