Interview Steve Brown

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Darts1 interview
with Steve Brown

Could you imagine an organisation close to the PDC like the PDC Europe in Germany or the DPA in Australia could be founded in the USA and work successfully?

Obviously, it could, but I think it would be unlikely, definitely in the foreseeable future. I feel that we would need a few more opportunities for players here than we currently have, and I really don't see that happening any time soon.

Would there be enough potential of American dartplayers around?

Undoubtedly; no question about it.

What do you think could the American players do to be really able to compete?

As I said earlier, they just need the experience, but out of necessity (basically, the size of the country), tournaments here have to be set up very differently from those in Europe.

Do you think the idea You've to be either PDC or WDF is a problem for the dartscene?

In Europe, I don't think it's that much of a problem, as whichever side of the fence one is on, there will usually be plenty of opportunities. Fortunately, it's not usually a problem here either, as we have no bans - or ineligibility - in the US. I think it only becomes a problem when one is put into a no-win situation, as one of our players was last year. He was forced to either join the PDPA - and lose a World Cup spot - or not join, and give up the money he had earned at a Player's Championship.

Is for you darts a sport?

Most definitely. I consider myself to be a "Professional Sportsman", and I don't think that the terms "sportsman" and "athlete" are always interchangeable. The closest parallels to darts are archery and shooting - both legitimate, Olympic sports. Sure, darts isn't that strenuous, but nor are a lot of other sports. If one wants to be really pedantic, saying that sports should be necessarily athletic, then that would leave only a handful of true sports, such as soccer, tennis, swimming, running etc.

The fact that we are reliant on pure skill and precision, nerves of steel, and - at the competitive level - a certain amount of physical effort and stamina (both physical and mental), that should make it a sport. Plus, darts is a pursuit that requires "training" (practice) in order to attain a level of excellence, so that should confirm it. For those who feel it is just a game, the same as cards, chess, or Scrabble (two of which rely on far more luck than darts), is there a similar physical output? Is there a similar level of co-ordination and manual dexterity involved?

And can you imagine darts in the Olympics?

Yes - and no! Obviously, I would love to see it, but honestly, I think it would be a struggle. One of the problems is that an Olympic Gold Medal should be the ultimate prize in sport, but with the kind of money available now, I really don't think that a lot of players would think of it as such. I know I would, though...

And what do you think about alcohol and darts - do they just belong inseparable together or is a pro sport where the top players drink alcohol during the tournaments just not really a pro sport?

I don't believe that alcohol does belong at the professional level, and it's largely the fact that the two are so intertwined that we have to face such prejudice, particularly in the US. A small amount of alcohol can certainly be considered a "performance-enhancing substance", so why should it be permissible in professional competition?

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