The competitors have completing their warm-up laps and preparing to take their places on the grid and lights have turned green at the starting line of the ADC Global Championships. And there’re off!
Yes, this is a darts tournament, not a Formula One Grand Prix – but let’s stay in the fast lane anyway, because a few racing metaphors never hurt anyone.
The action revs up from today (Monday 1 December) with the opening rounds from Group 1 beginning at 9:30 a.m. Tomorrow Tuesday 2 December, Group 2 takes centre stage. Spot the pattern? Exactly. Whether by genius or pure coincidence, the groups run in perfect numerical order – as easy to follow as the days on your advent calendar.
For fans who refuse to miss a single dart, Pluto TV has you covered. Every tungsten missile thrown in the MODUS Live Lounge will be broadcast live from the first morning to the final checkout. Whether it’s a smooth 180 or an unlucky bounce-out, you’ll see it all in glorious detail.
The championship begins with eight groups of seven players, each battling for a top-four finish to move on. That whittles the field down to 32 contenders who’ll be reshuffled into new groups – or, if you prefer the metaphor, the grid tightens and the lap times get quicker.
Stage Two fires up on Tuesday 9 December at 1 p.m., when the new Group 1 hits the oche. Later that evening, at 7:30 p.m., another group takes to the stage – a slightly later start and a much nicer lie-in for that quartet. Only the group winner survives; the rest are waved off with a polite ‘Merry Christmas, and thanks for playing.’
That pattern continues over the next three days, and by Friday 12 December, we’ll have our eight quarter-finalists – all of whom will enjoy their turkey dinner knowing they’re still very much in the race.
After a short festive pit-stop to refuel and recalibrate, those eight return to the MODUS Live Lounge for the final lap. The knockout stages begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday 4 January, with all four quarter-finals played back-to-back before the field narrows again for the semi-finals.
And then, around 4 p.m., the chequered flag drops. One player will cross the line as ADC Global Champion, pocketing a £60,000 winner’s cheque and the right to say they conquered the toughest race in darts.
So buckle up – the engines are warmed, the oche is ready, and the final lap of the season promises fireworks, 180s, and maybe even a few pit-lane celebrations.
—–ENDS—–
Images: ADC
Article originally published in Darts World Extra 23 – Then There Were Three
