Barry Hearn, the 76-year-old president of Matchroom Sport and architect behind the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) rise from niche pub game to global phenomenon, has been vocal about the sport’s unprecedented surge in popularity. In interviews throughout 2024 and 2025, Hearn credits teenage sensation Luke Littler as the catalyst for this “Littler effect,” which has not only shattered viewership records but also inspired a new generation of talent, boosted commercial deals, and positioned darts for mainstream dominance. As the sport prepares for major events like the 2025 World Championship, Hearn’s insights reveal a trajectory that could see darts rival football in audience reach and revenue.
The Littler Effect: From Ally Pally to Global Stardom
Hearn first spotted Littler’s potential when the Warrington prodigy was just seven years old, but even he was stunned by the 16-year-old’s 2024 World Darts Championship run to the final, which drew a record 3.75 million viewers on Sky Sports—the broadcaster’s highest for a non-football event. Littler’s £200,000 runner-up prize was just the start; by 2025, at age 18, he had won the World Championship (£500,000), Premier League (£315,000), World Matchplay (£200,000), and more, amassing over £2 million in prize money and a net worth estimated at £1.5-6 million.
Hearn describes Littler as “the next Tiger Woods for darts,” a “Christmas present” that arrived at the perfect time. “We’ve been watching his progress since he was about seven,” Hearn told BBC Sport in December 2024. “He was on our radar, but we never anticipated what would happen. The next thing we know, Littlermania is spreading everywhere.” Littler’s appeal—his kebab-loving, unassuming personality combined with record-breaking feats like 64 maximum 180s at the 2025 World Matchplay—has brought in a new demographic, particularly younger fans and families, turning darts from “backroom bars into people’s living rooms as a mainstream sport.”
This growth is quantifiable: The 2025 World Championship final peaked at over 3 million viewers, up from previous years, and PDC events now sell out venues like Alexandra Palace in minutes, generating £50 million annually in ticket sales alone. Hearn notes that Littler’s emergence timed perfectly with the end of a seven-year Sky Sports deal, leading to a new five-year contract worth over £125 million—more than triple the previous value. “Life is about timing,” Hearn said. “We had the impetus of Luke Littler the year before, everyone going crazy, and the numbers were far beyond anything we’d hit before.”
Commercial Boom and Global Expansion
Under Hearn’s stewardship since 2001, when Sky paid just £100,000 annually for coverage, darts has evolved into a £50 million-plus industry. Littler’s impact has doubled business for sponsors like Target Darts, with Littler’s deals—the “biggest in darts history”—driving sales of merchandise like hoodies and dart sets. Hearn’s Matchroom empire, which also oversees snooker and boxing, has leveraged this to expand internationally: Events in Bahrain, Australia, and New York’s Madison Square Garden have sold out, with Hearn eyeing the US collegiate system for further growth. “We’re looking to shift a lot more emphasis into America,” he said in May 2024, crediting Littler’s fame for opening doors.
Hearn predicts Littler won’t “monopolize” the sport like Phil Taylor’s 16 world titles era, but will elevate it. “He’s taken darts from a sport to mainstream,” Hearn told Sky Sports in August 2024. The teen’s Forbes 30 Under 30 recognition and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award underscore this, with Littler himself acknowledging, “I have changed the sport of darts.”
A ‘Tsunami of Talent’ Inspired by Littler
Hearn warns that Littler’s success is sparking a “tsunami of talent,” with “dozens of other Luke Littlers” emerging. In May 2025, he revealed watching a 10-year-old average 106 during a tournament, joking, “He had one problem: he couldn’t reach the darts to take him out of the double top!” Hearn, who scouted Littler via the Junior Darts Corporation (starting at age six), credits the sport’s developmental pathways for this boom. “The guys coming through are going to knock your teeth out,” he told Metro in January 2025, urging veterans like Humphries and van Gerwen to “start again” to compete.
This influx is a double-edged sword: Hearn advised Littler to be “careful” with newfound fame, warning of “fake friends” and pressures. “You’re going to find you’ve got a lot of friends now, son. Don’t listen to anybody,” Hearn told him in December 2024. Littler, now a multi-millionaire with sponsorships from Xbox and boohooMAN, has stayed grounded, treating family to lunches and planning modest purchases like a Mercedes A-Class.
Hearn’s Vision: Darts’ Golden Era
Hearn, reflecting on 50 years in sport, calls darts his “number one achievement.” From Phil Taylor’s dominance to Littler’s era, the sport has grown exponentially, with PDC events now rivaling major sports in viewership. Hearn rejects Saudi investments, prioritizing integrity, and eyes a larger Alexandra Palace venue for the World Championship to accommodate demand. “When the good Lord says it’s time to organise heaven a bit better, darts will be my number one,” he quipped.
Littler’s impact, per Hearn, is just the beginning. As the 2025 Premier League playoffs approach, with Littler defending his title, darts is poised for even greater heights—thanks to a teen who turned arrows into a cultural phenomenon.
