Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is bringing the U.K.'s "immensely popular Professional Darts Corporation to Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theater June 3-4," according to Lance Pugmire of USA TODAY. The N.Y. stop, which "will be streamed by DAZN," features "some of the elite darts personalities." Hearn said that the PDC "ranks behind only the English Premier League in U.K. television ratings." The darts league "accounts for the same one-third of Matchroom business as Hearn's boxing enterprise." Hearn hopes the appeal of darts "fastens a similar rise from American players ... to regional competitions and the pursuit of a PDC career." Another element that "could boost darts' ability to capture the American audience" is the "increased legalization of online sports betting across the map." Hearn said that the betting potential for darts in the U.S. is "huge." At MSG, the PDC's title sponsor is the "online British betting shop Bet365," which is "licensed in New Jersey as BET365.NJ." Hearn expects "6,000 spectators to attend next week's event." Hearn said, "It's going to take time, but the best thing that's going to happen is that if the U.S. market just experiences it, they're going to watch it. They're going to cheer it and tune in" (USA TODAY, 5/25).
