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https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/pdc-world-darts-championship-2024-luke-humphries-littler-sky-sports/#:~:text=Luke%20Humphries'%20win%20over%2016,consumer%20(DTC)%20streaming%20service. PDC World Darts Championship final hits record peak audience of 3.71m on Sky Sports Final between Luke Humphries and Luke Littler pulls in 4.8m people, Sky’s most-watched darts event ever. Peak audience was up 143% on last year’s final Sky Sports’ social channels clocked up 27.6m video views Final was most-watched non-soccer sports event ever on Sky and Now A peak audience of 3.71 million watched the final of the 2024 Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Darts Championship on Sky Sports, making it the highest ever non-soccer audience on record for the UK pay-TV broadcaster. Luke Humphries’ win over 16-year-old sensation Luke Littler at Alexandra Palace on 3rd January pulled in a total audience of 4.8 million people, making it the most-watched darts event ever on Sky and its Now direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service. The peak audience was a 143 per cent increase on the 2023 final when Michael Smith beat Michael van Gerwen. The huge increase can be explained by Littler’s surprise run to the final, which broke several viewership records in earlier rounds. Littler’s win against Brendan Dolan was the most watched quarter-final of the PDC World Darts Championship ever on Sky Sports, with a peak of 1.4 million. His semi-final victory over Rob Cross averaged 1.79 million viewers and had a peak of 2.32 million viewers. In comparison, the viewing peak was up 165 per cent on the 2023 semi-final and up 106 per cent on the previous semi-final record in December 2017. It was also up 40 per cent compared to the previous overall record of 1.65 million for the final in January 2015. With the UK gripped by darts fever, Sky Sports’ social channels clocked up 27.6 million World Darts Championship final video views on the night of the event. The Sky Sports Darts account on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, saw 149.1 million impressions across the whole tournament and 9.9 million video views of content around the final alone. In contrast, there were 16.5 million video views for all of the 2023 tournament. Instagram racked up 11.8 million video views and there was a 10.2 million total reach on Facebook. The Sky Sports website and app also saw 2.44 million follow the live blog, up 307 per cent compared to last year’s final’s 648,000. “Even more of the nation have fallen in love with the darts over the last few weeks and as a long-term partner of the PDC, we are thrilled that this most entertaining of sports is in the spotlight,” said Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports managing director. “Over 4.8 million people tuned in to watch the remarkable final last night, making it the most watched non-football sports event ever on Sky and Now. Our congratulations to both Lukes and to all the players who contributed to such a memorable World Championship. We can’t wait for the Premier League event to get started in February.” Matt Porter, chief executive of the PDC, added: “This year’s World Championship was record-breaking on every level and it’s fitting that its final reached the biggest audience in the history of the PDC and Sky darts. The two Lukes delivered an amazing contest that kept us all on the edge of our seats and finished off a thrilling and dramatic tournament in memorable fashion. “The World Darts Championship is a staple part of Christmas viewing, delivering drama and suspense with every match and it sets up perfectly what is sure to be a phenomenal year for darts.” SportsPro says… The PDC World Darts Championship is a highlight of the festive sporting schedule in the UK and has produced several water cooler moments over the years – see last year’s nine-darter in the final – but these viewing figures are unprecedented for Sky. For context, the final’s audience was larger than the broadcaster’s coverage of last year’s Ryder Cup and eclipsed daily action from the men’s 2023 Ashes. The semi-final’s peak viewing was also in line with Sky’s live coverage of the Premier League, Carabao Cup finals and Championship playoffs. Such was the excitement ahead of the darts final, there were calls to make it available for free, though Sky reportedly received no offers from free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters. Of course, the driving force behind all this has been Littler, who’s stunning run to the final captured the public’s imagination. Eager to capitalise on his appeal, the PDC has rewarded Littler a spot in this season’s Premier League Darts, which recently announced BetMGM as its new title sponsor. Attention will now turn to what Littler, Sky and the PDC do next to ride this wave of interest. For Littler, further press attention and riches surely await. Sky, meanwhile, has announced a new access-all-areas premium documentary series, ‘Darts’, which will follow PDC players beyond the oche and debut later this year. |
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TLDR
ffs army ![]() |
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I've come to the conclusion this market is priced up on Athletics v Darts and not Luke v Keely.
History says Athletics wins every time, the market gives no credit for what a kid has achieved against grown men in his field. I'm not even sure it will matter if Luke wins another TV title or major, breaks the record for 9 darters by getting one more. For me what he has already achieved this year at his age on debut is quite incredible. His backers will have to wait for the documentary when we will see Luke surrounded by family and friends, get to know his personality. The other side to him away from the business side we've seen. Then i think the market will react to whats being shown. Voting attitudes in recent times have changed dramatically concerning SPOTY, its gone from a upper/middle class award show where premium sports like tennis, athletics and F1 where the older viewers held court over there favourites to a bogged down RTV event. Dare i say it will be dragged down again this year with arrival of Luke, yes i do believe it will. The last time the lower classes got involved in a serious vote was brexit, ya council estate lot. Where the vote turnout % went skywards. That was lovely touch i recall on that market. Well that is exactly what Luke will bring to the table, mass voting from the poorest of our society who enjoy nothing but going to there local pub and throwing some free arrows. The market factors none of this into there calculations coz it lives in the past and only something as big as Luke can break it apart, which it will. I'm also expecting kids as young as 8/9+ to also vote en masse which will be the 1st time in the history of this award it will happen, as in this day and age most kids this young all have smart phones passed down from there parents. Any who don't will simply pester mum and dad to vote for Luke anyway. This age bracket he fishes alone and it will prove to be substantial imo |
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ITV4 Wednesday 7pm
Sports stars Championship fishing |
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https://www.sportsstarsfishing.co.uk/Competitors Anyone think Barry Hearn had a hand in Luke's involvement ![]() |
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Thanks bear
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In the run up to the world championships, you gotta think Sky Sports will want Luke making as many public appearances and doing as much TV work as possible to achieve maximum hype for there premium event
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This thread has massively affected the market
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Anyway, thought you were a Finucane backer army
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Off out stu, word of mouth takes a little time...off to spread the word a little more, bit by bit but now the money is down its being spread all over the country.
As i said be patient |
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got over 3 months yet, the reach will be far and wide by then
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90%+ of general population don't even realise there is market, that will change don't worry about that
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Are you his mum?
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He's everyone's mum....if he's backing/ramping them
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Hardest job is getting him nominated.
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Gb's thread 8.4 to 6.4 :)
Army's thread 6.4 to 6.6 :( |
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lol
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"Broke record for highest average for a debutant at the world darts championship with a 106.12"
...if you come across any, that's the stat you should use on any general public doubters ![]() |
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when he makes the list and the polls have him over 50% the market will act accordingly, can't help a dumb market pricing his chances on his sport and not the person.
The Documentary should see a drop, we shall have to wait and see |
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The objective was to get on before the trailers start airing, now we wait
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Drifted to 7.0
Should have been the Lando Lamborghini instead looking at market. |
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Lando no concern to me stu, same as Keely isn't. This market thrives on athletics and motor racing, tennis etc its a generational thing. The market fails to realise we've entered a new generation of kids with phones and there hero is Luke.
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Has Keely changed Athletics ? NO
Will Lando change Formula 1 if he wins ? Probably not Has Luke changed Darts ? YES I guess the market is worried over his nomination, i think the Hearns will do there best to get him on |
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Regarding Luke's price, i only posted stuff that's been available online all year..at least its now available to see in one place. The early backers would of known about his achievements to date.
As nice as another major would be with another 9 darter to break even more records, i don't think either or both would have much impact at all on his price from here. Especially as Lando has now entered the equation, which imo is more a danger to Keely finishing 2nd if he does win the title. I'll have a little look at Lando later on today, as the petrol heads always turn up. Back to Luke's price, only 2 things can seriously contract his price from here as darts according to SPOTY is not a sport, oh i guess his inclusion in the shortlist worries some so maybe holding his price up a bit. Not sure if the bbc worry about rating's ? you'd like to think every program does as its what we've been led to believe. So his inclusion would surely see a substantial increase in viewers if selected, whereas being snubbed could have a very adverse affect on viewers. With many disgusted and boycotting proceeding's. What airs on the documentary and the media stories afterwards gives backers the best hope of a sudden drop in price but the biggest drop will be when we start seeing the polls appear, I'll be shocked if he's not leading all reliable polls. So if the documentary bears no fruit, Luke's backers will have to wait for December and decent sized polls to materialise before his price gets the respect it deserves. Not all bad, plenty of time for little top ups. |
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You're neglecting the Finucane ramping army....
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I was planning a massive top 3 bet for her when we actually get a market but as it stands luke wins lando 2nd and your miss hurty let will finish 3rd, poor emma will just miss out. so its now become a watching brief on F1 to see what happens. if his run fails, you will get ya wish. not very patient are you ? one thing is certain your girl does not win the award
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To be fair, it was pretty much pointed out on Page 1 of the official SPOTY thread that Littler was going to be the winner.
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By a landslide duffy, the era of spoty and the era of darts have both changed massively in the last few years. i will post on the latter later on today.
back to emma top 3, i'd still have a punt at 20/1 she might get past keely into 3rd. risk over reward and all that but i'd be far more happy taking 10/1 if lando misses out. can't see a para beating emma, not even hewitt. They just don't attract voters unfortunate for them |
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Good effort Army. However there is perhaps a slight flaw in your reasoning. Under 25’s don’t sit through and vote in stuffy 2 hour BBC sports review shows. They vote in Love Island and BGT….they won’t even know this is on.
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It will be a boring sunday evening Hib, when virtually the whole of the Uk is at home. Darts fever will be at max levels with the championships started earlier on in the day. SM will be going Littler mad, i also believe once he makes the shortlist insta and twitter will go bonkers for him and a campaign is highly to materialise. The hype around him will be vast, he's the golden egg machine. His face will be plastered EVERYWHERE in the run up, that's a guarantee !!!
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highly likely*
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Not forgetting the media and papers all jumping on the bandwagon, with the headline 'Can Luke Littler win it this time' ? probably bleeting out for weeks before hand and most certainly on the morning of the award.
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Just one more thing hib, your right they don't have to sit through 2 hours of anything..all they have to do is vote, im sure there phones will alert them when lines open. they seem to do everything else these days being the 3rd hand. you know beep, oh you've got a message..time to vote
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Don’t get too involved Army. Keely is home and hosed unfortunately for you. BBC will have her up in lights on the day from 8 year old to world best.
Still think Littler will opt for young SPOTY as will definitely be asked. |
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guessing it won't be nommed or want to be nommed and then guessing he won't have a decent VT or get many votes.
lots of guessing hib, i'd rather be positive and guess the opposite to you if thats ok. |
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6/1 or 1/2 mmmmm let me think on that
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if every 6/1 bet i placed was as good as this, i'd be a very rich man and that my friend is all i need to know. its simply value
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If i was a layer of Luke or backer of Keely i'd spend less time worrying about whether he makes the list or not, that is totally out of our hands. I'd be more presently concerned if Luke's weight issues gets brought up in the documentary and if it does, has it upset him. or any future media articles covering this topic, things can only get worse for his layers. the backers have nothing but positives that could improve his chances. From news stories to something amazing happening in a tournament. like two 9 darters in the final of a major and winning it lol ya never know, now that would make a difference. remind me again what the fav is up to for the rest of the year ?
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oh yeah not going to the closing ceremony, while Luke has been attending darts events all over the UK..turning out to see fans and kids, helping the sport grow.
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