“There is not much noise going on. It is just like a constant little whisper from everyone” – Charlie Manby suggests music to be played while competing on Pro Tour

Charlie Manby has shared his thoughts on a potential change within professional darts. The young Englishman sees merit in the idea of adding background music to PDC floor events, where play currently takes place in near silence.

This year, Manby made the move from the big stages to the day-to-day grind of the ProTour. While he stood before thousands of spectators at Alexandra Palace during the World Championship, he found himself in a completely different setting on the floor.

“You are allowed one guest per person and it is silent as well,” Manby told talkSPORTS. “Coming straight off a crowd of 3,000 people at Alexandra Palace, it was different.”

The debate around atmosphere at floor events recently resurfaced after presenter Andy Goldstein suggested adding music during matches. He pointed to sports like pool and tennis, where background music often plays on outside courts, while the main arena remains traditional.

Manby is not opposed to the idea. “Maybe, yeah, possibly. It is definitely a thing that people might like," he said. “If I am practising at home, I will always have something on in the background. I can’t practise in silence."

According to the Englishman, the contrast with current ProTour conditions is stark. “The room is not entirely silent, but there is not much noise going on. It is just like a constant little whisper from everyone."

He stresses, however, that performances don’t necessarily suffer. “It is different in many ways. But I think if it is just you and the dartboard and you are playing your darts, you can perform the same.” His preference clearly lies with the big stages. “But I like the big stage events. I think it brings the best out of me.”

Manby is putting together a solid first full season on the PDC Tour. The 20-year-old Englishman reached the quarterfinals of Players Championship 7 and 8 and also made the fourth round of the UK Open. Earlier, he signed a deal with Target Darts, further underlining his status as an emerging talent.