Soham darts ace claims Luke Littler taken game to 'whole new level'
The 17-year-old is gearing up for the PDC World Darts Championship
A Cambridgeshire darts player believes the rise of teenage sensation Luke Littler will help inspire more people to take up the sport.
Littler, 17, caught international headlines when he reached the 2024 Professional Darts Corporation World Darts Championship final in his tournament debut earlier this year, losing to eventual winner Luke Humphries.
That final attracted a record audience of 4.8 million people, Sky's highest viewing figure for a non-football event.
Since then, Littler - who's gone on to win the likes of the Premier League and the Grand Slam of Darts this year - has increased social media interest in the sport, as well as ticket sales and encouraging more people to join junior darts academies.
"I think Luke Littler affecting darts has taken the sport to a whole new level and I think he's the new face of darts and will keep progressing the sport to bigger and better heights," Brett Claydon, a fellow PDC professional, said.
"Littler has definitely changed darts for the better and I think it will only get stronger if he keeps doing well at such a young age."
Son taken up darts thanks to Littler effect
Claydon, of Soham, has recently regained his PDC tour card - which is needed to compete against some of the best darts players in the world - having originally qualified in 2021.
Although Claydon won't be competing for darts' biggest prize at the Championships, which start tonight at the Alexandra Palace in London.
"The Worlds definitely get the younger generation going, meaning my son taking up the sport seriously last year after watching Luke Littler there," he added.
"The Worlds can affect local players who don't really watch darts at any other time to pick up their darts and give it a go."
Unlike last year's tournament, Littler won't feature until the second round when he faces either Ryan Meikle or Fallon Sherrock.