“This isn’t some random fun game - this is their lives” - Referee Owen Binks backs Gerwyn Price after Premier League crowd drama

Referee Owen Binks has revealed play was never going to restart during the Premier League Darts semi-final between Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price until the whistling spectator at the centre of the disruption had been removed from the arena.

The incident became one of the major talking points from Night 16 in Sheffield, where Bunting eventually beat Price 6-3 before going on to defeat Luke Humphries in the final and claim his second weekly title of the season.

Price was the player who spotted the spectator responsible for the whistling and pointed him out. Bunting later backed the Welshman’s stance, saying there was no place in darts for people deliberately trying to disrupt players. Now Binks has added the referee’s view, making clear that the match officials were fully behind the decision to stop until the situation was dealt with.

“We were waiting for a fan to get kicked out,” Binks said on TikTok. “Usually you can’t hear who’s whistling and booing but on this occasion Gezzy - fair play to him - he noticed who was doing it and pointed him out. We were never going to start the game again until he was kicked out.”

Binks’ comments add weight to what was already a rare moment of player unity on stage.

Price and Bunting were opponents in a high-stakes Premier League semi-final, but both refused to carry on while the disruption continued. Bunting later revealed that Price told him not to restart until they were ready, a stance Binks has now confirmed was matched by the officials.

The referee also explained why he believes fans need to understand the line between atmosphere and deliberate interference. “The point of this is when you go the darts be respectful because these players are playing for a lot of money,” Binks said. “They are playing for their kids and to provide for their families. If you are whistling because you think it is funny then you shouldn’t be there.”

The Premier League has produced some huge atmospheres throughout the 2026 campaign, with players regularly feeding off the noise. Binks’ point was not that crowds should be quiet. It was that targeted attempts to make a player miss cannot be treated as part of the show.

“So just don’t do it,” he continued. “You can have a good time and sing but don’t deliberately make a player miss. This isn’t some random fun game - this is their lives. It is ridiculous.”

Once the spectator had been removed and play resumed, Bunting handled the interruption better than Price. The Bullet produced a superb finishing burst, taking out 161, 100 and 104 on his way to a 6-3 semi-final victory. He then backed that up in the final, averaging 106.37 in another 6-3 win over Humphries to end his Premier League campaign in fifth place.

For Price, the night ended in frustration, although he had already secured his place at Finals Night. He will face Luke Littler at the O2, while Humphries takes on Jonny Clayton in the other semi-final.

The Sheffield incident, however, has now become part of a wider debate over crowd behaviour. Bunting condemned it from the player’s side. Binks has now made clear that from the official’s side, the response was just as firm.