When the action really goes down at Alexandra Palace during the World Darts Championship, the television cameras are not on the air. During breaks in the game, when advertising is shown on TV, the organizers heat up the atmosphere with karaoke. “Angels” is usually played by Robbie Williams, and this was also the case on New Year’s Eve when the last quarter-final between Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall was played late at night. People were belting out the global hit so loudly that it seemed like there were loudspeakers everywhere in the hall. The song could even be heard backstage, which may be why Littler returned after just a few seconds. He gestured to the audience and threw a few test darts. Because the interruption was over faster than the song, the playback version was abruptly stopped – but the crowd continued singing undeterred until the end.
The role of the audience has changed massively in darts recently. In the past, fans provided variety with their good mood and imaginative costumes. But now people are increasingly becoming actors themselves. Their importance is reflected in the fact that the players increasingly seek their favor through various interactions.
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The 17-year-old Englishman Luke Littler clearly dominated his match for a long time until his competitor Nathan Aspinall suddenly caught up. The crowd was hoping for a comeback, Littler explained after his win, but he wanted to get the game over quickly. A similar game had previously taken place in the duel between Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright. Bunting won the first four sets, but then lost control for a short time before securing the decisive fifth point. In both matches the support in the Ally Pally had turned sour due to the one-sidedness. Initially, the majority remained largely neutral until their sympathies shifted significantly in favor of the inferior competitors. Bunting emphasized in the interview on the podium that he knew that the fans could be “crucial in the middle of the game.” He then addressed the fans personally and waved his finger with a smile: “Listen, you were incredibly good in the first four sentences!” he thanked them – but they could be even better. The reprimand was a joking reference to the phase in which Wright enjoyed more acoustic approval than he did.
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Several conversations with fans on the evening of the quarter-finals indicate that most people are rooting for the underdogs. He is “always for the underdog” because the atmosphere is better that way, says Nick, who came from near Freiburg. Johannes from Munich sees it the same way: the tendency is towards underdogs, he emphasizes, because they hope that the games last “as long as possible”. As soon as the scheduled games in a session end, visitors are immediately directed to the exit. From his point of view, the Ally Pally is “a bit of a mood maker,” believes Johannes. The supporters themselves are responsible for ensuring that the atmosphere in the hall feels like a cauldron. Because of all the background noise, he is much more focused during darts matches in front of the TV than on site. In another gaming session, Dennis from Cologne reported that he had already been to all sorts of sporting events, football, handball, ice hockey, but the darts audience was unique: the charm here was that it felt “like in the pub”.
The mood in darts is always volatile, it can change direction as unpredictably and quickly as the wind in front of the Ally Pally – it stands on a hill in north London. The influence on the game cannot be denied for several reasons. The players can’t see the fans making their throws, but they can hear them right behind them. The narrowness of the hall increases the power of the songs. And compared to some other sports, people in darts act unabashedly, they don’t take any concerns of the professionals into account. They follow their own random need for entertainment rather than what is happening in the match. Since too many events occur spontaneously in the alcohol-intoxicated hall, it is usually difficult to predict the behavior of the audience.
After most games, the top players always speak to the audience in some way – mostly positively. On the one hand, this is because people increase the attractiveness of darts through their enthusiasm. And on the other hand, because no player wants to antagonize the fans. All players still in the tournament are among the favorites. English top man Chris Dobey recently admitted that it was the spectators who helped him to the next round. If you have her on your side, you don’t want to disappoint her. That’s why they’re trying to give a few percent more, said Dobey. In a way, the audience also helps determine the new dart throwing world champion – if they aren’t singing “Angels”.
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