Michael van Gerwen has joined Gerwyn Price in backing the idea of the World Darts Championship moving from London to Saudi Arabia.
Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn has touted the possibility of a move from Alexandra Palace to the kingdom after revealing Saudi Arabian interest in hosting the biggest event in darts.
Hearn has pointed out that it is not a realistic option until Saudi Arabia begin allowing alcohol consumption at events, but when their regulations change then it will be very much on the table.
Three-time world champion MVG would have no issue with the move, impressed with what he has seen Saudi Arabia produce in boxing and football recently.
‘[It] will be great, I think,’ Van Gerwen told the Daily Mail. ‘They want to make sports big in that country. You saw the big boxing games there, the football there. For me, I don’t mind where I play. I will be competing, and that’s how it is.’
Hearn told the Mirror: ‘I have spoken to the Saudis and they were very keen, but of course there’s no alcohol in Saudi.
‘There will be quite soon. And when it does, the first event they will want to stage in Saudi will be darts.’
The veteran promoter claims he ‘could sell a quarter of a million seats for the World Championship’ when he currently sells 90,000, which will inevitably mean change, whether that is into a bigger space at Alexandra Palace or elsewhere.
‘Everyone will say, “are you gonna take it to Saudi?” Well, no, don’t be silly. They’re not ready yet, But they won’t be far along,’ he said.
‘They won’t allow alcohol and the essence of darts is it’s party time, isn’t it? It’s fun as well as great sport.’
World number four Price doesn’t mind the idea of a move to Saudi Arabia, saying he likes the idea of a less rowdy crowd to play in front of.
‘Maybe it’s the way forward, less drunken hooligans that aren’t fans, causing fights, that turn up once in a blue moon and spoil/dictates the outcome of the game in what’s the most important event of the year for the players,’ Price wrote on Instagram.
‘If you want that atmosphere there’s four months of it with the Premier League. People can still enjoy themselves without alcohol.’
Barry and Eddie Hearn have been working closely with the Saudi Arabian authorities of late, taking huge boxing matches to the country, with snooker and pool events following.
The inaugural Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, which boasts a prize fund of over £2m, is set for 31 August-7 September in Riyadh, while the World Pool Championship runs from 3-8 June in Jeddah.
Snooker already made its debut in Saudi Arabia, with the World Masters of Snooker, won by Ronnie O’Sullivan in March.
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