PDC World Darts Championship: Barry Hearn on how darts could rival golf
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/46724051
Quotes .
"We concentrated on increased prize money," says Hearn.
"Around 2003 or 2004, I suddenly started seeing overseas sales, interest from companies to sponsor events, the internet was growing. Most of it comes down just to bloody mindedness and hard graft.
"I built a team behind me that felt the same - here is a game that millions play all over the world. They've never really had a sustainable plan which says we are going to be a major global sport."
"We are coming up to nearly a year of not using walk-on girls at our events in the UK," he says.
"When I look at having women in the World Championship - two qualified women played this year - it's probably another step in the sport maturing and growing up into the real world. It inevitably has new rules to it.
"We don't have a women's championship, and the men. There is one championship and it is a level playing field for everyone. It is purely about ability."
"I have a clear, concise plan of where this sport is going and that is globally," says Hearn.
"We will see China develop a major darts involvement and there's a lot of people in China."
"There's a lot of money in China. We are seeing India, Pakistan, Bangladesh picking up darts. We are not a UK sport, we are a global sport and as such we are looking at expanding into north America, to south America, we've opened a small office in China.
"I don't see any reason at all why darts shouldn't be the same size as professional golf."
"We have been super successful, but we haven't reached the end game yet," he says.
Emperor Hearn has made a nice little earner from the world of Darts ! :smile::thumbup:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/46724051
Quotes .
"We concentrated on increased prize money," says Hearn.
"Around 2003 or 2004, I suddenly started seeing overseas sales, interest from companies to sponsor events, the internet was growing. Most of it comes down just to bloody mindedness and hard graft.
"I built a team behind me that felt the same - here is a game that millions play all over the world. They've never really had a sustainable plan which says we are going to be a major global sport."
"We are coming up to nearly a year of not using walk-on girls at our events in the UK," he says.
"When I look at having women in the World Championship - two qualified women played this year - it's probably another step in the sport maturing and growing up into the real world. It inevitably has new rules to it.
"We don't have a women's championship, and the men. There is one championship and it is a level playing field for everyone. It is purely about ability."
"I have a clear, concise plan of where this sport is going and that is globally," says Hearn.
"We will see China develop a major darts involvement and there's a lot of people in China."
"There's a lot of money in China. We are seeing India, Pakistan, Bangladesh picking up darts. We are not a UK sport, we are a global sport and as such we are looking at expanding into north America, to south America, we've opened a small office in China.
"I don't see any reason at all why darts shouldn't be the same size as professional golf."
"We have been super successful, but we haven't reached the end game yet," he says.
Emperor Hearn has made a nice little earner from the world of Darts ! :smile::thumbup: