ALTHOUGH there has always been a darts season, amateur the game was more often an Autumn/Winter sport and its professional counterpart evolved along similar, though not identical lines, the restructuring of the game’s elite has expanded the volume of events and stretched the length of the playing season, both ranked and unranked, and added new seasonal peaks and signposts. 

The period following the World Championship/s, and before any new ranking events began, was relatively quiet and calm. Sure kids were playing with their new arrows in the garage and pub leagues were as busy as ever but the addition of Q- Schools and the rapid of the Premier League and the new floor seasons has meant a gravitation of media and commercial activity to this period that a decade ago would not have been noticeable.

Although there is still a very high volume of brand and other commercial activity in the traditional pre Christmas  – and around the World Championship/s – it is noticeable that the biggest names have been spreading their effort through the year and those looking to make an impression or changes to their operation are very active right now.

Mission darts had spent the past couple of years using the early part of the season to sign up new tour card holders – with generous offers – as well as some of the best younger generation talent via the contact book of Daryl Fitton. 

Mission also has become the brand of ‘second chance’ offering deals to those many would avoid due to past discretions. 

Overall they have had mixed success with this strategy with Josh Rock becoming their flag bearer and a few others, such as Ryan Joyce and Alan Soutar, registering some success. Others have failed to record notable successes, in high profile events, and one wonders whether a reset will be due now that the aim of establishing the brand has been achieved?

The long awaited effort of Shot darts to crack the UK market seems to have finally arrived. A flurry of signings were announced this month and, in combination with Michael Smith as their flag waver, with an interesting global roster of players it seems they are determined to expand in every market.

Perhaps the most surprising brand to be indulging in this type of seasonal activity is Unicorn. For the past three or four years we at The Boardroom have monitored how the grand old lady of dart seemed to be scaling down their professional player ‘squad’ and perhaps moving away from the elite centred model? Releasing the likes of Joe Cullen, Chris Dobey and Dimitri van den Bergh.

Yet, as we noted, there were what could be called some green shoots of recovery in a couple of young signings and that of Ross Smith over the last year or so. A pair of early season signings including UK Open qualifier Ashley Coleman seem based both on attention and potential. We cannot help but wonder if Unicorn realised that their previous model was too costly, risky, difficult or high maintenance to be continued and an overhaul and reset instituted?

—–ENDS—–

Originally published in DW585