Stand up if you love the darts?

theyoungchap

As a massive darts fan, I do always laugh when the crowd are standing up singing "Stand up if you love the darts". The reality is, most people are only there because they can drink away an evening and shout sing dance etc and have absolutely zero interest in the darts. 
Am I being too hard on these drunks? Am I one of the few who really loves the darts? I am going to Ally Pally next year, it will be my trip to Mecca :D

callaway92

It's just a big session. Most are they for the music and the session.

D.Q

Definitely has its ups and downs.

The cracking atmosphere means more viewers, more prize money and you would assume, a better standard of play. I definitely appreciate the shiny sky production more than the smokey dingey finals of previous years. I also think the crowd adds great drama to the big checkouts, near misses etc

Cons: Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya kolo kolo kolo kolo kolo kolo kolo kolo toure ya ya ya ya ya ya

mdwexford

When I go I am always baffled by the amount of people who don't even look at the stage once all night but everyone isn't a darts fanatic like me so let them off I suppose. As D.Q says their cash has increased prize money and the big session vibe has increased attention to the sport. The atmosphere at the darts is usually incredible.

Some of my friends who aren't big into darts have gone to the Grand Prix with our group and everyone has the time of their lives.

Diabhal Beag

Personal highlight is when a 9 darter is missed and a chorus of boos fill the Ally Pally. I kinda love the big drunk crowd factor. Will never forget when the crowd turned on MVG in that final against Wrighty for no winning by enough. They're ruthless but it makes it a more fascinating watch.

PTH2009

Remember I was at the grand prix one year and was sitting in the front of the second tier of tables and a group of girls were sitting near us and they must of went out to the bar/toilet area every 10 mins for the entire ecent and had **** all interest in the matches going on. The only time they showed any interest was for the player entrances and when the chants started lol

Anyway it's a good night out and there lots and lots of drinking. For me it's quite hard to do a number of nights on the trot as the owl head and body would be sore lol

The seating situation for the grand prix in particular can be quite disasteruois as groups (with some having tickets for a different table) would tend to steal empty chairs and sit together. Remember one year some drunk guy would not move out my seat because he said someone took his seat and my seat was his (even though I had the ticket with that exact seat number)and a Canadian bitch on the table next to ours abused me for blocking her view and took ur man's side. He moved eventually and I enjoyed my night .Prefer the PL over the grand prix

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

seanhynes

I attended last Saturday nights event,I tried not to miss much the annoying aspect is a long walk to the toilets from the arena and queuing for beer tokens and beer ,this happens before games begin but even still by the time you get back to your seat you'd missed a couple of legs and the entrance of the players , it's hard not to be on time and hard to hear to know if the players are on they're way out from the entrance area section . Had to stay in and just skip beer and the toilets for the beginning of mvg, great venue just a lot of walking about that takes up your time

seanhynes

seanhynes wrote: »

I attended last Saturday nights event,I tried not to miss much the annoying aspect is a long walk to the toilets from the arena and queuing for beer tokens and beer ,this happens before games begin but even still by the time you get back to your seat you'd missed a couple of legs and the entrance of the players , it's hard not to be on time and hard to hear to know if the players are on they're way out from the entrance area section . Had to stay in and just skip beer and the toilets for the beginning of mvg, great venue just a lot of walking about that takes up your time

Wasn't too happy missing the first few legs of Van Den Bergh/bunting games and I would watch every day of the tournament at home

Kingp35

seanhynes wrote: »

I attended last Saturday nights event,I tried not to miss much the annoying aspect is a long walk to the toilets from the arena and queuing for beer tokens and beer

Yeah the toilets are very far away which is annoying. I usually just get enough tokens to buy a pitcher of beer for myself and then more tokens for another pitcher if needed.

As for the crowd, I reckon in the earlier rounds that most of them are there for the piss up. I don't really have a problem with that as long as the players are respected and there is no booing when players are throwing. I usually go to the semi-finals and Final. The price puts the non-dart fan off so the atmosphere is usually much better.

I miss the Circus Tavern, I will never forget being at the Taylor v Barney when Barney beat him in a sudden death leg. The atmosphere was incredible but you could hear a pin drop when the players were throwing. Darts has grown beyond that now but that was a fantastic little venue.

raiders11

Kingp35 wrote: »

I miss the Circus Tavern, I will never forget being at the Taylor v Barney when Barney beat him in a sudden death leg. The atmosphere was incredible but you could hear a pin drop when the players were throwing. Darts has grown beyond that now but that was a fantastic little venue.

Sitting here green with envy, would love to have been at that. Mind you, wouldn't have been thinking that after first few sets..

Walter H Price

Dunno if any one on here has been over , but i was there two years ago with my Da for his 50th was unbelievable 2 nights , best craic and atmosphere at any sporting event i've ever been to just a savage night out

Kingp35

raiders11 wrote: »

Sitting here green with envy, would love to have been at that. Mind you, wouldn't have been thinking that after first few sets..

No we were not happy at all after Taylor went 3-0 up as we were over for our usual semi-finals and final and both semi-finals had been whitewashes! Great comeback from Barney though. Best darts match I have ever seen.

sc86

bastard lol