Teen darts champion weighs quitting after persistent crowd jeers
Luke Littler, 19, has been booed again at the World Series of Darts in Amsterdam, prompting him to skip upcoming events. A darts editor fears the sport could lose the multi-title winner if the hostility continues. Littler's bid to win all 10 major televised tournaments in a year ended in a quarter-final defeat.
Littler, who first reached the PDC World Championship final at 16 and won the title the following year, has faced jeering at UK events as well as in the Netherlands. His dominance has drawn comparisons to Michael van Gerwen, who endured similar hostility during a five-year period of near-unbeatable form. The referee halted his last-16 match against Nathan Aspinall to warn the crowd about its behaviour.
The teenager's withdrawal from upcoming tournaments stems from his belief that travelling is pointless while being booed. His coach at St Helen's Darts Academy, where Littler trained from age nine, describes him as having "a bit of swagger" and being "the ultimate professional," suggesting his confident character may contribute to the crowd's reaction.
If Littler were to walk away, the sport could lose its biggest draw at a time when his rapid rise has attracted new audiences and lucrative sponsorship. Tournament organisers may face reduced ticket sales and broadcast interest, while younger fans who idolise him could lose a key connection to the game. The situation may also prompt wider reflection on whether darts' pantomime culture has crossed a line from playful banter into genuine hostility that drives talent away.