LAKESIDE MEDIA REPORT 2008

Over fifty accredited media personnel attended the 2008 Lakeside World Professional 

Darts Championships from January 5th to 13th, comprising national, regional and local 

newspaper journalists, the leading London sports photographic agencies and radio 

and television. 

National Newspapers represented all week included:

THE SUN

DAILY STAR

DAILY MIRROR

DAILY EXPRESS

DAILY MAIL

THE GUARDIAN

THE TELEGRAPH

THE INDEPENDENT

THE TIMES

NEWS OF THE WORLD

SUNDAY EXPRESS

MAIL ON SUNDAY

DAILY STAR ON SUNDAY

THE PEOPLE

SUNDAY MIRROR

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

THE BDO WEBSITE:

The BDO website provided its best ever service to newspapers and internet users, with 

the number of unique visitors rising from 9,801 to a peak of 13,960 throughout the week.

The number of ‘hits’ on the website was just under ONE MILLION PER DAY between 

January 10th and 13th.

The site was updated after each and every match, with results, statistics and a report 

from each match.

This invaluable information was further enhanced by an excellent photo gallery, 

featuring players and fans.

Among media who found this service invaluable was the Press Association, who relayed 

the information to regional daily and evening newspapers + teletext.

The BBC Sport website was also using daily information, as was BBC’s Ceefax.

Feedback through the website and to the BDO included hundreds of emails enquiring 

about joining and competing within the BDO.  These emails were from young people 

(boys and girls) and men and women of all ages. Each and every one of these emails 

has been answered with information on the BDO and contact details for relevant counties.

TELEVISION & RADIO

The week leading up to Lakeside (December 29th to Jan 4th) featured promotional 

‘trailers’ on BBC channels.  These featured Martin Adams, Ted Hankey, Phill Nixon, John 

Walton and other players, with a voice-over by Bobby George.

BBC Breakfast featured Lakeside extensively on the opening day of the Championships  

– Saturday, January 5th – and Breakfast’s Sports presenter Mike Bushell later played ‘A 

Leg With Bobby’ and reported throughout the week on the World Pro. Channel 4 sent 

‘Big Brother’s Big Mouth’ to Lakeside.

Meridian TV, the ITV company local to Lakeside sent a crew to the venue to do a preview.

BBC TV South also did the same, as did local radio station Southern Counties.

BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast daily from the press office all week with features and live 

player interviews.

BBC Radio 1’s top DJ, SCOTT MILLS, gave extensive on-air coverage all week on his show, 

and also played ‘A Leg With Bobby’ on the Lakeside stage.

BBC TV chat show host, JONATHAN ROSS also promoted BDO darts and Lakeside on his 

hugely popular BBC Radio 2 show.

MARK BRIGHT of TV’s ‘London News’ presented his sports programme from Lakeside.

RAY STUBBS introduced the BBC’s live televised FA Cup draw from the Lakeside stage – 

using the Lakeside Trophy to link to the FA Cup.

When the BBC televised Masters Snooker from Wembley began on our last day, there was 

a direct link from the tournament which featured rising star MARK SELBY playing ‘A Leg 

With Bobby’ recorded on the Lakeside stage earlier in the week.

MARK WEBSTER featured on BBC Wales TV and radio and BBC World Service did a live 

interview with Anastasia Dobromyslova which was broadcast in Moscow.

Setanta Sports sent a team to watch the darts, and later featured the World Championships 

on Setanta Sports News, with a film/interview package from Lakeside featuring Martin 

Adams, Mark Webster and Simon Whitlock.

VIP GUESTS

Philip Bernie, Head of BBC Sport Editorial was extremely impressed on his first visit to 

Lakeside.

Debra Jevans, Director of Sport London 2012, and members of the Olympic Committee were 

guests at Lakeside during the week.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

International interest was shown by Japanese publication The Journey, published for the 

Japanese community in London. This produced an extensive darts feature in their January 

3rd issue.

The prestigious New York Times sent a feature writer to experience the unique atmosphere 

of Lakeside World Darts, and, to quote him, he found the experience ‘truly mind-blowing’!

Canadian Broadcasting featured Carl Mercer as did the La Presse newspaper based in 

Quebec.

Australian Associated Press followed the progress of Simon Whitlock.

Dutch media included the magazines Darts4You and Grandslam of Darts, photographer 

Hans Willink and journalist Arnout Verzijl.

EXTENSIVE NEWSPAPER COVERAGE

There were large reports every day in the national press – including a makeover feature 

in The Sun featuring darts wives, Sharon Adams, Gill O’Shea, Jenny Fordham and Marie 

George.  This successfully took darts away from the sports pages to the general feature pages.

Press coverage began on Friday, Jan 4th and continued right up to and including Thursday, 

Jan 17th.  This means that BDO darts and the Lakeside World Pro were in the public eye via 

the national press for fourteen consecutive days. 

MARK WEBSTER has also been interviewed by two plumbing trade magazines, and Lakeside 

is to be featured in the magazine ‘Property News’ to highlight the fact that Lakeside darts is 

now the chosen favourite of Estate Agents, City Bankers, Solicitors and other professionals.

Well-known public figures/celebrities at Lakeside 2008:

• Professor of Darts, PATRICK CHAPLIN
• Snooker World Champion MARK WILLIAMS
• Guitar Legend BERT WEEDON
• Members of the Grand Order of WATER RATS
• Cast members from EASTENDERS
• Cast members from THE BILL
• Snooker player MARK SELBY
• Radio 1 DJ SCOTT MILLS
• BBC Breakfast Sports Celebrity MIKE BUSHELL
• Former footballer MARK BRIGHT
• Players from Premiership side READING FC
• Players from Conference table toppers ALDERSHOT FC
• England Rugby star NICK EASTER and players from HARLEQUINS RUGBY CLUB
• THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS

Follow-up interest in Mark Webster:

The First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan, has sent his personal congratulations to Mark. The Department of Education and Skills has contacted Mark with a view to highlighting him and his achievements, while at the same time continuing his plumbing course, as an inspiring example to other young people. FUNKY DRAGON, the Children’s & Young People’s Assembly in Wales are also interviewing Mark as a positive role model.

Prepared by ROBERT HOLMES on behalf of THE BRITISH DARTS ORGANISATION:

January 2008.

 
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