LITTLER GOES LARGE
Sky Sports signs biggest TV deal in darts history as ‘Luke Littler effect’ leads to record viewing figures
Deal is believed to be worth double the previous agreement
SKY SPORTS have signed the biggest TV deal in darts – and it is all down to the "Luke Littler effect".
The subscription channel has agreed a new five-year contract with the Professional Darts Corporation to showcase six majors annually between 2025-2030.
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Starting in December, the agreement will cover the PDC World Darts Championship at Ally Pally, the 17-week Premier League road show, the World Cup of Darts, the World Matchplay in Blackpool, the World Grand Prix in Leicester and the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
Last month, the Telegraph reported that Sky had beaten Netflix to a £125million deal – worth £25million per year, more than double its existing rights fee in recognition of the growth in darts viewing figures.
SunSport has put those figures to Sky and the PDC but both declined to comment.
Sky have broadcast the sport since December 1993 when the PDC (formerly the World Darts Council) set up a rival world championship following a bitter legal battle and split from the now-defunct British Darts Organisation (BDO).
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What strengthened the hand of the PDC in the negotiations this time was the incredible emergence and nationwide interest in Littler over the past 14 months.
When he reached the World Darts Championship final on his debut in January 2024, aged just 16, it captured the imagination of the sporting public.
A record non-football Sky Sports/Now TV audience of 4.8million tuned in as Littler was beaten 7-4 by Luke Humphries in the finale to the flagship event in North London.
Twelve months later, a peak audience of 3.1million tuned in as Littler went one better, smashing Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final to win the £500,000 jackpot.
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Figures throughout 2024 on Sky rose considerably as Littler played on tour for the first time.
Notably, he won the Premier League Darts – he hit a nine-darter in the final win over Humphries – and banked £315,000 in prize money.
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In November, he became Grand Slam champion when he crushed Martin Lukeman 16-3 in the final.
In 2024, Littler came top in Google’s most-searched athletes in the UK, ahead of football superstars Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham as well as Olympic champions Simone Biles and Adam Peaty.
Littler has earned more than £1.5million in prize money since turning professional and brought a much younger audience to the sport.
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