"We don’t drink. Or we don’t go" – Barry Hearn says darts must play by Saudi rules as major event looms

The arrival of professional darts in Saudi Arabia is now looking more likely than ever, and it could be something extraordinary. At least, that’s the message from Barry Hearn, chairman of the PDC and founder of Matchroom Sport, who made it clear that fans should brace themselves for surprises and ground-breaking innovation – all inspired by the vision of influential Saudi sports chief Turki Al-Sheikh.

For Hearn, one thing is certain: the launch of darts in Saudi Arabia won’t be a simple copy of the tournaments familiar to British or European audiences. He told the Sky Sports' Love the Darts podcast: “We are not going to be restricted. Obviously, we want to make sure it is credible. But we are not going to be tied up with ‘oh, we cannot do that.’ We will look at everything, and it will all be money orientated. The one thing about Turki Al-Sheikh, His Excellency, is he does not walk away.”

That ambition is clear from Al-Sheikh’s previous ventures in other sports. During a snooker event in Riyadh in March 2024, he introduced the now-famous “Gold Ball” – an extra ball that made a maximum break of 167 possible. Any player who completed that feat pocketed a cool $1 million (£730,000) bonus.

Even Hearn, who describes himself as something of a traditionalist, admitted he was sceptical at first. “You know, with the purists out there, I almost put myself among them when I heard about the golden ball from Turki Al-Sheikh,” he said. “I thought, oh no, don’t start messing with it. But it’s had more publicity than the rest of the tournament put together. He’s a smart man – and sometimes we get restricted by the lack of our own imagination.”

A key condition for darts’ success in Saudi Arabia, Hearn stressed, is respect for local customs and laws.

“If you can’t drink in a country, we must respect their traditions and laws – we don’t drink. Or we don’t go. If you don’t want to go, don’t go,” he said. “But watch this space – very soon you will hear something about Saudi that will make you go, ‘oh my god, where is this journey going to end?’ The beautiful answer is I have no idea, but I know it’s got a long journey ahead of it.”

He sees the partnership with Saudi Arabia as a unique opportunity for the sport. “It’s an adventure, and nobody knows exactly where it will end,” he added. “What I do know is that the journey will be a long one.”

Hearn is certain that surprises are on the way. “You can bet your bottom dollar if and when we do something in Saudi there will be a few twists on it,” he continued. “I have no idea what he is going to say. But I do know what I am going to say – yes, thank you. He’s a crazy guy.”

According to Hearn, too many traditional sports suffer from a lack of imagination. Innovations like the Gold Ball, he said, prove that – when introduced with care and intelligence – creative ideas can massively enhance how fans experience sport.

Turki Al-Sheikh, the driving force behind these developments, is one of the most influential figures in global sport. As chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and an adviser to the Royal Court, he wields not only political power but also the financial clout to attract major sporting events to the kingdom.

He’s already brought some of the biggest boxing matches of recent years to Riyadh, firmly putting Saudi Arabia on the map as a global sporting destination. Now, it seems darts is next in line for a spectacular debut.

For Hearn, the partnership with Saudi Arabia represents a gateway to a new era for darts. While some purists may raise an eyebrow at possible changes, he believes the sport can only benefit from fresh ideas and bold ambition. “The best part,” Hearn concluded, “is that I don’t know where this adventure will end. But there’s no doubt it’s going to be a long and thrilling ride.”

With Al-Sheikh’s backing and Saudi Arabia’s vast resources, it seems only a matter of time before darts in the Middle East takes on an entirely new dimension – one that’s set to surprise players and fans around the world alike.