The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has appointed Birmingham-based Sporting Group International (SGI) to secure an official sponsor for the Big Fish 170 checkout - the highest finish in darts.
The Big Fish is the nickname for what has become one of the most celebrated moments in darts when a player wins a leg by hitting triple 20, triple 20 and bullseye.
A record 17 Big Fish checkouts were landed at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship alone, each one met by enormous reactions in the arena, reverberating across live broadcast commentaries and social media.
SGI is a global sports agency whose headquarters are in offices on Temple Street, Birmingham. The company has offices across the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It specialises in high-value sponsorship and commercial partnerships.
Adrian Wright, chief executive of SGI, explained how the growing global popularity of darts means that the Big Fish sponsorship represents a “unique and powerful” branding opportunity. He said that SGI had launched a targeted outreach programme, focussing on brands in the fast-moving consumer goods and lifestyle sector to maximise the creative potential of the Big Fish identity.
The major sponsorship opportunity comes as darts experiences huge growth, with a peak UK viewership of 4.8 million for the PDC’s World Darts Championship final on Sky Sports alone.
There are now more than 170 days of live darts a year, with 33 broadcast events across more than 15 countries, making darts TV audiences second only to football on Sky Sports in the UK. The PDC awards over £25 million in annual prize money, with the winner of the 2025/26 World Darts Championship claiming the £1 million prize for the first time.
At the heart of the surge is a new generation of talent led by Luke Littler, the back-to-back world champion. Littler and a host of other stars are attracting new audiences, with nearly half of all adult darts fans now aged under 35 years old, according to the latest research.
Adrian said: “The Big Fish sponsor is not just a naming rights opportunity, it’s a unique and powerful chance for a brand to own the most celebrated single moment in one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.
“Every time the checkout is hit on the darting circuit, both arena venues around the world and on ITV, Sky Sports and other global broadcast stations, the official Big Fish sponsor brand will be front and centre."
Adam Perfect, head of commercial at the PDC, said: “Working closely with the team at SGI, this new concept provides the ideal opportunity for a brand to put themselves at the very heart of our events and connect directly with their target audiences through our global broadcast partners.”
SGI will be managing all commercial negotiations, contractual documentation and activation planning and on behalf of the PDC.
Any brand interested in the Big Fish sponsor opportunity should contact info@sportinggi.com and harry.lynch@sportinggi.com.
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