Fans enjoy costume drama of a night at the darts
SAMANTHA LANDY SUNDAY HERALD SUN JANUARY 11, 2014 11:19PM

NEW! Discover news with your friends. Give it a try.
To get going, simply connect with your favourite social network: Facebook
Simon
Simon "The Wizard" Whitlock was pipped in the grand final. Source: News Limited
THOUSANDS of fans - many in fancy dress - transformed Etihad Stadium on Saturday night for the finale of an international darts tournament.

Fred Flintstone, Where's Wally and fans dressed as Australian cricketers sat on white plastic chairs on turf usually reserved for AFL and soccer stars.

But unfortunately the fans were not treated to a local triumph after Dutch master Michael "Mighty Mike" van Gerwen pipped Australian top seed Simon "The Wizard" Whitlock in the grand final showdown of the Invitational Darts Challenge.

Orange and purple smoke briefly filled the stadium as a rowdy contingent set off flares during the showdown.

Announcer John McDonald - the world's leading darts MC - dubbed the spectacle "magnificent".

"(The crowd) really understand it," he said.


"You could be anywhere in Great Britain now and it would be exactly the same."

Mr McDonald said there had never been a bigger exhibition of darts anywhere in the world.

Etihad chief executive Paul Sergeant estimated the crowd would reach 8000 across the two-day event.

He said the stadium attracted a capacity crowd of 1000 when it held a smaller darts tournament in one of its function rooms in August - a success which gave him confidence to host a bigger event.

"(Darts) is huge in Europe, and it's getting a significant following in Australia," he said.

"People in Australia don't usually get to see top class darts players."

Joining "The Wizard" and "Mighty Mike" at the tournament were English-born world No. 5 Andy "The Hammer" Hamilton and Australian 2012 World Cup finalist Paul "The Asset" Nicholson.

Fans were delighted to see the world's best players in action up close.

"We only get to see this on TV, on the other side of the world," one said. "It's amazing."

"It's a great atmosphere," Angela Parker agreed.

"It's definitely bigger than I thought - I didn't expect this many people."

About 4500 attended Saturday night's event, bringing the total crowd over two days to 8000.

Etihad Stadium communications manager Bill Lane said "a handful" of people were thrown out on Saturday for unruly behaviour, with most of the ejections occurring in the last half-hour.

There were no arrests and just eight people ejected from Friday night's event.

samantha.landy@news.com.au
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/fans-enjoy-costume-drama-of-a-night-at-the-darts/story-fni0fit3-1226799811021

There were also reports of dangerous, sharp objects being thrown.

A minor point that doesn't impact how badly written the article is... The darts wasn't promoted as a family event/kid friendly etc, and the 'argument' they usually try to make about sockah violence is that it's scary for the little children and the frail ladies.

I'm pretty sure there's already a darts thread. Mods pls lock

I'll never understand the appeal of flares.

I guess because it appeals to idiots who like bright flashy lights.

Edited by socceroossupporter: 13/1/2014 03:31:29 午後

I'll never understand the appeal of flares.

I guess because it appeals to idiots who like bright flashy lights.

Edited by socceroossupporter: 13/1/2014 03:31:29 午後

I dont think we need this foreign sport here in Australia. These fans just can't control themselves.

A minor point that doesn't impact how badly written the article is... The darts wasn't promoted as a family event/kid friendly etc, and the 'argument' they usually try to make about sockah violence is that it's scary for the little children and [size=8]the frail ladies[/size].

lol flares at Darts

There'll be firecrackers at the chess next.

hahahahahahq!!!! Good one

Someone already did it actually.