After the previous world championship again broke all viewing records in the United Kingdom, Sky Sports has reached a new agreement with the PDC over the broadcasting rights to darts tournaments.
Sky has been the broadcast partner of the PDC since 1993 and has played an integral role in the growth and evolution of the sport during that time. The previous deal expired after the Darts World Cup and it remained to be seen whether a new agreement would be reached. PDC boss Barry Hearn already hinted several times that substantially more money would have to be raised to renew the partnership.
That threat worked, as Sky Sports signed a new contract with the PDC. Until 2030, tournaments such as the Premier League, World Matchplay, Grand Slam of Darts, World Grand Prix, World Cup of Darts and the PDC World Darts Championship will be broadcast by the British sports channel.
“The incredible growth in darts viewership on Sky Sports over the last 12 months shows just how much the nation loves this sport. The extraordinary story of last year’s World Championship helped to welcome new younger audiences to the sport and brought increased excitement for fans," Jonathan Licht commented on behalf of Sky Sports.
"Following another successful tournament, there seems no better time to extend our longstanding partnership with the PDC to remain the home of this uniquely brilliant sport. We’re excited to keep innovating to tell the stories and bring fans closer to the action through our unrivalled coverage of the biggest darts tournaments for the next five years.”
Matt Porter, general manager of the PDC, is also pleased that the partnership between the two parties will continue.
"Sky Sports has been by our side for over 30 years and we're excited to extend our partnership for the next five years as we experience a surge in growth globally. We've gone from strength to strength in recent years as a sport, and the record viewing figures and sustained interest achieved by Sky over the past year are a reflection of the unprecedented popularity of PDC events at present.
"We're determined to continue this growth in the coming years and it's hugely important for us to have Sky working with us to help deliver more exciting tournaments for players, fans and viewers."
The Home of Darts 🏠🎯
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 4, 2025
Five more years of Darts on Sky Sports…
Premier League
World Cup of Darts
World Matchplay
World Grand Prix
Grand Slam of Darts
World Darts Championship
Bring it on 🙌
👉 https://t.co/nTtyaao59A pic.twitter.com/U572QoZ6DQ