ESPN Gain European Darts Championship Rights

August 8, 2012

ESPN has agreed a deal to broadcast the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) European Darts Championship next month.

This is the first time ESPN and the PDC team up for the first time to show a major darts event.

The championship will see 32 players battling it out over four days for the £200,000 prize pot, including Taylor, who has won all four European Championship titles since the event’s inception in 2008.

Other players in contention include double PDC World Champion Adrian Lewis, who was the runner-up to Taylor in last year’s European Championship, world number three James Wade, Holland’s five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, and Australian favourite Simon Whitlock.

Jeroen Oerlemans, the vice-president of TV Channels at ESPN EMEA, said: “We’re delighted to add more top-class darts to ESPN’s great sporting line-up.

“Our live and exclusive coverage of the European Darts Championship will bring viewers some of the best players in the world competing for one of the most prestigious trophies in darts. 

“We’ll continue to look to add more darts programming as we expand and solidify the range of our programming.”

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn added: “The PartyPoker.net European Darts Championship has established itself as one of our most exciting and colourful events over the past four years, and it is a pleasure to welcome ESPN as our broadcast partner for the 2012 event.

“Last year, we saw the emergence of Kim Huybrechts as he took part in a major PDC event for the first time as well as a thrilling nine-darter by Adrian Lewis and his great final with Phil Taylor, and I’m sure that September’s tournament will be equally memorable for the fans in Germany and viewers on ESPN.”