‘Makes sense’ – World Championship exit from Alexandra Palace backed by iconic ref
Russ Bray has backed a potential venue change for the PDC World Darts Championship. The annual tournament has been hosted at Alexandra Palace in north London since 2008 after a previous stay at Circus Tavern in Essex. Alexandra Palace has become the iconic home of the worldsPDC Iconic scenes from players and fans at Ally Pally have contributed to the recent rise in popularity within darts. However, there have been doubts over its future as the host venue, with Saudi Arabia a proposed location amid its sporting influx. Alexandra Palace remains as the promised land for now, but iconic referee Bray has hinted that a relocation could be practical. “The PDC’s [Professional Darts Corporation] a business, like you say, it is a business, he said on talkSPORT Breakfast. “Barry and Eddie [Hearn, respective chairman and ex-chairman] and Matt [Porter, CEO of PDC], these guys, they’ll sit down and talk… “Obviously, if they can pay the players £2million for winning the world final because we’ve got to go to somewhere else, then I’m pretty certain that’s what they will do. It makes sense.” Barry Hearn previously told talkSPORT about the potential for darts to move to Saudi Arabia. They have become regular hosts of boxing and also been confirmed as the hosts for the World Cup in 2034. However, Hearn said: “The Saudis asked me for darts about a couple months ago and I asked them a simple question. “‘Can we have alcohol?’ And they said no. I said, ‘Well then you can’t have the darts.'” Bray believes that a move away would ‘make sense’ for financial reasonsRex Littler won £500,000 with his world championship title in JanuaryAFP Porter has also shut down the prospect of the World Championship leaving the United Kingdom. “100 per cent, we see the future of the Darts World Championship in the UK,” he told talkSPORT.com. “Ally Pally is an iconic home of the World Darts Championship, it is somewhere we have been happy over the years we have been there. “Clearly we want to keep growing the event, we will be introducing the new sessions to accommodate more players this year. “We will keep reviewing that and options available to us as to where the event can go and stay. “But it must fit its status and keeps it being loved by the fans. It remains to be seen if the tournament will in fact leave Ally PallyGetty “It is important that trip to the World Championship becomes part of people’s social calendar. “Ally Pally is an important part of the event, but it is important we keep reviewing things.”
Russ Bray has backed a potential venue change for the PDC World Darts Championship.
The annual tournament has been hosted at Alexandra Palace in north London since 2008 after a previous stay at Circus Tavern in Essex.
Iconic scenes from players and fans at Ally Pally have contributed to the recent rise in popularity within darts.
However, there have been doubts over its future as the host venue, with Saudi Arabia a proposed location amid its sporting influx.
Alexandra Palace remains as the promised land for now, but iconic referee Bray has hinted that a relocation could be practical.
“The PDC’s [Professional Darts Corporation] a business, like you say, it is a business, he said on talkSPORT Breakfast.
“Barry and Eddie [Hearn, respective chairman and ex-chairman] and Matt [Porter, CEO of PDC], these guys, they’ll sit down and talk…
“Obviously, if they can pay the players £2million for winning the world final because we’ve got to go to somewhere else, then I’m pretty certain that’s what they will do. It makes sense.”
Barry Hearn previously told talkSPORT about the potential for darts to move to Saudi Arabia.
They have become regular hosts of boxing and also been confirmed as the hosts for the World Cup in 2034.
However, Hearn said: “The Saudis asked me for darts about a couple months ago and I asked them a simple question.
“‘Can we have alcohol?’ And they said no. I said, ‘Well then you can’t have the darts.'”
Porter has also shut down the prospect of the World Championship leaving the United Kingdom.
“100 per cent, we see the future of the Darts World Championship in the UK,” he told talkSPORT.com.
“Ally Pally is an iconic home of the World Darts Championship, it is somewhere we have been happy over the years we have been there.
“Clearly we want to keep growing the event, we will be introducing the new sessions to accommodate more players this year.
“We will keep reviewing that and options available to us as to where the event can go and stay.
“But it must fit its status and keeps it being loved by the fans.
“It is important that trip to the World Championship becomes part of people’s social calendar.
“Ally Pally is an important part of the event, but it is important we keep reviewing things.”
