“It’s no good playing exhibitions then saying you are tired” – Former world champion reminds Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price of their responsibility

Luke Littler has bent professional darts to his will this season, but former world champion Keith Deller says that status comes with responsibility. Deller believes Littler and the other big PDC names must ensure that lucrative exhibitions do not come at the expense of official events.

The 19-year-old Littler has claimed all six major televised titles on the schedule so far this year and is now the face of the sport. At the same time, ‘The Nuke’ has not been everywhere. This season Littler has withdrawn from ten European Tour events and also skipped the World Series stops in Australia and New Zealand.

Deller admires Littler’s achievements but stresses that, given his status, the Englishman now plays a key role in the sport’s continued growth.

“It’s got to be good because you have to admire the lad's ability,” Deller tells Oche180. “Darts is not easy. Anybody can throw a dart but it’s not going to go in the right place 90 per cent of the time.”

The 1983 world champion says it is precisely the apparent ease with which Littler beats opponents that underlines his class. “He makes it look very easy and that is the worry. I think it is great for the sport. If you are going to miss tournaments, not so good when you are the main guy.”

Deller highlights the combination of a packed PDC schedule and the lucrative exhibition circuit as a key issue. The biggest names can earn significant money outside official tournaments with exhibitions. However, Deller expects players will have to make different choices in the future.

“I think the exhibition circuit for a lot of these top players is going to be not so much in a couple of years' time,” he continues. “I know they can earn really good money but it’s no good playing exhibitions then saying you are tired and missing tournaments.”

Deller is from a different generation and therefore views the obligations that come with top-player status differently. As far as he’s concerned, the biggest names should be present at as many major PDC tournaments as possible. “I’m old school where I think the PDC are putting on so many big events now you want this to go worldwide.”

Deller believes a vast international market remains untapped for darts. Especially if the sport breaks through further in major countries like China and the United States, the financial landscape could, in his view, rise to a completely different level. “We all know if China went mad about it and the US can get bigger and bigger, the lads can be playing for £5million or £10million top prize.”

That is exactly why Deller feels the biggest names right now have a responsibility to support the PDC’s televised events. He is not only looking at Littler, but also at Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price, among others. “So, it’s up to the likes of the two Lukes and Gerwyn to really push the TV events and play all of them because that is where you are going to get the global audience.”

For Littler, his rapid rise means he is under increasing scrutiny. Not just for what he does on the oche, but also for his role as the figurehead of a sport that, according to Deller, is still far from reaching its international ceiling.