The semi-final between Gerwyn Price and Stephen Bunting on the final match night of the Premier League Darts featured a remarkable incident on Thursday evening. The match was temporarily halted after a spectator repeatedly misbehaved in the arena. Price refused to throw another dart until the supporter was removed from the crowd.
At the time of the incident, the Welshman was leading 2-1 in legs in the semi-final on the sixteenth and final night of the regular phase of the Premier League Darts. During one of the legs, unrest arose around the stage, after which Price reacted visibly irritated. According to Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle, there was a supporter who was “being awkward” and “being a bit of a wally.”
Price then decided to take a clear stand. According to Mardle, the former world champion stated he would not throw another dart as long as the supporter in question was still present in the arena. Security then intervened and removed the person from the crowd, after which the match was resumed without further issues.
The incident once again highlights how susceptible darts matches can be to disturbances from the crowd. Especially in the Premier League Darts, where the atmosphere is often exuberant and alcohol plays a major role, emotions can sometimes run high. In recent years, the PDC has repeatedly warned against crossing the line, including whistling during throws, chanting, and personal insults directed at players.
For Price, this is not the first time he has spoken out about fan behavior. The Welshman has repeatedly stated in the past that he believes certain supporters deliberately try to disrupt players’ concentration. His reaction during the semi-final showed he now has little tolerance left for it. After the interruption, Price quickly managed to regain his focus. The match was completed once calm had returned to the arena, although Price then went down to Bunting. But the incident sparked considerable debate among darts fans on social media afterward. In particular, the question of whether players should more often have the right to temporarily halt matches in response to crowd misconduct drew strong reactions.
