The Standards of the Dart Arts

Dart Arts Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Standards are defined as: “A level of quality or attainment; a required or agreed level of quality or attainment; an idea or thing used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations (principles of conduct informed by notions of honor and decency).”

European dart arts have consistently taken the art or darts to higher and higher levels in the last decade while American dart arts has actually fallen, or at minimum, remained static and somewhat low. Yes, this is a personal opinion and I expect to hear many say that it also has risen but to date I have not found one iota of proof. 

This disturbs me as one, “Old Timer,” dart’ist and promotor of local events said, “the dart’ist today relies heavily on the drink to maintain their ability to toss arrows. I believe that even the European’s do the same with one exception, they don’t do it on the televised events.” This is discouraging and coupled with the elitist attitudes often described to me seems to put the dart arts into a category that the general public uses the minute one says, “Darts.” 

Personally, the only drink I have when the “Game is ON” is coffee and water. One to remain awake as most dart arts are played after hours, evenings, and along with other obligations makes for a very tired practitioner after certain hours pass. Most locals I play with tend to imbibe through out the evening as would any social drinker which is not a bad thing. But, as long as that remains regardless of its perception of others it will always trigger the perception of local workers drinking beer and tossing a few darts for fun in a more social context. 

If the dart arts is ever going to achieve the same high standards of social acceptance and participation this attitude, perception and distinction of the discipline is going to need a paradigm shift. The real question is, “How the heck are we in the dart world of America going to make that happen when things like cognizant dissonance and confirmation bias are triggered every time one hears the word, Darts.” 

Dart arts quality with honor, respect and standards commensurate to that of European Dart Arts must be raised to those levels or beyond. We Americans have a history of being seen as the underdog who when challenged tend to pick up that big stick and beat that belief into submission and oblivion henceforth and beyond. Again, how do we do that, that is the real question?

My first thought is promotion, we must use influence and compliance principles to create an atmosphere and communications model that would promote and influence everyone toward a more honest view of what the dart arts are and what those same dart arts can achieve - think, Olympics!

Some suggestions to start the ball rolling:

• Read the PDC rules as set forth by the, “Darts Regulation Authority.” 
• Research the growing pains of the dart arts of England that led to its European acceptance and continued growth.
• Research the dart arts progression from a pub game to the televised events drawing in the entire European Nations and the larger than life earnings those dart’ist earn.
• Research the processes used by the great dart artists who have taken the dart arts to such high levels of expertise and play never before seen in the history of the dart arts tantamount to how the game of golf has reached such heights of play, professionalism and acceptance by the world. 
• Use the proper and appropriate means to change American attitudes and perceptions of the dart arts. 
• Research the world of American Darts and compare them to European Darts to find those concepts, ideas and standards that would elevate our discipline to be competitive with theirs. 

This may be a start and we can hope but …