Darts Is A Pro Sport?

Growing up, I always thought that darts was a game played in the basement or garage—something fun to do on a rainy day or later in the evening. It fit in with games like crokinole: more active than a board game, testing your dexterity, but never really requiring you to exert yourself. As I approached my university years, darts developed into more of a social activity. We'd have a couple of beers, throw some darts, listen to music, and have a laugh. Despite this, I never really saw anyone playing darts in a pub or public place until I was well into my 30s.

Discovering Darts as a Sport

I had never considered darts a sport. I played hockey and soccer in organized leagues, baseball with friends, and football on the high school team. These were the sports I was familiar with, and I'd watch them on TV all the time. I vaguely recall watching a match featuring a young James Wade, but darts wasn't regularly on TV in Canada, as far as I knew.

Even after playing in a darts league for years, I had no clue about the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) or pro darts players until I stumbled into my local pub, McMurphy's, over the Christmas holidays. The boys, most of whom had come to Canada from Ireland, were gathered around, watching the world championships, hanging on every throw with greater anticipation than I might have if the Toronto Maple Leafs had the puck on a power play in a playoff game.

Becoming a Darts Fan

This scene repeated itself the following year. In the interim, I didn't pay much attention, but I began to recognize many of the players. My friends explained how the players qualify, equating it in my mind to a regular season leading to playoffs in sports I was familiar with. I was hooked.

In 2020, when the world came to a halt, I started watching YouTube videos of classic matches featuring legends like Phil Taylor, Eric Bristow, and Adrian Lewis. I discovered I could watch extended highlights of matches that took place that day, just hours after the live event. I became a fan of Michael Smith, so much so that my partner got me a Bully Boy surround as a Christmas gift. More recently, I almost gave up the sport after watching the young prodigy Luke Littler and seeing how incredibly talented he is. It is both astonishing and somewhat demoralizing at the same time. I'm thrilled to witness the ascension of Luke Humphries to world number one.

Darts in My Life Today

Hockey remains my favorite sport to watch—it's in my blood as a lifelong Maple Leafs fan. However, now that I'm in my 50s and no longer play hockey, darts has taken up a significant place in my life. It's now my second favorite sport to watch, and I see myself continuing to play for many years to come.