BBC America to Air Professional Darts Coverage

BBC America will step into the professional darts arena this month, airing the first of two worldwide darts tournamentsit has lined up, the network said Tuesday (Dec. 12). 

The World Darts Championship will debut on BBC America Dec. 14, with weekly tournament coverage airing on Dec. 16, 23, and 30. The largest darts tournament in the sport, the championship draws 72 players representing 24 countries, the network said. 

The network will also air the 16-week Premier League Darts beginning Feb. 1. BBCA's coverage will include a combination of live shows and highlights featuring the tournament’s latest action, according to network officials.

“Darts is a fringe sport like no other — it appeals to the obsessive soccer fan, requires the skill of poker and has some of the high entertainment quota of wrestling,” said BBC president Sarah Barnett in a statement. “As home to some of the world’s largest global franchises, adding a unique, world-class sport to BBCA’s fresh and entertaining.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.