Luke Littler has built a reputation for thriving on the jeers and boos of darts spectators, but the PDC’s chief executive, Matt Porter, cautions that the young champion might soon have to adopt a different strategy. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Porter addressed whether he was taken aback by the wave of negative reactions Littler has encountered across several venues and countries this year. The 19‑year‑old two‑time world champion first burst onto the international stage as a 16‑year‑old prodigy at the World Darts Championship in December 2023. He fell short in the final, losing to Luke Humphries on January 3, 2024, but rebounded spectacularly to claim the world title in both 2025 and 2026.
During his early rise, Littler was universally celebrated; fans adored the teenage phenom and his confident demeanor on the oche. That adulation began to shift after a series of high‑profile incidents. During the most recent World Championship, Littler reacted angrily to the crowd’s vocal support for rival Rob Cross in the quarter‑finals.
The episode sparked a heated exchange, and later, on April 2, he engaged in a on‑stage confrontation with Dutch competitor Gian van Veen at a Premier League event in Manchester. Those moments appear to have altered his relationship with the audience.
Littler himself described the atmosphere in Rotterdam on Night 11 of the Premier League as "the worst I’ve experienced," and he was again booed in Liverpool just a week later. When Sky Sports asked Porter if the booing surprised him, he answered, "Yes and no. Luke has always enjoyed interacting with the crowd and I don’t think he minds it too much to a level." Porter went on to explain that Littler’s tendency to provoke the crowd is part of his persona. "Obviously, if you’re going to wind the crowd up a little bit, as he has done in the past, then you have to expect them to react to that.
And often when Luke’s done that, he’s had a smile on his face and it’s been something he’s thrived on," the PDC chief said. He added that darts audiences can be highly reactive and tend to repeat patterns they see. "Darts crowds can tend to follow patterns.
They copy what they see the week before. So once you get on a little bit of a run of having a certain reaction from the crowd, you need to do something to reverse that," Porter noted. He suggested that if Littler is truly bothered by the boos, he may decide to change his approach; if he can brush them off like "water off a duck’s back," he will likely continue as he has. Porter drew a parallel with Gerwyn Price, who a few years ago transformed his public perception after a period of negative fan reaction.
"We saw it with Gerwyn Price a few years ago. He’s completely changed around the perception that he has from the crowds now and there’s been others too," Porter said, emphasizing that a player’s relationship with spectators can evolve. The PDC chief concluded that the ultimate decision lies with Littler. "It’s really going to be up to Luke, whether he feels it’s something he finds quite funny and whether he can deal with it or if it’s something that he wants to change, then you might see a different approach," Porter explained.
Beyond the Rotterdam and Liverpool incidents, Littler has also faced confrontations with fans in Dublin, Brighton, Nottingham and Berlin throughout the season. Some observers argue that, despite his youth, Littler’s dominance in a sport that has surged in popularity inevitably brings heightened scrutiny and volatile crowd interactions.
Porter agreed, pointing out that athletes in any discipline often become targets. "I mean you see it in every sport, don’t you?
Where people are there to be shot at and Luke’s obviously got a target on his back, not only from the other players, but from people who watch the sport. That’s not something that’s unique to darts in any way, shape or form," he said. He also remarked that such dynamics tend to ebb and flow.
"These things always go in waves, don’t they? Like I say, it’ll be one thing today and then something else will come along and take that over in the future," Porter added. Discussing the current Premier League campaign, Porter noted that Littler has not yet achieved the results he might have hoped for.
"Luke’s perhaps not had the Premier League campaign that he would have wanted. He’s got himself into good positions a lot of the time, but not always been able to convert that into wins," Porter observed. He contrasted Littler’s performance with that of Michael van Gerwen, who has been steady and consistent, accumulating points week after week. Porter explained the pressure on Littler: "The pressure is a little bit more on Luke.
He’s going to probably want to win a night just to really get himself back into contention for the top four. But you wouldn’t rule that out, obviously, with the talent that he’s got." The 2026 Premier League will continue at the P&J Live in Aberdeen, featuring a pivotal clash between defending champion Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen as they battle for a top‑four Play‑Offs spot.
League leader Jonny Clayton will renew his rivalry with Gian van Veen, while Josh Rock and Littler are set to open the evening’s action. Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price will also meet in a semi‑final qualifier. Points are awarded each night—five for the winner, three for the runner‑up, and two for each semi‑finalist—forming a league table that determines the four players who will advance to the Finals Night at The O2 in London on May 28. As the season unfolds, all eyes remain on Littler, not only to see whether he can convert his talent into victories, but also to watch how he navigates the complex relationship with the passionate, sometimes hostile, darts crowd.