World Championship resumes on Wednesday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Darts
Tuesday 26 December 2017 09:38, UK
Sky Sports and the PDC are at the Christmas break of their 25th World Darts Championship and as we prepare for the business end of the 2018 tournament, we get the thoughts of those involved in the journey along the way.
From the walk-ons to 100+ averages, the Circus Tavern to Alexandra Palace and a prize fund of £64,000 with a winners cheque of £16,000 to a prize pot of £1.8m and 72 players from all corners of the globe battling for the winner's share of £400,000.
It all started in 1993 when a bunch of players were brave enough to break away from the sport's governing body in the pursuit of something that would provide a living for them all year round, perhaps even as professional sportsmen.
Enter Barry Hearn and Sky Sports and the results have been extraordinary - the journey of the PDC World Darts Championship is an enthralling one, we tell the tale through the eyes of those who have been there from the beginning and are still experiencing the thrill of the tungsten now.
Tommy Cox: (PDC co-founder and tournament director) "They were being stopped from earning a living in pubs, clubs and exhibitions. Had they not had the courage and the faith in the future then we wouldn't be where we are today."
Barry Hearn: (chairman of Matchroom Sport) "Dick Allix tried to get me involved. He said 'just come along to the Circus Tavern, have a look and see what you think'. I will never forget it. Terrific atmosphere. It was a soap opera already being written. The one thing that came through was the character of the players. They all had something to say, something different about themselves and had a bit of a swagger. I thought to myself, 'this game could be so big'.
Dennis Priestley: "We started from humble beginnings and have gone to great heights. In the early days, we had to travel to North America for tournaments to get an Order of Merit together - we struggled to get 32 players for the World Championships, it was 24 and groups of three.
"What the PDC has achieved, and I am very proud to be a founding member, is to give people who are good enough the chance to make a good living from playing darts.<p>That opportunity didn't exist until the PDC came along.
The First Championships
John Gwynne: "In those days Dennis Priestley was the number one and the man to beat. He actually emphasised that by beating Phil Taylor in the final by six sets to one. I think in a way that was the result which galvanised Phil Taylor and well we all know what happened after that."
Dennis Priestley: "Me against Jocky Wilson was the first game to start the first World Championship. We set off with Jocky hitting 180 but that was in the very first six darts ever thrown in the World Championship. That stands out."
Phil Taylor: "It was quite quiet at the beginning (of the first edition) - the crowds were quiet but then it built up towards the end. They were very close to you, it was very smoky and warm."
The Atmosphere
Jeff Stelling: "It was pretty much in the early days that it was decided that there would be anthems for players to walk onto, to give them rock star status. The girls were introduced to walk alongside them as well. It was all to give them (the players) some razzmatazz. They, the darts players absolutely loved it."
Barry Hearn: "We basically had a great product and great people loving it and the support of wonderful people who really just wanted to have a great night out where perhaps entertainment and world class sport merged in a unique way dissimilar to any other sport."
Phil Taylor: "The atmosphere has never changed (over the years). It has always been a cracking atmosphere at the darts and there's (always been) the will to win. Every player that has come in has got that will to win."
Bob Anderson: "With the modern game, you want the big money in the game and the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. I sampled it quite recently. I was in Germany playing to a crowd of 8,000 which is by far greater than anything I played to - it was quite incredible. But as a professional, you don't really hear the noise because you are just trying to concentrate on your throw."
Jeff Stelling: "I remember the first World Darts Championship clearly because a lot of the darts players had played for the other organisations and were a bit suspicious of Sky so it was really important we got off to a great start.
"Sky had a vision of where this was going. I don't think they would have quite have believed where it has got to today though."
Tommy Cox: "Sky Sports are the innovators and they are the pathfinders. The game owes Sky Sports a lot."
And Now.......
"I never dreamed for one moment that we could be such a global success that we have become - something that people will talk about for a hundred years."
Dennis Priestley: "It is beyond our wildest dreams what has happened (up to) now - especially money wise and there are massive audiences. It (the sport) is far far better."
Keith Deller: "When I won the World Championship in 83', I think it was £8,000 that I won for first prize. Now if you do win the major titles, you get the rewards and can set yourself up for life. Through what has happened in the last 20 years it has given the darts players a great chance to be very successful."
Bob Anderson: "The game has grown and moved forward. It is a totally different atmosphere to my day. In my day the audience was 100% dart players so when the ref said 'game on' there was almost silence. Albeit a lot of noise in between the throws."
Peter Manley: "The standard has risen each year and with the money and youngsters coming into the game it's grown to a fantastic level and it has still got a way to go.
"The PDC have done a fantastic job with building the game in England, but it doesn't just rest on the shores of the UK. They have gone into Europe, Australia, America and Asia. These guys love the smell of the money and it won't be long before the World Championship winner will collect £500,000. I mean, that's just incredible and it's life-changing for them. It's a great opportunity for everyone out there.
Raymond van Barneveld: "I came over to the PDC in 2007. Back then we were playing pro tours in pubs, but we very quickly started playing bigger sports centres in places like Barnsley and Wigan. That was one step forward and then going from the Circus Tavern to Alexandra Palace.
"I still believe the PDC can grow, especially with the Premier League - that's the big thing. Week in, week out, we get amazing crowds. Rotterdam Ahoy sells out in just 10 minutes and next year we're heading to Berlin, which is a sell-out already. It seems to be growing and growing."
The 2018 World Championship from Alexandra Palace continues after the three-day Christmas break with a double session on December 27, coverage is underway from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Darts with the evening session beginning at 7pm
Keep up to date with the news right through to the final on New Year's Day as the PDC celebrates 25 years on Sky Sports. So get all the latest at sky.mnosports.com/darts and join in the conversation @SkySportsDarts- don't forget to use #LoveTheDarts
