Why darts is so interesting…

I’d never watched a darts match until last night when the drama of the World Darts Championship final captivated me. Tensions had been rising all week at the prospect of a 16 year old schoolboy winning the £500k prize money on his debut. He had, after all, slayed every former world champion enroute to the final – why not dare to dream?

So there I was on the edge of my seat, excited as if I were watching the England football team in the World Cup finals. Even my fruit tea went cold (yes, dry January), as I completely lost myself to a rollercoaster of emotions while ‘cool-hand’ Luke Humphries regained control of a match he was losing to our teenage hero Luke Littler.

It wasn’t the fairytale ending, but it was quite a thriller. I think I may have a dusty old dart board in the loft somewhere…

What makes this story resonate? It follows the exact story formula we subscribe to in our Storytelling Academy:

Who is the Hero?

A schoolboy darts player called Luke – a David in a field of Goliaths

His mission?

To slay the Champion (and all former Champions) against all odds

The Tension point?

The burning question – could he actually win? His early lead only heightened the suspense.

The Guide?

In this case, the whole crowd, close friends and family, every one watching from their living rooms cheering him on.

The journey

 Each round, each victory, as Luke Littler defeated champion after champion, leading to the final.

The resolution

 Even in defeat, it was a triumph. The take-away, or higher purpose, is that this young teenager has not just gripped our imagination, he has inspired a generation to take up the sport.

And he made darts interesting!