Luke Littler’s historic World Darts Championship win has sparked a surge in young people taking up the sport across Liverpool and Merseyside.
The Warrington teen’s impressive defeat of former world champion Gian van Veen, cemented his place at the very top of professional darts, becoming the first man in a decade to win the World Darts Championships back-to-back.
Since the 18-year-old’s rise to the top of the game, darts clubs and academies in the region have reported a sharp increase in children and teens wanting to play, with several new youth sessions and clubs being set up to meet demand.
One of the most striking examples of the ‘Littler effect’ can be seen at Ellesmere Port Darts Academy, where sessions now have waiting lists, just 18 months after opening.
Owner and head coach, Danny Haldon, says interest has surged since Littler’s World Championship run.
He told Mersey News Live: “There’s been a big influx in the number of people wanting to play darts. We’ve got 11 boards operating, with over 100 kids turning up on a Monday and Tuesday, and they all seem to enjoy it. So, that’s the biggest motivation to keep going.”
Mr Haldon added that the scale of growth is becoming impossible to ignore, with new pathways and competitions expanding worldwide.
He said: “Globally, there’s tournaments all the time all over the world. I think it’s getting there, you can just see by the amount of clubs opening up now that it is getting bigger and bigger all of the time.”
One young player said Luke Littler’s success has made darts more accessible than ever.
Oscar H, who is a player at Ellesmere Port Darts Academy, said: “I was never really into darts before Luke Littler, but since him, I’ve just been into the darts. He’s a great inspiration.”
With more regional youth leagues, coaching programmes and competitions emerging, Merseyside could now be on track to produce the next wave of stars – all inspired by one of their own.
