Major darts tournaments set to switch channels with free-to-air broadcaster in pole position when ITV deal ends
Barry Hearn made a bold prediciton about the future of darts broadcasting
CHANNEL CROSSING Major darts tournaments set to switch channels with free-to-air broadcaster in pole position when ITV deal ends
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DARTS is set for a shake up with a number of tournaments set to be broadcast by Channel 5.
There will be a switch from ITV when their deal ends after the Players Championship in November.
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The Masters is one event set to be shown on Channel 5
Credit: PA
ITV4 has shown the European Championship, World Series of Darts, Players Championship, UK Open and the Masters since 2008.
But Channel 5 are now close to securing the free-to-air broadcast rights for those tournaments.
Matchroom, which runs the PDC, will take charge of production for all events not shown on Sky Sports.
That means ITV staff, including presenters and commentators, will no longer be present at events from next year, with Matchroom to select the new teams.
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Matchroom chairman Barry Hearn said of the switch: 'We live in a numbers game. ITV4 has been fantastically successful for us in the numbers it's got.
'We need to be more encouraging to the younger market, which involves talking to them in the language that they understand and the medium that they understand.
'And that's why the world is becoming more digital. The future is more Netflix than free-to-air.
'It's going to involve a multiple number of broadcasters. Some free-to-air, some behind the pay model.
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'People will be able to watch what they want to watch, the sports they want to watch, when they want to watch it and for a price they can afford. I find that really exciting.'
Channel 5 are continuing their expansion of sports coverage after airing the World Seniors Snooker Championship this month.
Barry Hearn reveals pool is the 'next darts' and predicts sport will be massive in five years
The broadcaster also agreed a deal with DAZN to show the Club World Cup, which takes place in June.
SunSport has contacted ITV and Channel 5 for comment.
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