Unicorn Darts end 25-year partnership with the PDC as dartboard sponsor

Unicorn Darts will no longer be the official dartboard sponsor of the PDC after ending their 25-year partnership.

Unicorn first linked up with the PDC back in 1997 and their dartboards have been in used in all televised PDC tournaments since.

Unicorn signed a new five-year deal to extend their PDC contract in 2016 and have also sponsored the PDC’s second-tier Challenge Tour and the Development Tour for players aged 16-23.

However, that deal will end following The 2022 Masters in Milton Keynes on January 30, with a new manufacturer to be announced prior to the start of the Premier League campaign the following week.

It is not yet known which company will take over, though Winmau are believed to be front-runners.

Edward Lowy, Managing Director of Unicorn Darts, said: “For us this is about taking the next step in our brands journey; we are proud of the role we have played in the PDC over the past 25 years and it is now time for us to invest in growing the darts community and inspiring more people to play and enjoy the game as much as we do.”

Unicorn, established in 1937, now wants to ‘proactively focus on growing the number of players and fans, investing in bringing more people together to play darts socially and within communities.’

They have launched a ‘For Every Player’ initiative with the aim of removing the barriers to playing the sport and embrace new fans to ensure that darts can be enjoyed by everyone.

In September 2021, Unicorn released the Eclipse Ultra board, which was used in all events from the World Grand Prix onwards.

It was designed with improved recovery and durability in mind, following criticism from a number of players in recent years over the conditions of the match boards.

Unicorn will continue to sponsor the likes of Gary Anderson, James Wade, Michael Smith, Dimitri van den Bergh, Ian White, Chris Dobey and Callan Rydz.