Then there were three: The story of the trio of Worldwide Darts championships

Then there were three: The story of the trio of Worldwide Darts championships originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

LIKE many other commercial sports, think boxing or the recent golf controversy, darts has always had multiple formats, codes and organisations. A curious, though often fabulous, result is what some fans refer to as 'Dartmas' a remarkable time of year where you can barely move for a darts event with global coonection. Here is the story of how the steel tipped world now has three:

Ah, the 1970s. A time when trousers were wider than dartboards, disco balls ruled the nation, and the smell of tobacco clung to every pub in Britain. Amidst the flares, perms, and pints of mild, something beautiful was born - the Darts World Championship.

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Set up in 1973 by Olly Croft (a man who clearly fancied a game with more structure than just winner stays on), the British Darts Organisation (BDO) soon became the overlord of darts. They weren’t just throwing arrows - they were throwing rules into the mix. Board height, oche length, measurements - all decided by the BDO, and still used today. So, the next time someone complains your mate’s board is too low, you can blame Olly.

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Fast forward to 1978, and they launched its first-ever World Championship - fittingly sponsored by Embassy - won by Leighton Rees (above). Because, in the 70s, darts went hand-in-hand with cigarettes and alcohol long before Oasis sang about it. The atmosphere was pure nicotine and nostalgia - and it laid the foundation for everything that followed.If you’re under 50, you’ll have to imagine it. The birth of televised darts, before Luke Littler’s parents were even old enough to sneak into a pub. It was the darting Big Bang - and from that smoky explosion, the modern game evolved into the multi-million-pound beast we know today.

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By 1988, things weren’t looking quite so rosy though. The snobbery entered the equation, sponsors had bolted, and only the World Championships were being shown on TV. Darts had gone from primetime to past bedtime, and the pros were struggling.Then came the revolution. Sixteen players, including every active living World Champion, decided enough was enough. They formed the World Darts Council (WDC) - later rebranded as the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) - and changed the game forever.It’s known in darting folklore as The Split - the great tungsten divorce. From 1994 onward, there were two World Championships, two organisations, and one giant trauma for everyone involved. Players had to pick sides, and fans suddenly had to learn acronyms.Barry Hearn stepped in, Sky Sports rolled the cameras, legal disputes were settled  and the PDC took darts into the stratosphere.

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Meanwhile, the BDO held tight to its grassroots charm, flying the flag for pub players and future stars. For a while, it worked. Two codes, two worlds, one theme: darts.But then came the long goodbye. The BDO’s top players started drifting away for bigger paydays and shinier stages. The BBC - a loyal supporter for decades - finally dropped its coverage in 2016. Channel 4, BT Sport, Eurosport, even Quest tried to keep it alive, but it was clear the lights were dimming on Lakeside.By 2020, the unthinkable happened. Just days before the BDO World Championship was due to start, chairman Des Jacklin admitted the prize fund was being “reduced somewhat.” Translation: The iceberg had been struck.

A few months later, the BDO sank into liquidation, taking half a century of darting history with it.But darts fans are a resilient bunch. Within months, the World Darts Federation (WDF) took up the mantle and decided to host and promote its version themselves rather than sub contracting to the BDO as it had done from the very beginning.

The sport’s longtime home at Lakeside was resurrected, and post Covid in 2022, the WDF World Championships were reborn. It remains to be seen if new light through (very) old windows can be the WDF’s path forward but the attempt is valiant and may be gaining momentum.

Enter the Amateur Darts Circuit (ADC), formed in 2022 - a brand-new player with big ambitions. Think of it as a darts’ version of a Netflix spin-off that’s getting rave reviews.

Amateur Darts Circuit

The ADC, in their own words, is designed to bridge the gap between the pub and the pro stage - a worldwide platform giving amateur players the chance to compete regionally, nationally, and even globally in the best of conditions. It’s where hungry throwers go to prove they can hang with the big boys without needing a Tour Card or a five-figure traveling budget or sponsor.The launch of the ADC Global Championships in 2024 showed we’ve officially reached peak darts season. December is no longer about presents and pudding - it’s about three world titles up for grabs: the PDC’s showbiz juggernaut at Ally Pally, the WDF’s historic heart at Lakeside, and the ADC’s shiny new showcase in Portsmouth.

South African Devon Petersen became the first African player to claim a global title and the seed were sown for what is now a 56 player event with a group and knockout stages with every dart shown on free to view screens via PLUTO TV.So here we are: one sport, three ‘world’ championships, and enough 180s to make your head spin like a disco ball from 1978. Back then, it was fags, flares, and fivers for the winner. Now it’s lights, cameras, and a life-changing seven figure cheque.

The beauty? You don’t have to pick a side anymore. The modern fan can gorge on all three. From the PDC’s glitz to the WDF’s nostalgia, and the ADC’s fresh all inclusive vision - darts has never been healthier, wealthier or easier to access.

Long live the arrows and ‘Dartsmas time’.

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