Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
Jimmy White was the Ronnie O'Sullivan equivalent back then I suppose.

Back in those days, snooker was able to offer live sport for something like fifteen hours a day to a country not used to such a thing - it was the right game at the right time. Darts gained popularity at the same time for the same reason, but, after a few years it's popularity began to decline and it was very much second best to snooker for a long time.

Although I just don't get the attraction of modern darts myself and very rarely watch it, the game has done really well to overcome that decline it suffered and has emerged stronger in a way snooker hasn't been able to match. Others on here would know better than me, but it seems that darts has become more popular than snooker mainly because of the personalities of some of the players and the fact that the crowd seem to be having such a good time - in some ways the darts itself is incidental.

On the other hand, snooker takes itself seriously and wants to be seen as a "proper" sport in a way that darts perhaps doesn't and it suffers for this in a way that darts doesn't in this age of wall to wall live sports coverage. Back in the eighties, I'd be up till 2 in the morning watching Terry Griffiths v Cliff Thorburn like the rest of the country appeared to be, but now I just pop into televised snooker to watch a frame or two every now and again - I still prefer snooker to darts, but it's far from being a must watch at this time of year.
The darts decline was in part due to the BDO, which is why its top players left en masse to form what has become the PDC. The best players wanted more TV tournaments but the BDO wouldn't oblige. Similar nearly happened with World Snooker. No doubt the PDC's biggest moment was when Barney swapped sides and now the BDO is a feeder organisation for the PDC.

No doubts that one of the reasons for the success of the PDC is due to having a good time. For years at the Lakeside, people would dress up in silly costumes. I've been to several World Championships, exhibitions and the like and love going. The PDC World Championship has been nominated in the 2017 Sports Business Awards for Best Matchday or game experience (going to watch Cardiff City has also been nominated along with 5 other events). The viewing figures for the World Final make it the second most watched sport on Sky.

I like the tension of darts. I'm not sure there are lots of characters in darts, in some ways it is becoming like snooker where younger players coming through are focused professionally on the game. Some of snooker's great characters have been that mainly through the way they play. White and O'Sullivan have been mentioned for obvious reasons, they are two very attacking players who make the game exciting. I don't think darts players can be described as attacking or defensive! Some throw quicker than others, sadly I've heard of at least one player who is a very slow thrower getting abuse for it. Darts is certainly more gladiatorial.