Will there be a darts boom in Japan after Mikuru Suzuki win today?

Post by **MancheStar** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:18 pm

What are people’s views on what the implications will be on Suzuki winning the woman’s title?

Post by **MancheStar** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:20 pm

A lot of talk off the pundits of Suzuki being a big star in japan and the BDO should take the world trophy over to Japan.

Post by **BlueSpark** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:24 pm

It could be a big deal.
However we know from experience the BDO do not have a clue what they are doing when it comes to their "brand" or advertising the game. So what could happen, or should happen probably won't.
And I won't be surprised.
So it's a no from me.

Post by **MancheStar** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:27 pm

Bet the BDO are gutted they didn’t arrange the annual men’s Asian qualifier now.

Post by **ssjsa** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:29 pm

Think Suzuki winning today and following up on how well Asada done at Ally Pally, shows the progress of darts in Japan.

Darts is clearly getting bigger in Japan, but not unlike North America, such is the population of the country, the percentage of that population who have any interest in darts will still be minimal.

That being said, personally think the PDC have missed a big opportunity to continue growing awareness in Asia, by making the decision to have no WSOD events on that continent.

Post by **MancheStar** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:33 pm

ssjsa wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:29 pm Think Suzuki winning today and following up on how well Asada done at Ally Pally, shows the progress of darts in Japan.

Darts is clearly getting bigger in Japan, but not unlike North America, such is the population of the country, the percentage of that population who have any interest in darts will still be minimal.

That being said, personally think the PDC have missed a big opportunity to continue growing awareness in Asia, by making the decision to have no WSOD events on that continent.

After today’s win the PDC might add a WSOD event to japan it would make perfect sense growth wise.

Post by **ChrisW** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:52 pm

The potential for something big is there.
RVB did this to darts in NL in 1995 after his first Lakeside final to his title in 98.
It doesn't necessarily need the BDO to make it happen.
So let's wait and see what comes from it, If there is a big explosion of interest there will be plenty queuing up to take advantage.
Not just the BDO and in both soft and steel tip.

Post by **MancheStar** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:56 pm

Do the women get invited back the next few years without qualifying like the previous male winners?

Post by **ChrisW** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:58 pm

MancheStar wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:56 pm Do the women get invited back the next few years without qualifying like the previous male winners?

Yep.

Post by **MancheStar** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:12 am

she could dominate lakeside the next few years if all the big names go q school.

Post by **Zapp Brannigan** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:44 am

MancheStar wrote:she could dominate lakeside the next few years if all the big names go q school.

She already plays on the pdc Asia tour

She only needs to take this form to that tour and she will be at ally pally next year as a Asian qualifier.

Barry did mention in a interview to the bbc last week that they have a plan to crack Asia so I’m almost certain we are going to see a wsod event out there

Post by **DartsMadJohn** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:45 am

If there had been a major Jap impact on the PDC side (e.g. Asada getting to semis) then I would have more hopes of a boom as the PDC would jump all over it hype-wise (e.g. WSOD, Asian Tour event, 2nd place for Japan at Worlds etc.) whereas the BDO reaction would be...what exactly? Look at the BBC for example - their report on the match shows Lorraine Winstanley as the main picture with no appearance of Suzuki!

If a BDO major ever went to Japan, I also wonder about entries as with BDO prize money you'd probably need to make the semis for it to be a worthwhile trip, plus in the back of my mind there is bound to be some kind of BDO cock-up such as messing up the streaming, tournaments clashing or - horror of horrors - a clash with the sacred County weekends (because the world outside the UK means nothing, obviously).

Finally, the poster who likened this to the "Barneveld boom" misses one point - the UK is a ferry ride away from Holland so Dutch players had an easy opportunity to quickly move up the rankings through playing UK events, whereas someone like Suzuki would have to move over here to play the tour. Not saying it can't be done, but for every Kyle Anderson there's a Diogo Portela.

Post by **Dannyboy** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:14 am

The chances of the BDO managing to organise an event in Japan is absolutely minimal, unless it’s a holiday package a la the North Cyprus Jacklin Open. This is the PDC’s territory.

Post by **ChrisW** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 9:02 am

DartsMadJohn wrote: ↑Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:45 am Finally, the poster who likened this to the "Barneveld boom" misses one point - the UK is a ferry ride away from Holland so Dutch players had an easy opportunity to quickly move up the rankings through playing UK events, whereas someone like Suzuki would have to move over here to play the tour. Not saying it can't be done, but for every Kyle Anderson there's a Diogo Portela.

I said there is potential. The Barney boom had nothing to do with entering competitions in the UK. It was at first only about people taking up the game en mass in The Netherlands. The talent emerging came years later.

Post by **Zeyes** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:13 am

If anyone was wondering, only the barest of coverage of "sports superstar" (Nicholson) Suzuki's world championship victory in the big Japanese sports newspapers.

Sports Hochi - two tiny paragraphs
Chunichi Sports - nothing
Daily Sports - nothing
Nikkan Sports - nothing
Sankei Sports - nothing
Sports Nippon - nothing

Not even Jiji Press Agency has bothered, and they're not above putting out blurbs for highly relevant stuff such as Japanese footballers in the Premier League getting substituted into the game in minute 87.

Post by **Ginge** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:19 am

"If a BDO major ever went to Japan"

Oh come on now. Funniest thing I have read all week.

Post by **DavidB** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:04 am

ha Anyone would think newspapers were the only means of keeping up with latest news...

Apparently Baby Shark was trending on Twitter worldwide- much more reach than national newspaper!

Post by **Paddy McGinty** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:08 am

The BDO keeps on giving........ well done to Suzuki.

Post by **ChrisW** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:13 am

DartsMadJohn wrote: ↑Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:45 am If there had been a major Jap impact on the PDC side (e.g. Asada getting to semis) then I would have more hopes of a boom as the PDC would jump all over it hype-wise (e.g. WSOD, Asian Tour event, 2nd place for Japan at Worlds etc.) whereas the BDO reaction would be...what exactly? Look at the BBC for example - their report on the match shows Lorraine Winstanley as the main picture with no appearance of Suzuki!

Erm it doesn't
https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/46852588

Post by **Zeyes** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:20 am

Ginge wrote: ↑Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:19 am "If a BDO major ever went to Japan"

Oh come on now. Funniest thing I have read all week.

On the upside, Nicholson and Mason can be happy to know there's at least one person who actually bought what they were peddling yesterday.

(For clarity, I'm talking about the OP, not the person Ginge quoted who was merely talking hypotheticals.)