With the Luke Littler effect broadening the appeal of darts, Star Pubs is running a free online
UK-wide darts tournament for its managed operator and leased & tenanted pubs with darts teams.
The competition aims to increase midweek sales in community wet-led locals in advance of the festive season. It will be held on Tuesday nights from October to early December with training evenings in September to familiarise teams with the online technology.
The tournament is designed to meet customer demand for experiences that add value to their pub visit and provide an occasion for spectators and players alike. Different pub teams will play live against each other and licensees will be able to livestream their opponents on screens in their pubs. Spot prizes ranging from bucket hats to a Luke Littler signed T-shirt will add excitement.
The tournament is sponsored by Strongbow. Participating pubs will receive free point-of-sale material and digital assets as well as branded kit, such as darts flights, to professionalise their darts offer. The whole of the winning team will get tickets to the World Darts Championships as well as a visit from a darts pro to their pub.
Says Cathy Olver, Star Pubs Retail Director:
“We know from our own estate that darts is an incredibly important income driver for pubs, ranking second only to football for live sports revenue. The demographic for darts enthusiasts is changing in our pubs; more women are playing and watching and, helped by Luke Littler’s success, increasing number of younger people are becoming fans of the sport and getting involved, too. The tournament will enable licensees to boost their sales on quieter nights whilst building their pub’s reputation for darts and getting in on the trend for competitive socialising.”
