World Championships Darts Hospitality Packages

The annual PDC Darts World Championship is widely regarded as the most prestigious competition in the sport of darts, and each year, some of the best players in the world compete with rising stars for an iconic prize.

The host venue for each Championship is, of course, the iconic Alexandra Palace, which is better known in darts circles as Ally Pally. Ally Pally is one of the United Kingdom’s oldest buildings – it began construction in September 1865 before eventually opening its doors just under ten years later on 1st May 1875.

It has gone through several renovations; its first took place from 1873 to 1875. Further renovations to Alexandra Palace have come between 1980 and 1988, with the most recent work done between 2016 and 2017.

TV has an important part to play in the history of Ally Pally. In 1935, the building was leased to the BBC for its use before becoming the broadcaster’s first regular television service a year later in 1936.

It was not until 2008 that Ally Pally would host the PDC Darts World Championship for the first time, and it has been the iconic tournament’s home ever since. The first final there was played between Canada’s John Part and England’s Kirk Shephard – it was to be the former who would come out on top after beating his English counterpart 7 – 2 on the day. The prize money that year for the winner was no less than £100,000.

Moving on to the history of the World Championships themselves, they began 30 years ago in 1994, with the first final being hosted at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet-On-Thames in Essex, England. It was an all-England battle in the inaugural final, where Dennis Priestley emerged with an emphatic 6 – 1 win against Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.

Taylor would go on to win no less than 14 times: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2013. Unsurprisingly, he is currently the most successful player in the history of the PDC World Darts Championships.

He dominated the sport and this competition for years to come, with breaks in his command of this championship coming few and far between. These gaps came in 2003 (John Part), 2007 (Raymond van Barneveld), 2008 (John Part), 2011 (Adrian Lewis) and in 2012, when Adrian Lewis was victorious again.

After Taylor’s 14 wins, the next most successful player in the PDC World Darts Championship is the Netherlands’ Michael van Gerwen with 3. The Dutchman has also been runner-up 3 times and has appeared in 6 Finals. By comparison, Phil Taylor has been to no less than 19 finals over the years and is set to retire later this year.

The Circus Tavern was the host venue between 1994 and 2007, and in this time, the championship had several sponsors: Skol (1994; 1998 – 2002), Proton Cars (1995), Vernon’s Pools (1996), Red Band (1997) and Ladbrokes (2003 – 2014), who continued as sponsor when the tournament moved to Ally Pally.

Once Ladbrokes’ time as sponsor ended, William Hill took over from 2015 to 2022 before being replaced by Cazoo in 2023. The current sponsor of this Championship is Paddy Power.

The player who has won this competition the most times since it moved to the historic Alexandra Palace in 2008 is Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, who both have 3 wins each. Taylors came in 2009, 2010 & 2013, while van Gerwen’s came in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

They are both followed closely by Adrian Lewis (2011 & 2012), Gary Anderson (2015 & 2016) and Peter Wright (2020 & 2022).

As for the most recent final of the PDC World Darts Championship, this took place in early January 2024, where Luke Humphries won the competition for the first time, beating teenage sensation Luke Littler 7 – 4 in a sensational and dramatic finale to what was a tremendous tournament.

Excitement and anticipation are growing for the Championships’ return. There is no better way to experience the PDC World Darts Championships than with an Eventmasters Corporate Hospitality Package. Book now to avoid disappointment.

Travel (Directions):

By Train:

Travelling by train to Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace) is very convenient, as it has it’s own dedicated train station called the ‘Alexandra Palace Station’. There is a regular train service (Great Northern) that runs directly to the venue from Moorgate, with the route going through Highbury and Islington.

Alexandra Palace Station is situated just half a mile away (approximately a 14 minute walk) away from Ally Pally itself.

By Tube:

Wood Green should be your Tube Station of choice when travelling to Ally Pally. It is on the Piccadilly Line with the journey time being approximately 20 minutes from Piccadilly Circus. There is a bus stop (A) when you exit Wood Green Station – there will be regular W3 buses that will take you up the hill to Alexandra Palace.

By Bus:

Travelling by bus is another convenient way of travelling to Alexandra Palace. The most convenient service will likely be the W3 bus, which will be running from Finsbury Park and Tottenham to the Alexandra Palace Ice Rink or the Alexandra Palace Palm Court.

By Car:

The Alexandra Palace is in North London, and it is located near Tottenham and Wood Green. There are a number of roads that head towards Ally Pally, and here are two such roads that can take you to the venue itself. There should be signs around this area that will guide you in the right direction.

There are three car parks available around Alexandra Palace – they are the East Court, Grove and Paddocks car parks. Prices are as follows.

• 0 – 30mins: Free
• 30mins – 1hr: £1.50
• 1hr – 2hrs: £3.00
• 2hrs – 3hrs: £4.50
• 3hrs – 4hrs: £6.00
• Up to 24hrs: £8.00

The East Court Car Park is open from 05:30am to 00:30am, whilst the Grove Car Park is open from 06:00am to 19:00pm. These car parks are open seven days a week, and please note that hours may vary for events. Finally, the Paddocks Car Park is only open for specific events.

FAQs

When does the 2024/25 PDC World Darts Championship season start?

The upcoming 2024/24 PDC World Darts Championship season gets underway on Sunday 15^th December 2024. The action will then come to a close with the 2025 Final just over three weeks later on Saturday 3^rd January 2025.

What hospitality package(s) do you offer, and how much does it cost per person?

Prices for our hospitality package is not available just yet, check back here soon. As for our VIP Hospitality Package, it has a plethora of services on offer that will enhance the experience of you and your clients when watching the darts at the iconic Ally Pally.

You and your clients will have unbeatable views of the action, and you will also have access to a free flowing bar of beer, house wines, spirits and soft drinks as well as a 3 course gourmet menu by a Michelin Star Chef and early access so that you can soak up the atmosphere ahead of the action getting underway!

Where can I enter Alexandra Palace?

There are two halls for events, the Great Hall and the West Hall. Both can be accessed via the Palm Court entrance.

Who will be taking part in the 2025 PDC World Darts Championships?

For the 2024/25 PDC World Darts Championship, 16 of the world’s best players will be competing for one of Darts’ most prestigious prizes. The players taking part are as follows: Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Rob Cross, Stephen Bunting, Gary Anderson, Nathan Aspinall, Peter Wright, Chris Dobey, Johnny Clayton, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Ross Smith, Josh Rock and Gian van Veen.

Register your interest now for PDC World Darts Championships 2024/25