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Early January is a very important time of year for me. Christmas is gone, New Year was an anticlimax as ever and the winter is showing no signs of ending. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. A circular light at the end of a dark, crowded room full of eager and drunken fans. For 10 days, my TV screen was graced with the most entertaining and undervalued sport around: the BDO World Darts Championship.
Now, you may already be reaching for the X button; most people tend to switch off when I utter the word 'darts'. Something about the combination of often overweight, middle-aged men standing on a stage throwing pieces of metal at a board doesn’t always seem to inspire enthusiasm. But the stereotypes that surround the game of darts don’t do justice to what is really a brilliantly entertaining and highly skilled sport.
There are so many features about darts that the doubter fails to appreciate. For example, in my opinion, the sense of sportsmanship in the game is like no other. In no other sport will you find a defeated opponent cheering on his rival in his next game in quite the same way, or congratulating an opponent on a brilliant round of darts whilst the match is still in full swing. Despite the somewhat unathletic appearance of many of the veteran players, the sport still requires a great deal of patience and skill. Years and years of practice make it possible to hit such a small target. I myself have tried to play on many occasions, with little practice, and have generally only succeeded in getting shots I don’t want and dotting my Dad’s wall with holes. So despite the pot-bellies and interesting polo shirts, the players really are trained and accomplished sportspeople.
And it’s not only men that play darts. Yes, the men’s game is more popular, but the women show just as much skill and determination on their side of the stage. Perhaps the most successful darts player in the BDO World circuit is Trina Gulliver, winner of a record nine world championships. Despite the dominance of the male game, the women invest as much practice and passion into the sport. Their shirts tend to be a bit less ‘out there’ as well, which is beneficial for the crowd’s eyes. And this crowd of fans is like no other; both full of enthusiasm and totally chilled out. There is no angry shouting or swearing at a darts match, just enjoyment and sportsmanship whoever wins. It’s a far cry from games like football, where violent tempers are often a feature of the crowds. In darts, passion is channelled into the appreciation of success rather than the furious lamenting of failure.
There is something brilliantly sociable about darts. Most of the players started out in pubs with their friends, and the game continues to have that relaxed mentality. During the BDO championships there is even a tournament for amateur players, where the winner receives a trophy on the same stage, in front of the same crowd as players he has watched his whole life. At the practice boards in the bar, novices throw darts alongside the professionals. Although it may not have the grandeur of sports like football or cricket, darts has its own tradition, and it is one that every level of player or viewer can enjoy. Snobbery and arrogance have no place in darts. The few players that ever show signs of condescension on the stage get a resounding boo from the crowd, perhaps the only sign of negativity you will get in the game.
You might be wondering why I bothered to write all this, especially in a section that isn't the sports section. It might even seem a bit odd that someone could get so excited about darts. But it isn’t just the game that is important to me; it is the way people see it. The vast majority of people who I’ve spoken to about darts have laughed at me. Some have even been pretty rude. I have found myself sending myself up, trying not to look stupid as people form their opinions.
It’s a real shame, not just for darts, but for people in general, that they can’t open their minds to the possibility that there can be enjoyment in so many different things. For me, there is enjoyment in watching a crowd of happily drunken fans, in dazzlingly bright polo shirts and daft nicknames - and in enjoying sport for what it is: fun. It may not be about to turn the world upside down, but there’s no pretence in darts. And that’s why I love it.
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