Gerwyn Price has no issue with the World Darts Championship being relocated to Saudi Arabia.
Alexandra Palace has been seen as the spiritual home of darts prestigious competition, the World Darts Championship, which has been hosted at the iconic North London venue since 2008.
It has created some of the sport’s biggest atmospheres and seen it thrust into the mainstream, hosting legends such as Raymond Van Barneveld, Phil Taylor and Michael Van Gerwen.
‘The Iceman’ won the tournament in 2021, but has surprisingly backed claims that the tournament could be relocated to the Middle East.
He wrote in an Instagram post: “Maybe it’s the way forward, less drunken hooligans that aren’t fans, causing fights, that turn up once in a blue moon.
“It spoil/dictates the outcome of the game in what’s the most important event of the year for the players.
If you want that atmosphere there’s four months of it with the Premier League.
“People can still enjoy themselves without alcohol.”
Price has been subject to heckling and boos’ from the passionate crowd as a Welshman playing in front of a largely English crowd.
He even wore ear defenders on the big stage in 2023, and complained how the crowd interfered with play despite being considered a ‘neutral venue’.
The calls come after ex-PDC chairman Barry Hearn insisted that he would not be against the tournament being relocated from ‘Ally Pally’ and away from UK soil.
Fans flock regularly to see the players in action, and create a raucous atmosphere inside the small hall which can only currently hold a capacity of 3,200.
Since the emergence of 17-year-old superstar Luke Littler, the tungsten magic has been cannoned into the stratosphere, with the competition having a record 4.8million sets of eyes on the 2024 final.
Sport has migrated to the Middle East due to their financial investment including boxing, which has seen some huge events held in Riyadh including Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn has suggested that the Saudis are keen on bringing the sport to the new shores, but will first explore a move to the Palace’s big hall in the coming years.
“I have spoken to the Saudis and they were very keen,” Hearn told the Mirror. “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.
It’s a great atmosphere at Ally Pally, but well, we’re looking at it.
So we’ve got to start looking at making the World Championships bigger. If I went from 96 players to 128 for example, which I can easily do in a heartbeat, it brings in a lot more TV money from different countries.
“And from the fans point of view, it gives me an extra 25,000 seats. Still nowhere near enough.
Or do I go somewhere else 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.
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.”
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