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Organisers of the BDO Darts World Championship have come under intense scrutiny after television cameras revealed how few spectators even bothered to attend on Sunday night.

After 33 years at its spiritual home of Lakeside Country Club in Surrey, the BDO decided to relocate the annual tournament to the Indigo Arena at the O2 in Greenwich in an attempt to raise more funds.

However, at the end of December it was announced just 15 per cent of tickets had been sold, meaning the organisation had to reduce prize money for players, with some estimates saying the kitty had been slashed by 60 per cent.
It seems fans are choosing to vote with their feet, too.
Just a handful of spectators made it to the Sunday afternoon showing to see Martijn Kleermaker’s game against Gino Vos.
And the cameras captured the harrowing truths for the cash-strapped BDO.



Three-time world champion Martin ‘Wolfie’ Adams predicted fans would be priced out by the relocation to south east London from Lakeside.
“I still believe the BDO can be successful,” he told The Sun. “But one of the worst moves was to pull the world professional out of Lakeside and put it on at The O2.
“So many people that were regulars at Lakeside and who would save up all year to go for the whole week, they aren’t going.
“It’s a totally different environment, it’s more expensive. So a lot of people who would be there, won’t be.

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