OPINION: Netflix misses the bullseye again in ‘super event’
The latest farce was in darts where a player who's far from amateur beat Luke Littler.
Netflix has once again failed to deliver a successful "super event" in the world of live sports. The streaming giant has partnered with various combat sports and darts for these highly publicized events, only to fall short of expectations. The issue lies in the athletes they choose to participate in these events. From a 58-year-old Mike Tyson to a pair of female MMA fighters who should have fought years ago, Netflix's choices have been far from impressive.
The latest failed attempt occurred this weekend, with hopes that this event would change Netflix's track record. 19-year-old Luke Littler, the current two-time defending darts world champion, was to face 20 amateurs in a single round of 501, the most common dart format. The prize for defeating Littler was a whopping £501,000. As someone familiar with the sport, I can attest that this concept is anything but simple.
Competitors ranged from a 14-year-old with great potential to a former army officer. Littler dominated the event, defeating 14 hopefuls without any trouble.
The final showdown was between 19-year-old Luke Littler and Fallon Sherrock, a 32-year-old hairdresser and one of the top female darts players in the world. Sherrock, nicknamed the "Queen of the Palace," stepped up and knocked off 501 in just 14 darts, beating Littler and claiming the prize money. According to the rules, an amateur is someone without a tour card on the darts circuit, which Sherrock does not have. However, she is far from an amateur and followed the rules to the letter.
What should have been a fantastic advertisement for darts turned into another farce. Netflix, it's time to step up your game and choose more deserving athletes for these "super events."
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
