‘It's a business' – Darts icon backs plan to move World Championship from Alexandra Palace and hand £2MILLION to winner
The Saudis have already tried to snap up the tournament
DARTING AWAY 'It's a business' – Darts icon backs plan to move World Championship from Alexandra Palace and hand £2MILLION to winner
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A Darts icon has backed a proposed venue change for the PDC World Darts Championships.
Alexandra Palace has been the tournament's home since its 2008 move from the Circus Tavern in Essex.
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Alexandra Palace has been the home of the World Darts Championship since 2008
Credit: AFP
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There has been talk that the tournament could leave the hallowed walls of Ally Pally
Credit: PA
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Iconic referee Russ Bray believes a change of venue could make sense
Credit: GETTY
But the iconic venue's future hosting the annual competition is in doubt as Saudi Arabia has been mooted as a potential new location for the tournament.
And retired referee Russ Bray believes a change of venue could make sense given the recent growth of the sport and the potential increase of prize money.
During an appearance on talkSPORT, he said: "The PDC's [Professional Darts Corporation] a business, like you say, it is a business.
"Barry and Eddie [Hearn, respective chairman and ex-chairman] and Matt [Porter, CEO of PDC], these guys, they'll sit down and talk.
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"Obviously, if they can pay the players £2million for winning the World Final because we've got to go somewhere else, then I'm pretty certain that's what they will do. It makes sense."
Matchroom supremo Barry Hearn has already been approached by the Saudis about bringing the competition to The Kingdom.
But he knocked them back after they informed him fans wouldn't be able to drink alcohol at events.
The 76-year-old said: "The Saudis asked me for [the] darts about a couple of months ago.
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List of all-time Darts World Champions
BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year.
The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.
That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once - Barney also won four BDO titles - and none of Eric Bristow's five BDO titles are included. 1994 - Dennis Priestley
1995 - Phil Taylor
1996 - Phil Taylor (2)
1997 - Phil Taylor (3)
1998 - Phil Taylor (4)
1999 - Phil Taylor (5)
2000 - Phil Taylor (6)
2001 - Phil Taylor (7)
2002 - Phil Taylor (8)
2003 - John Part
2004 - Phil Taylor (9)
2005 - Phil Taylor (10)
2006 - Phil Taylor (11)
2007 - Raymond van Barneveld
2008 - John Part (2)
2009 - Phil Taylor (12)
2010 - Phil Taylor (13)
2011 - Adrian Lewis
2012 - Adrian Lewis (2)
2013 - Phil Taylor (14)
2014 - Michael van Gerwen
2015 - Gary Anderson
2016 - Gary Anderson (2)
2017 - Michael van Gerwen (2)
2018 - Rob Cross
2019 - Michael van Gerwen (3)
2020 - Peter Wright
2021 - Gerwyn Price
2022 - Peter Wright (2)
2023 - Michael Smith
2024 - Luke Humphries
2025 - Luke Littler
Most World Titles 14 - Phil Taylor
3 - Michael van Gerwen
2 - John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright
1 - Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler
"I asked them a simple question. 'Can we have alcohol?'
"And they said no. I said, 'Well then you can't have the darts.'"
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Hearn, however, does believe The Kingdom could make a good home for the World Snooker Championships.
The veteran promoter has recently threatened to take the competition away from the Crucible unless the iconic venue is given a major revamp.
When asked if snooker's biggest tournament will stay put, Hearn told Radio Snooker with Nick Metcalfe: "I hope so but we've got to live in the real world.
"So much of professional sport is about money.
"And as much as we want to stay here desperately, it's got to be something that fits into the overall picture of where the game is going.
"This is a huge game. We mustn't be parochial in our attitude.
"As long as everyone understands that and comes to the party in a reasonable and respectful way, I'm hopeful we can stay here.
"We must know by the end of the year. The clock is ticking."
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