PDC chief executive Matt Porter has addressed the hostile reception Luke Littler has encountered from darts audiences across multiple venues and countries this season.
The 19-year-old’s relationship with spectators has deteriorated significantly following specific flashpoints this year.
At the most recent World Championship, Littler reacted angrily towards the crowd after they backed Rob Cross during their quarter-final encounter.
His on-stage confrontation with Dutch player Gian van Veen in Manchester on 2 April during the Premier League further soured public sentiment towards the teenage sensation.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Porter acknowledged the two-time world champion has generally flourished when facing crowd antagonism but suggested a shift in tactics might be necessary.
“Luke has always enjoyed interacting with the crowd and I don’t think he minds it too much to a level,” Porter said.
“Obviously if you’re going to wind the crowd up a little bit, as he has done in the past, then you have to expect them to react to that.
PDC chief executive Matt Porter has addressed the hostile reception Luke Littler has encountered from darts audiences across multiple venues and countries this season
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PA
“And often when Luke’s done that, he’s had a smile on his face and it’s been something he’s thrived on.”
Littler himself characterised the atmosphere at Rotterdam’s Night 11 of the Premier League as “the worst I’ve experienced”, while supporters in Liverpool also jeered him last week.
The shift represents a stark contrast to his initial emergence as a 16-year-old prodigy at the 2023 World Championship, when he appeared universally beloved by fans.
Five things to know about Luke Littler | PA
Porter explained that darts audiences tend to replicate behaviour they witness at previous events, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of reactions.
“It’s difficult because darts crowds can tend to follow patterns. They copy what they see the week before. So once you get on a little bit of a run of having a certain reaction from the crowd, you need to do something to reverse that,” he said.
The PDC boss pointed to Gerwyn Price as evidence that perceptions can be transformed, noting the Welshman has “completely changed around the perception that he has from the crowds now”.
Porter indicated the decision ultimately rests with Littler himself.
“If he can shrug it off and treat it like water off a duck’s back, then he’ll be alright with it,” he added.
Beyond Rotterdam and Liverpool, Littler has experienced friction with supporters in Dublin, Brighton, Nottingham and Berlin throughout the current campaign.
Gian van Veen launched a scathing attack on Luke Littler following their explosive Premier League bust-up | PA
Porter suggested that the teenager’s commanding position atop the sport inevitably attracts such scrutiny.
“I mean you see it in every sport, don’t you? Where people are there to be shot at and Luke’s obviously got a target on his back, not only from the other players, but from people who watch the sport,” he observed.
The PDC chief expressed confidence that the situation would eventually pass, noting: “These things always go in waves, don’t they?
“Like I say, it’ll be one thing today and then something else will come along and take that over in the future.”
