Traditions play a major role in darts. This is especially true for the venues of major tournaments. In recent years, steel darts have experienced a major boom throughout Europe , leading the PDC to move to larger venues.
Meanwhile, in the Premier League, games are often played in front of more than 10,000 spectators , while at the World Cup only just over 3,000 fans are present per session.
It would be easy to choose a different venue to increase capacity . However, the PDC has deliberately refrained from doing so, as the move to Dart Ally Pally was only a few years ago – with some controversy.
The World Championship has now become firmly established at Ally Pally. Therefore, the PDC is not keen to change the location for the World Championship again.
The Ally Pally – the Mecca of darts fans
Alexandra Palace, as it is actually called, was built in North London in 1873. For the British, Ally Pally, as it is affectionately called, is a symbolic building .
The Darts World Championship has been held at Alexandra Palace since December 2007—or rather, in the west wing of the huge building complex. The PDC has already loosely considered moving to a larger venue at Alexandra Palace several times.
But so far, nothing has come of that. This is despite the fact that most World Cup sessions with more than 3,000 attendees are completely sold out .
Nevertheless, the PDC is sticking with the venue. And not without reason. Alexandra Palace Darts has become a mecca for darts fans . But what many people don't know is that darts were already being played at Alexandra Palace Darts long before the 2008 World Championship. This tradition, as well as the commitment, including that of the PDC, are no coincidence.
The News of the World Darts Tournament was first held at Ally Pally in 1990. It is considered one of the oldest darts tournaments in the world . This demonstrates once again how important it is in darts to preserve and cultivate traditions.
The fans love their Dart Ally Pally and would probably not readily support a move to another large hall without any flair.
The Circus Tavern – predecessor of Alexandra Palace
Before moving to Ally Pally, the Darts World Championship was held for many years in the venerable Circus Tavern . The Circus Tavern is located in Purfleet, England, and gained notoriety by hosting the Darts World Championship.
With only around 1,100 seats, the Circus Tavern is anything but a large festival hall. Nevertheless, the Darts World Championship was held there from 1994 to 2007 .
After it became clear that a move to a larger venue was desired, the PDC endeavored to find a successor venue worthy of following in the footsteps of the Circus Tavern. This was finally achieved with the Dart Ally Pally.
But the PDC didn't simply ignore the Circus Tavern: In 2009 and 2010, the PDC hosted the Players Championship Finals . Its rival association, the BDO, also booked the venue in 2019 for the BDO World Masters .
The World Matchplay in Blackpool – the Winter Gardens
In addition to the Darts Alexandra Palace and the Circus Tavern, there is a third venue that has achieved absolute cult status over the years: the Winter Gardens in Blackpool .
It is by far the venue with the most tradition in relation to the PDC. Since the PDC's founding in 1994, the Matchplay has been held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool – the most important tournament in the darts calendar for the PDC and all players after the World Championship.
The location itself is unique. Just 250 meters from the entrance to the Winter Gardens, you'll find Blackpool's seafront promenade . Both players and spectators love the venue for this reason.
In addition, a particularly knowledgeable audience has developed in Blackpool over the years. While at the Darts World Championship, people from all over the world arrive in bizarre costumes and party loudly , the audience at the World Matchplay is considered more quiet, knowledgeable , and focused . It's less about partying and more about the players' performances at the oche .
Large venues in the Premier League – Aberdeen, Dublin, Berlin & Rotterdam
In addition to the three halls mentioned, which will probably forever remain closely linked to the major darts tournaments, there are several arenas today that are setting new standards in terms of spectator capacity .
This is certainly also due to the fact that the PDC has been exporting to many European countries for years, where darts are experiencing a real boom.
In this context, we present to you four arenas in which the Premier League is also played.
P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen
The P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen seats well over 10,000 spectators . The Scottish venue is extremely popular, especially with Gary Anderson , Peter Wright , and John Henderson .
The audience became familiar with the numerous cup throwings throughout the arena whenever one of the local heroes delivered a good match .
3Arena in Dublin
Five-figure attendances for darts matches are also not uncommon at the 3Arena in Dublin. The Irish crowd sometimes creates a truly thrilling atmosphere on Premier League nights.
Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin
Around 12,000 spectators came to Berlin for the 2019 Premier League matchday . A number the PDC would never have dared to dream of in Germany a few years earlier.
The location has established itself in the Premier League over the past few years, so much so that the PDC will even host the finals in Berlin in 2021. Another sign of the boom in darts in Germany, as it will be the first time that the Premier League finals will take place in Germany rather than the O2 Arena in London.
Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam
The gigantic arena in the Netherlands has a total capacity of 25,000 spectators . For darts events, this capacity is usually smaller due to the stage setup. A characteristic feature of the evenings at the Rotterdam Ahoy Arena are the Dutch fans who bathe the entire arena in orange.
Especially in the times of the Barney Army (the fans of Raymond van Barneveld ), the spectators often managed to influence the performances of the national hero's opponents .
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