[ad_1]
Alexandra Palace, London
CNN
—
Five men in glittering suits walk behind a group of Ghostbusters. This is a sure sign that the World Darts Championship is in full swing.
This one-of-a-kind annual sporting spectacle, held at historic Alexandra Palace in north London, offers the often heady and always bizarre experience of watching the world’s best darts players battle it out. It attracts thousands of people. Sid Waddell Trophy.
This tournament, held between Christmas and New Year’s, has a unique atmosphere. At this event, alcohol is measured in pitchers rather than pints, and audience participation is welcomed, much like a pantomime where fans can have a few hours at their disposal.
This year, the event is gaining even more attention thanks to the historic performance of the sport’s new superstar, Luke Littler.
The 16-year-old was virtually unknown before making his debut at this year’s championships, but he captured the public imagination by becoming the youngest player to reach the finals of the tournament.
The teenager, fresh out of school, has since become a figurehead at this year’s competition, once again bringing plenty of drama.
To fully appreciate this annual extravaganza of darts, it’s best to embrace the art of costume.
Audience members dress up in the most outlandish costumes imaginable. This tradition causes confusion as ticket holders gather at the entrance.
On any given day, you’ll see two Power Rangers chatting with a group of Minions, or a man dressed head-to-toe as a dartboard taking photos of a herd of human-sized furry animals. You can see Superman struggling to pull the dart. Create an electronic ticket on your mobile phone.
The choice of attire reflects the carnival atmosphere that draws thousands of people to one of London’s most treasured entertainment venues each year.
Opened 150 years ago and offering stunning panoramic views over London, Alexandra Palace now hosts a variety of cultural events including live music, fireworks displays and theatrical performances.
The imposing Victorian building perched on top of a hill in north London has become synonymous with darts over the past 16 years, with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Jay Z having played there. If soccer has Wembley Stadium and tennis has Wimbledon, darts has Ally Pally.
The neon green branding of the tournament’s main sponsor unapologetically obscures the huge murals that have graced the palace’s grand hallways for years, and the vast halls where banquets were once held are far less expensive. The always cheerful fast food restaurant serves greasy food.
“It’s a great atmosphere and a chance to get drunk. It’s like a non-hostile football game,” Richard Sampson, a fan dressed as Ghostbuster, told CNN Sports, adding that he and his partner and their friends will be attending. I reflected on the reasons for my choice.
“You’re not supporting anyone. You’re just cheering when something good happens. Sports is secondary.”
Darts disciples, who make the annual pilgrimage to the sport’s nirvana, need little encouragement to enjoy themselves, with a sense of euphoria that begins on the steps outside the entrance and continues all the way to the stage in the palace’s West Hall. .
Fans watch the pulsating action on the edge of their seats, belting out various chants, tension etched across their faces, coiled to celebrate absolutely anything and everything.
Darts, which was popular in British pubs during the 19th and 20th centuries, was a popular game given that players did not always have the best athletic ability and historically drank and smoked during professional matches. Some question whether it can be considered a true sport.
But that tired stereotype stands in stark contrast to the unparalleled theater that a day of World Championship darts provides. The players remain relentlessly accurate even under the most incredible pressure, resulting in some epic battles that have boosted the sport’s popularity in recent years.
The winner of this year’s World Championship will not only take home the Sid Waddell Trophy, named after the late broadcaster who became known as the ‘Voice of Darts’, but also win £2.5 million ($3.16) They will also take home their share. million) prize purse.
This considerable amount is also the result of television interest. Sky Sports signed him a seven-year contract to broadcast darts matches on a dedicated channel in 2017.
“Sky Sports’ support has been an integral part of the success of the sport since PDC was established almost 25 years ago,” said Barry Hearn, then chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and now chairman of the organization. he said when the broadcast deal was announced. .
This year saw record viewership numbers as interest in Littler brought new audiences to the sport, Sky said.
For example, Littler’s victory over Brendan Dolan was the most watched quarter-final in the tournament’s history on Sky Sports, peaking at 1.4 million viewers.
The show begins when players enter the arena to the music of their choice, with crowd-pleasing songs adding to the excitement of already inebriated fans.
For that brief moment, the players become rock stars akin to David Bowie or Prince, holding the audience in the palm of their hands.
As the match begins, the cheers from the crowd are interrupted by the metronome sound of darts hitting the target.
The biggest cheer is reserved for when a player achieves the highest score of 180, which signals the crowd to throw beer into the air.
The noise never seems to abate, gradually getting louder as the afternoon crowd gives way to a decidedly more upbeat evening session.
“If you love darts, stand up” is the motto for each session.
“I don’t know anything about darts, but everyone is so friendly,” Tracy Dixon-Smith, who attended her first darts tournament wearing a bright green wig, told CNN Sports.
“It took me a while to get back from the bathroom because I was dancing with everyone I met. It was so much fun, it was just a party.”
little wonderland
While the fans are dancing, the players are focused on the sport. Some try to block out the noise, while others help coordinate the chants and harness the crowd’s energy to improve their own performance.
“Walking out here today, I got goosebumps thinking about being able to play on that stage again,” Littler, the sport’s new hero, told CNN Sports ahead of the third round.
The breakthrough star stunned the world by defeating opponents with decades of experience and bulldozing his way to the final four.
Since bursting onto the world stage following an impressive junior career, Littler’s popularity has skyrocketed and he now boasts tens of thousands more social media followers than ever before.
His love of celebrating victories by eating kebabs has been well documented by the global media that has jumped on the Littler bandwagon.
His fast-paced introduction to life as a professional darts player has already caused controversy, and the youngster felt the need to apologize after posing with a photo for Britain’s red newspaper.
But the Xbox-loving teenager hasn’t let the hectic past few weeks affect his darts, and his on-stage performance shows remarkable maturity.
Asked how he deals with crowd pressure, he added: “I love it.”
“People are drinking beer and screaming, it’s crazy. It’s hard to concentrate, they’re chanting your name, but you have to get it out of your head and concentrate somehow .”
Littler, who defeated former world champion Rob Cross 6-2 in the semifinals on Tuesday, is now one win away from the title. He will face either Luke Humphries or Scott Williams in Wednesday’s final.
Perhaps few events can match the combination of the most theatrical sports drama imaginable and an outburst of collective stupidity at Alexandra Palace.
The fans, many of them drunk, leave exhausted from the day’s fatigue, eager to return to this corner of London and witness a sporting event like no other.
At the end of the night, when everyone has danced to the nearest watering hole, the grand old Alexandra Palace stands silent after yet another relentless activity. However, the only thing that reminds me of the horde that was making a fuss is the discarded costume items. Historical footprints are scattered throughout.
[ad_2]
Source link
