Darts retailers facing ‘unprecedented’ demand as home darts booms

Darts retailers are experiencing huge demand for products as newcomers take to the oche at home during the lock-down period.

Millions of people around the world are being told to stay at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, and while the majority of outdoor sports are put on hold, darts is bucking the trend.

Consumers are scrambling to buy darts equipment online to install a setup at home, with soft-tip and steel-tip dartboards, surrounds and stands among the most popular items.

Many online darts retailers are struggling to meet the demand for some the most sought-after products, including the Winmau Blade 5 dartboard, which is now widely sold-out.

Wayne Taylor, Managing Director of Darts Corner – the global leader in the industry – told Live Darts: “We have seen a considerable surge in the sales of dartboard sets, such as the Mission Home Dart Centres, which indicate many first time buyers wanting to take up darts.

“This type of set contains either a cabinet or surround, along with a starter board, two sets of darts and various accessories to get started.

“Other large products – dartboards and surrounds – demand has been unprecedented, along with portable dartboard stands, most of which are now out of stock as we struggle to get in new stocks.

“We often see first time customers upgrade to more professional equipment once they begin to play and want to improve their skills.

“We continue to have significant demand in Germany, France and Ireland for overseas sales and continued very strong sales within the UK.

“We have also seen some increased demand from some exciting emerging countries for us such as Hungary and Slovenia.”

The Target Nexus board, which retails at over £300 and allows players to compete online from remote locations, has seen a huge spike in users.

Former England international footballers Wayne Bridge and Jamie Redknapp faced off in a charity challenge match on the Nexus on Friday, while darts legends Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld are due to go head-to-head next week.

The PDC launched their first Darts At Home round-robin tournament earlier in the week, featuring five professional players battling it out from their practice boards on a live stream.

If you’re new to the game or are practicing at home and want to improve your skills, check out our Masterclass series with Paul Nicholson on YouTube below.