Luke Little Booing Row: Real Fear Darts Superstar 'Could Walk Away' from Sport
BBC Sport reports on a controversial issue surrounding darts player, Luke Littler, and his recent encounters with boos from crowd sections during tournaments.
'Real fear Littler could walk away' - darts would be loser in booing row
To play this video, you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Figure caption: Why does Luke Littler keep getting booed?
By Nesta McGregor, Sport Reporter
Published 9 minutes ago
At just 19 years old, Luke Littler has already achieved remarkable success in darts, winning every major trophy and securing lucrative sponsorship deals. Despite his status as a multi-millionaire with his own TV show, some seem to have taken against him.
This past weekend, during the World Series of Darts in Amsterdam, Littler faced boos and whistles from parts of the crowd, even while attempting to complete a historic clean sweep by winning all 10 major televised tournaments in a calendar year. He later expressed his intention to avoid events held in the Netherlands if the behavior continued.
Samuel Gill, editor of Dartnews.com, offers a compelling perspective: "There's a real fear that within a few years he'll just turn around and walk away from the sport." Gill suggests that Littler's future in darts may be at stake due to the persistent negativity from fans who refuse to support his wins.
Amsterdam was not the first, nor likely the last, tournament where Littler experienced this hostile reaction. The referee even stepped in during his match against Nathan Aspinall to caution the crowd about their behavior. Boos also echoed through the arena when Littler defeated Danny Noppert on Friday. Following his quarter-final defeat to Jonny Clayton, Littler withdrew from upcoming events, citing the unwelcome treatment he receives as a reason.
"Just no point in me travelling... while I'm getting booed," said Littler.
A Not So Unique Experience
Littler's rise to prominence has been rapid—reaching the PDC World Darts Championship at 16 and winning it the following year. The barrage of boos he faces is not, however, unique. Dartnews.com journalist, Gill, points out that Michael van Gerwen faced similar treatment when he dominated the sport for a long time.
The current climate suggests that young stars in any high-profile sport can expect criticism and hostility from sections of their fans, especially as they rise to the top so quickly.