The magic of the Oche

The darts. The arras. The perfect tonic in modern sport.

Where would you find a better antidote to the money spinning, controversy-laced geopolitical dynamic of modern sport than the oche at the Alexandra Palace at Christmas time?

A place where everyone is welcome; men and women of all shapes, colours and sizes and united together with a crowd simply there for a good time, a Kolo Kolo chant or two and to feverishly anticipate a rare but glorious 9-dart finish.

As low-ranked American qualifier Leonard Gates boogied his way onto the stage for his first round tie with Geert Nentjes, he had the audience at the Palace immediately in the palm of his hand. He was the underdog hero—a former low tier baseball player turned darts player—and when you play to the live crowd, they return the favour in spades. He was buoyed all the way into the second ground where he main evented the evening schedule against the steady Stephen Bunting, who beat him—but not without some early jabs from Gates, who once again left the crowd going home smiling as he departed the tournament, even standing in on Sky’s show-closing interview with the winner—a rarity for losing contenders, unless it’s in the final.

In last year’s first round business, relative unknown William Borland hit a 9-dart finish for the ages to close out his match with Bradley Brooks to erupt the crowd like it was an episode of WWF Raw in the late 90s and the glass shattered to enter Stone Cold Steven Austin. Before that match, nobody present knew much about the Scot. Afterwards, he sent the crowd home having likely witnessed the most unforgettable sporting moment of their lives.

With so many great stories to weave throughout the tournament, whether its the fresh faced rookie or the unlikely far-flung qualifier, or the big name returning to his former glory as we have recently scene with Raymond van Barndeveld, the darts is a perfect tonic for the increasingly difficult to digest indulgences of modern sport.

There’s no room for discrimination, no VAR, no controversy, no taking it to the Middle East in an effort to spin a quick buck, no drugs of the enhancement kind, just a simple sport that dishes up all the great emotions that we love in sport. Tension, anticipation, heartache and ecstacy.

Merry Christmas.