Luke Littler’s darts revolution sparking major jealousy in rival sports, admits top star

Snooker pro Mark Allen says players are desperate for the green baize to catch up with the success of darts after the likes of Luke Littler took it into the stratosphere

Snooker stars have admitted they are “jealous” of darts’ meteoric rise and would swap the green baize for the oche.

Top cueist Mark Allen – currently competing in the Masters snooker at Alexandra Palace – said it was hard not to feel envious of darts’ explosive growth in popularity.

The Northern Irishman, speaking from the north London venue, which hosted this year’s PDC World Darts Championship, said: “It does make us a little bit jealous – let’s be honest.

“Ally Pally for the darts, it looks nuts.”

‘The Pistol’ said World Snooker Tour chiefs were “doing a really good job” trying to emulate the darts by packing in more punters.

Sports promoter Barry Hearn owns stakes in both World Snooker and the PDC.

Allen said: “[Snooker’s] definitely going in the right direction.

“Is it going as quick as some of the players would have liked? Probably not, but it’s not through the lack of trying.”

But the world No10 told SportsBoom.co.uk it would be difficult for snooker to copy darts’ “razzmatazz” atmosphere.

He pointed to Snooker Shoot Out – a quick-fire version of the game with a single frame played against the clock – as a possible rival after a recent study found arrows was the fastest growing sport in the UK.

Mark said: “You could possibly take the Shoot Out around the country and around Europe, trying to sell that out and have a bit of fun.”

Kyren Wilson, also through to this year’s Masters quarter-finals, said snooker fans tended to be purists, there to watch the game, rather than the lairy revellers at the darts.

‘The Warrior’, who is pals with PDC star Ricky Evans, said: “When you come here for the snooker for the Masters, there’s 2,000 in that stadium.

“And every single person is a snooker fan and everyone is zoned in, locked in watching, there’s no gimmicks in between, but yeah, I wish I was darts player.”

The World Snooker No2 added: “I was here for the darts, I must admit it is crazy.

“I actually brought my children and I chose the afternoon session, [mistakenly] thinking it might be a little bit more tame.”