The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Darts Championship has approximately generated $4.57m in sponsorships, according to GlobalData, a data and analytics company.
In terms of the largest commercial agreement, Paddy Power’s title sponsorship of the tournament is worth an estimated $1.5m per year – a three-year agreement that is set to end after next year’s tournament.
Other sponsorship agreements include darts equipment manufacturer Winmau ($750,000), beer company Foster’s ($750,000), tyre manufacturer Falken ($50,000), Village Hotels ($45,000), Panini ($40,000) and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey ($22,000).
Tom Subak-Sharpe, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, commented: “The PDC in 2024 was successful in agreeing to four new commercial deals with brands willing to partner with this year’s world championship.
“With the help of Luke Littler, darts is going from strength to strength, with more brands becoming intrigued into becoming associated with some of the sport’s biggest events, including its most prestigious competition, the World Darts Championship.”
As noted by Subak-Sharpe, teenage sensation Littler has played a crucial role in attracting commercial agreements with the competition.
After finishing in second place at last year’s world championships, which saw him burst onto the scene, Luke Littler was crowned champion this year. The combination of his age, skill and personality has seen him become a fan favourite and attracted a mainstream audience to the sport.
Looking to uncover the secrets of Littler’s rise, Insider Sport spoke with Target Darts Managing Director James Tattersall, who revealed how the darts manufacturer nurtured him from the age of 12 to where he is today.
In addition to being a catalyst for darts as a whole, Littler has also reaped the sponsorship benefits of his charismatic personality. Leading up to the tournament, Littler signed agreements with Xbox and KP Nuts.
Broadcasting success
Sky Sports viewership for this year’s World Darts Championship final averaged 2.7 million, with a peak audience reaching 3.1 million. While this is lower than last year, these statistics are still higher than any other non-football audience in the past 12 months.
Before the competition, there were discussions about who would secure the next broadcast contract, which was set to expire in 2026.
While traditionally Sky Sports has become the usual home for the PDC World Darts Championship, industry commentators were throwing new unexpected names into the mix. This situation gained extra traction after PDC Chairman Barry Hearn called for Sky to “up the ante”.
Sky ended up answering these calls, signing an extension with the PDC for an additional five years. According to The Telegraph, the partnership is worth approximately £125m.
Commenting on the viewership, Subak-Sharpe said: “The fundamental reason for such strong viewership numbers is the pull that teenager Luke Littler has for the UK public. Littler remains one of the sought after sports stars in the UK, with the public eager to witness his journey to dominate the sport.
“The biggest event in darts continues to establish a very strong commercial footprint, as new brands have been added to the portfolio of the event. With darts growing in popularity across many countries, viewership of the World Darts Championship should remain positive for many years to come.”