Emotional farewell for referee Owen Binks ahead of move to the PDC: player consoles him after final match

A visibly emotional moment in the MODUS Super Series Live Lounge. Referee Owen Binks officiated his final match on that stage on Tuesday afternoon and could barely contain his emotions. After the match concluded, he was consoled by player Justin Smith as the cameras captured the moment.

For the 27-year-old Binks, the clash between Justin Smith and Rob Thornton marked the end of a long stint at the MODUS Super Series. Smith won the match 4-1, but the sporting outcome faded into the background amid the referee’s farewell.

Binks refereed more than 6,000 matches in the series and now stands on the verge of a new step in his career. He will soon move to the PDC, where he will succeed the departing George Noble following his retirement after the World Darts Championship.

During the closing stages of his final match, it was clear how much the moment weighed on him. Binks tried to remain professional and carry out his duties, but the emotion was evident as it sank in that his time in the Live Lounge had definitively come to an end.

Footage later shared by the organization on social media shows how visibly moved he became. Player Justin Smith placed a hand on his shoulder in a show of support, after which Binks responded with a slight smile and shook his hand.

Afterward, Robert Thornton also approached him. The Scot shook his hand and then embraced him, a fitting final moment for an official who had been a familiar face in the competition for years.

The MODUS Super Series had already paid extensive attention to Binks’s farewell earlier in the day. The organization publicly wished him success in the next stage of his career and expressed its appreciation for his dedication and professionalism.

This was followed by a video montage highlighting his time in the Live Lounge, in which he was praised as a trusted and much-loved official. It underscored once more how much he meant to players, colleagues, and the organization.

New step at the PDC

Binks won’t have to wait long for his next challenge. His debut as a PDC referee is already scheduled for this weekend at the European Tour in Poland. That means he immediately steps up to the highest level of the sport.

He had previously said that the move still feels unreal. After thousands of matches in the Live Lounge, a new chapter now begins on the biggest stages in professional darts.