It’s a lamentable fact that amongst some quarters, professional darts players still aren’t considered to be true sportsman. Darts has to validate itself against the kind of charges levelled at no other professional sport. And it’s grossly unfair. As a great proponent of darts, I find myself constantly having to justify the legitimate reasons for it to be considered a sport; usually to people who know virtually nothing about darts, but still like to take the condescending high ground in the debate. It’s a conversation that I’ve had enough, to know that it can be effectively ended inside a minute:
Tom: So why wouldn’t you consider darts to be a sport?
Response: Well, it’s just a pub game really.
Tom: Well so are snooker and pool. Are they not sports?
Response: Um, well, yes. Because they involve different kind of shots with different uses of spin played all around the table. Darts is just aiming at a target.
Tom: Ah, you mean like archery – that Olympic sport.
Response: ….
Let us be honest, people who refuse to accept darts as a sport, do so not on any legitimate sporting grounds, but rather because they so vehemently dislike the culture. Played out in arenas that echo with the alcohol-induced chanting of the crowd, televised darts may present an unsightly scene for the more dignified sports viewer. However, it is with blinding presumption that so many fall into the fallacy of believing that just because the crowd behave in a somewhat provincial manner, the professionals should be judged by the same standards. For some it is the jocularity of the walk-ons, for others the garishly coloured shirts and for the rest perhaps it is the sheer corpulence of some of the competitors, but whatever the reason, there are pre-conceived notions of the darts player as a beer swilling indolent chancer. Nothing could be further from the truth.
World number one, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, has explained how he spends on average, four hours a day on the practice board, and in the build up to major tournaments as many as six. Similar work ethics can be found amongst all of the world’s top players, and for some even this is not enough. Second ranked player in the world James Wade and 2010 World Championship semi-finalist Mark Webster both retain part-time employment as mechanics and plumbers respectively. Wade (winner of six major PDC titles) is in all likelihood a multi-millionaire from his darts earnings alone. Indeed, his decision to retain his manual work in spite of his wealth is testament to the hard working nature which embodies the professional darts player. It may be all fun and games during the walk-on, but the moment the players step up to the oche, concentration is paramount, and the skill becomes evident.
For the longest time, darts lay only on the periphery of the British sports scene, receiving little air play. However, in the last six or seven years, its popularity has positively snow-balled; most people will be surprised to learn that in 2009, darts was second only to football in terms of viewing figures on the Sky Sports channels. Winners of any of the major televised events now stand to win at least £100,000 – just reward, some will argue after years of paltry earnings. There also appears to be recognition for the sport on a national scale, as after years of inexplicable omission, Phil Taylor has found himself with nominations for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in the previous few years; 2010 included. 
The Christmas and New Year period also signifies the merriest moment in the darting calendar: The World Championship. I would implore any sceptics of the sport to give it more than cursory glance over the coming weeks, because you’ll surely be rewarded with entertainment of the highest order. It guarantees to provide drama, suspense and enthralling match ups, all relayed to us by the iconic commentary voice of Sid ‘this lad has more checkouts than Tescos’ Waddell. In any case, you don’t have to take my word for it; self-confessed darting fanatics include Andrew Flintoff, Steven Gerrard and even the more cerebral individual, Stephen Fry. So if you still don’t think darts is a sport…. I suppose you can just, fuck off.
A Sporting Thought 