Two-Time World Champ Ruled Out of Virtual Darts Competition Due to Poor WiFi

Professional Darts Corporation

It may not be all that appealing to Americans, but professional darts is a big deal in Europe. Rowdy fans pack venues to watch guys flick darts from 7 feet, 9 1/4 inches. It’s mostly just an excuse to get really, really drunk, but whatever. 

There will be no rowdy crowds when the Professional Darts Corporation resumes competition this weekend—and the field will be missing a former world champ. 

The PDC Home Tour will feature 32 consecutive nights of competition, with players joining remotely from their homes. Two players have already been forced to withdraw from the event, though, because their home WiFi connections aren’t up to snuff. 

Gary Anderson, a two-time world champion, and Daryl Gurney, the current No. 6 player in the world, announced that technical difficulties have forced them to bow out of the competition. 

Anderson said the internet at his house in southwestern England is always giving him trouble. 

“I was up for it but when we did tests of my WiFi, it’s just not reliable enough,” he told The Sun. “It doesn’t surprise me. I struggle to pay bills online in my house, it’s really frustrating.

Gurney’s issue isn’t just the WiFi. He told the BBC that he couldn’t guarantee his house would be quiet enough to abide by the rules the PDC laid out. There’s also an issue with his practice setup. 

“My dartboard is on the back of my bedroom door,” Gurney said. “I stand in the hall at the top of the stairs and I have one foot in the bathroom and one in the hall so if someone needs to go the bathroom I can't throw. There is definitely nothing fancy about it.”