Nathan Aspinall has opened up about his unusual experience at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters, admitting the crowd “weren’t all there of their own accord” even as the event made headlines for its record-breaking $200,000 nine-dart prize. Aspinall’s comments highlight the cultural differences faced by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) as it pushes into new global markets.
Nathan Aspinall has opened up about his unusual experience at the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters, admitting the crowd “weren’t all there of their own accord” even as the event made headlines for its record-breaking $200,000 nine-dart prize.
Aspinall’s comments highlight the cultural differences faced by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) as it pushes into new global markets.
The Saudi Arabia Darts Masters, held at Riyadh’s Global Theater, marked the first PDC event in the kingdom, drawing world champion Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Michael van Gerwen to a country with strict no-alcohol laws and a developing darts fanbase.
Nathan Aspinall questions the Saudi crowd atmosphere
Aspinall said the experience was “certainly different” and admitted that the atmosphere felt more restrained than the usual lively darts nights in the UK or Europe.
“I’m not stupid. I feel like they [the crowd] weren’t all there of their own accord, shall we say, and it was quite a small venue,” he said. “Everything needs to start somewhere, but as long as people walk away from the week and are like, ‘You know what, we really enjoyed the darts’, and it gets good coverage.”
The Englishman said he enjoyed playing despite the muted energy and found humor in the crowd’s unfamiliarity with darts’ scoring quirks, laughing with opponent Lourence Ilagan as spectators clapped at the wrong moments during his opening win.
The PDC responded by saying all attendees were legitimate ticket-holders or guests and praised the event’s turnout, noting that the atmosphere and crowd make-up can differ from long-established European tournaments.
Record $200,000 prize underlines Saudi push
Beyond the atmosphere, the event made global headlines for offering the biggest nine-darter prize in PDC history: a staggering $200,000 (£149,400). Any player who landed a perfect leg would take home $100,000 (£74,700), doubled to $200,000 if they finished on a bullseye.
The unprecedented prize pool reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing ambition to establish itself as a hub for elite sport, with similar investments seen in golf, Formula 1, and boxing.
For the PDC, the record bonus signals an opportunity to grow the sport in new regions, even as it navigates challenges around culture and fan engagement.
Aspinall’s candid comments may reflect those early growing pains, but his willingness to engage and the PDC’s record incentives show darts’ global expansion is gaining serious momentum.
Category: General Sports
