Alcohol is as much a part of darts at Alexandra Palace as the colorful costumes, loud music and party feeling. Exuberant fans buy pitchers filled with beer for a lot of money and celebrate the sporting event in London like a bachelorette party or a carnival party. For a long time, however, there was little or no discussion about the consumption behavior of professionals on stage. This circumstance has recently changed massively.
Amateur player Jochen Graudenz spoke of “it feels like 70 percent of the top stars are alcoholics” and his reasons for distancing himself from the scene. Former champion Dennis Priestley told how players used to drink “bottles” of Jack Daniels and how he himself became world champion with four beers in his blood. Just in time for the World Cup, the German Darts Association (DDV) announced that it would introduce alcohol controls in the Bundesliga in the future and thus regulate athletes’ drinking levels more closely.
Questions about alcohol are taboo
The world association PDC, which organizes the World Cup spectacle, is obviously less interested in it. “For us, it’s not like we feel like we have to control it. Simply because it is not something that has gotten out of control,” said Matthew Porter of the German Press Agency in London. The managing director of the PDC draws a curious parallel to other sports: “If I were Harry Kane and played for Bayern, I could drink two beers and then play in the Allianz Arena. Nothing in the rules stops him.”
It’s best for the players not to comment much on it. Former world champion Gerwyn Price from Wales responded to a corresponding query at the European Championships in Dortmund: “I have never seen a player drink anything in my life.” Immediately afterwards, a PDC spokesman asked to please change the subject. Questions about alcohol should not be discussed after games. They are taboo.
A big party for the fans: the Darts World Cup at Alexandra Palace in London: Image: picture alliance / empics
The issue is also sensitive because the PDC is increasingly trying to create a clean image. The association is committed to cancer prevention and maintains charitable projects. The consumption of alcohol by professionals who act as role models only fits to a very limited extent.
A good image of the sport is also essential for sponsors. When a player – as seen with Mickey Mansell at the 2023 World Cup after his performance – can only give the winner’s interview on stage in a slurred manner, that says a lot in many ways. “Sometimes it’s nerves,” said Porter.
The PDC has worked massively on its external impact. A large, socially acceptable stage has replaced the smoky bar. The spotlight is no longer on people with a glass in their hand and a cigarette in their mouth. But competitive athletes who play for a lot of money and drink water on stage. During breaks they disappear behind a curtain. What happens there remains hidden from the viewer.
