HEARN HAS SKY-HIGH HOPES

PDC Darts warns supremo broacaster they must up ante' if they want to keep showing the sport

- BEN CRAWFORD

PDC president Barry Hearn has told Sky Sports to 'raise the ante' or risk losing PDC darts.

Since Hearn, who issued the plea on The Barry Hearn Show podcast, took over the sport, it has catapulted stars into the limelight and made household names out of the likes of Luke Littler (right).

Yet, the sport that once saw headliners like Phil Taylor struggle to travel to events and share prize money owes part of its success to Sky Sports.

Sky has seen eye-to-eye with the PDC since the beginning of darts' upsurge, broadcasting the inaugural World Matchplay in 1994. However, they risk losing that privilege if they're unwilling to negotiate come crunch time next year.