ITV Sport set to retain Darts broadcast rights amid production overhaul

ITV Sport is set to retain its broadcast rights for PDC Darts following the end of the current contract in November.

The PDC’s existing deal with ITV is due to end following the Players Championship Finals in Minehead next month, but a number of the sport’s major tournaments are likely to continue to be shown on the channel.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Matchroom – the promotions company run by Barry and Eddie Hearn which is the majority shareholder in the PDC – will take charge of production in 2026 for events excluding those broadcast by Sky Sports.

These include the World Masters, UK Open, European Championship, World Series Finals and Players Championship finals, as well as all World Series events.

ITV production staff were informed they would be surplus to requirements at the end of the current contract, including several longstanding pundits and commentators.

While ITV will continue to broadcast events, Matchroom Media will have full control over presentation and commentator picks, with a considerable shake-up expected from the current ITV team.

Coverage of the World Series events in Bahrain and the Netherlands earlier this year was presented by Ali Drew, with the commentary team including Dan Dawson, Mark Webster and Mark Wilson.

The European Championship was the penultimate event to be shown under the current ITV format, and longstanding pundit and commentator Chris Mason posted on social media on Monday: ‘One more event to do with the current team before production is put in the safe hands of Matchroom.

’18 years is a long old time to spend with colleagues that have become friends. Darts of course will be staying on ITV Sport but it’s going feel and look very different.’

Speaking earlier this year, Matchroom President Barry Hearn said: “We live in a numbers game. ITV4 has been fantastically successful for us in the numbers it’s got.

“We need to be more encouraging to the younger market, which involves talking to them in the language that they understand and the medium that they understand.

“And that’s why the world is becoming more digital. The future is more Netflix than free-to-air.

“It’s going to involve a multiple number of broadcasters. Some free-to-air, some behind the pay-model.

“People will be able to watch what they want to watch, the sports they want to watch, when they want to watch it and for a price they can afford. I find that really exciting.”

In May, it was reported that Channel 5 were in advanced negotiations to snap up the available broadcast rights, and it remains unclear as to whether all current events will remain on ITV or be shared across multiple broadcasters.