Luke Littler heads into the 2026 PDC World Championship as the reigning champion and now under Target Darts’ management, with CEO James Tattersall outlining how the brand plans to balance performance, commercial growth and mainstream reach
Luke Littler is entering the 2026 PDC World Championships not only as the defending champion, but under new management with Target Darts.
Littler’s trajectory continues to rise, with commercial partnerships reaching audiences to where “traditional sponsorships can’t”.
One year on from a previous conversation with Insider Sport, James Tattersall, CEO of Target Darts, speaks on how they became Littler’s management team this year, how they are continually looking for new avenues to grow not only Littler’s stock in darts, but also their own, such as the “genuinely transformative” Star Wars collaboration.
Tattersall also speaks on the potential of 21-year-old female darts player Beau Greaves and if she can have a similar breakthrough moment Littler experienced in 2023/24.
Firstly James, Target Darts has increased its roster this year by adding the likes of Josh Rock and Beau Greaves. What qualities did both players possess that made them the right fit for Target, and vice versa?
James Tattersall: Josh and Beau are two of the most exciting prospects in world darts, and from the outset it was clear they embodied the qualities we look for in Target athletes: talent, ambition and a genuine hunger to push the sport forward.
Beau is already the most naturally gifted female player the game has ever seen, despite being just 21. Her composure, consistency and ceiling are extraordinary. Josh arrived on the scene with an explosive impact and has all the attributes of a future major champion. In both cases, the alignment was obvious: they’re players with world-class potential, and we’re a brand built around helping elite talent maximise that potential.
Just as importantly, the cultural fit was perfect. They’re grounded, hard-working individuals with the right attitude, and that’s something we value just as highly as performance. The partnership works both ways: we believe we can help elevate their careers, and in turn they help elevate the sport.
Do you anticipate Greaves to have a similar breakout performance at the upcoming PDC World Championships like Littler in 2024 and could this see new opportunities amongst female viewership?
James Tattersall: Beau absolutely has the ability to make a deep run, her talent is undeniable. But the field this year is incredibly competitive, and unlike Luke two years ago, she’s already had significant mainstream attention, which naturally brings added pressure.
She’s still so young, so whatever she achieves at this year’s event is another step in a long-term journey rather than a make-or-break moment. But if she plays to her capability, she is more than capable of producing something special.
A strong showing from Beau would certainly attract enormous media interest, and that would be hugely positive for the women’s game. She’s an inspiration to young players everywhere, and success on the biggest stage would only accelerate the growth of the female fanbase and participation levels.
Target is also now the official management team for Luke Littler. How does this deal transpire and are there any sponsorship/marketing opportunities you are planning ahead of the World Championships?
James Tattersall: We stepped in to support Luke and his family after he parted ways with his previous management team. We’ve worked with him since he was 12, have built strong relationships over many years, and understand both Luke the player and Luke the person; so, it was a natural progression for us to take on a more active role.
Our priority is always Luke’s development and wellbeing, and that guides every commercial decision. His existing partners will be activating throughout the World Championships, and we’re coordinating closely to ensure everything supports Luke’s performance first and foremost. His platform continues to grow at a phenomenal rate, so there are exciting opportunities ahead, but they’re all approached with the long-term in mind.
With Littler’s popularity only continuing to rise with multiple tournament victories this year, how are Target looking to maximise this in line with his surging popularity?
James Tattersall: Luke’s rise has been extraordinary, not just for darts but for sport in general. For us, the priority is to support Luke in a way that protects his long-term development while also helping bring new fans into the sport.
From a commercial perspective, Luke has helped accelerate the mainstream visibility of darts – he’s reaching audiences traditional sponsorships can’t. With our range of Littler products, we’ve been able to expand into retailers that have never before considered darts, such as Smyths Toys & TG Jones (WH Smiths). Off the back of Littler’s partnership with Xbox, we’ve now launched our own range of licensed products.
We are continually pushing new opportunities through Luke’s popularity, but ultimately, our role is to help Luke be the best player he can be. When he succeeds, the sport succeeds, and we follow that philosophy in every decision we make.
Could you speak on how successful and important it was for Target Darts to land the Star Wars merchandise deal in order to grow the brand and increase your exposure to new audiences?
James Tattersall: The Star Wars partnership has been genuinely transformative. It’s one of the most globally recognised franchises in entertainment, and to bring such a powerful IP into darts for the first time is a major statement of intent.
For Target, the goal was twofold:
- Redefine what a darts product can be
- Expand the sport’s reach well beyond its traditional base.
The response has far exceeded expectations. We saw huge engagement from collectors, casual fans, and entire audiences who may never have considered darts before. It demonstrated that the category can stretch into lifestyle, gifting and mainstream retail in a way few would have believed even two years ago.
It also shows potential partners that darts is now culturally relevant, not niche, and that Target is the brand capable of delivering innovation at that level.
We’ve seen Target Darts expand its sponsorship strategy this year by sponsoring Dartford FC and the WDF World Championships. Was this one of the key areas the company was looking to scale this year and what makes the right sponsoring partner for Target Darts?
James Tattersall: Yes, expanding our sponsorship strategy has been a deliberate focus this year. We want to build brand presence in ways that elevate darts as a whole, not simply advertise within it.
Dartford FC and the WDF World Championships both represent communities with authenticity, passion and a genuine crossover with darts audiences. For us, the right partner is one that shares our belief in accessibility, grassroots development and inspiring new people to pick up a set of darts.
We’re not interested in sponsorship purely for logo placement. We look for partners where we can add value, activate meaningfully and help grow their ecosystem while strengthening ours. When that alignment is right, the impact is far greater than any traditional marketing channel.
For Darts as a whole, what opportunities do you and Target see commercially where the sport can continue to expand and grow?
James Tattersall: The biggest opportunities now sit in digital transformation and improved player pathways. Darts has traditionally been a very analogue sport, but technology is unlocking an entirely new ecosystem and crucially, darts is the only sport you can play over the internet without fundamentally changing the game. That gives it a unique advantage in terms of scalability and global reach.
Connected play is at the heart of this. Products like our Omni Auto Scoring System are turning home setups into smart, data-driven environments where players can track performance, compete globally and engage with the sport in ways that simply didn’t exist five years ago. This digital layer dramatically expands participation and resonates with younger audiences who expect technology to enhance every experience.
Secondly, there is immense potential in supporting the next generation. The rise of players like Luke has inspired a wave of juniors and semi-pros looking for structured pathways. Through programmes like Elite1 and our broader Academy initiatives, we’re investing in tools, coaching structures and community platforms that help aspiring players progress. As the talent pool grows, the sport becomes more competitive, more entertaining and commercially stronger.
When you combine digital innovation with a robust development pathway, you build a sustainable growth engine for the sport, and that’s exactly where Target is focused.
Lastly James, the World Championships are the flagship annual event for darts. What do Target have in store for all the players on its roster as well as other promotional campaigns?
James Tattersall: The World Championships are the moment the entire sport comes into focus, and we treat it as our biggest brand platform of the year. For our players, that means full performance support to help them shine on the biggest stage.
From a brand perspective, we’re launching our most ambitious campaign yet – a combination of major TV presence, multi-market digital activation and retailer programmes designed to capture the huge spike in interest around the tournament. It’s a chance for us to celebrate our players, showcase our innovation and reach new fans at the height of the season.
