TOP darts players have become household celebrities and sport’s equivalent of rock stars, according to Nathan Aspinall.
The Asp, 33, has changed his family’s life for the better by earning millions from the sport over the past few years.
Thanks to the emergence of prodigious teen Luke Littler, part of the same management group as Aspinall, the profile and promotion of the elite throwers jumped to another level.
Two-time major champion Aspinall — who hails from Stockport — says it is rare for him to go out these days without being stopped and asked for a selfie.
And he compares 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.
Barry Hearn’s Matchroom stable of potters even had a top-ten hit alongside Chas & Dave in 1986.
Aspinall plays Andrew Gilding in round three of the PDC World Championship on Saturday afternoon after seeing off Leonard Gates.
And the Asp 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.
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“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.
“And people love meeting me, love having pictures.
“What Littler and Luke Humphries have done over the last 12 months, it’s been unbelievable.
“Every single darts player I know in the top 16, we thank them for what they’re doing because we are going to achieve and make a lot of money.
“Do I know any rock stars? Well, I’m good mates with the guys from The Blossoms.
“I went to school with them. I think the only difference is the fact it’s all about social media nowadays, isn’t it?”
LUKE LITTLER has taken the darts world by storm since exploding onto the scene at the PDC World Championship at the beginning of the year.
The Nuke reached the final on his Ally Pally debut at just 16 years of age – smashing records along the way.
He has then gone on to win a host of PDC events and the Premier League title – which he claimed at the O2 Arena by beating world champion Luke Humphries in May.
He also finished his first season in the World Series as the No1 ranked player.
He has joined Jude Bellingham on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.
And the teenage titan even had to snub an invite from the WWE.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Littler is plotting to create a fitness empire.
He is also cashing in away from the Oche thanks to an Instagram side hustle.
And he’s even the face of a brand new cereal.
But he is newly single after splitting from girlfriend Eloise Milburn following a 10-month relationship.
Check out all of our latest Luke Littler stories.
