Luke Humphries makes darts prediction that could shake up schedule after £30k win

Luke Humphries is convinced that a PDC major tournament is destined for the US as he pointed out the pivotal role fans are making in increasing the popularity of darts Stateside. Cool Hand relished his triumph at Madison Square Garden's recent World Series event in New York, claiming the prestigious title amidst the cheers of a 3,000-strong crowd gathered in one of the smaller halls of the famed venue.

Humphries openly shared his eagerness to win over American fans and elevate darts' popularity in the coming years and envisions occupying MSG's prime spaces alongside sports giants like the New York Rangers. Along with fellow heavy-hitters such as Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen, who are raising darts' visibility, world No. 1 Humphries suggested to US reporters post-victory that a PDC major could indeed be held on American soil.

He said: "By the way the crowd were this weekend? 110 per cent, yeah, I generally believe that (that USA could get a major. Let's not walk before we can run, but I believe that the way the crowd were this weekend, and a lot of players said it, you know there's 3,000/4,000 creating better environments than we have on Premier League nights of 8/10,0000.

"There's a major coming in the next two or three years, or the next four or five years here, I don't know what that will be, but we have to have the support from the American crowd and be like: We really love it, we want to come.

"If the support's there, Barry [Hearn] and Matt [Porter] will bring it. We're more than happy to come here for big major tournaments. I honestly, hand on heart, believe that in the next, you know, two, three, four, five years, that that will generally happen."

Humphries acknowledges that increasing fan support in the United States is crucial for the opportunity to host grander darts events.

He expressed: "That's what we want, we want the big venue, we're so blessed to have the theatre, we're blessed to have it there, but my gosh, we would love to have it in the big arena.

"Like I keep saying, we have to have the support from the Americans to come and allow us to be able to hire the venues and stuff because it's expensive.

"I was at a [New York] Rangers game in NHL last year, and when they scored, it was just an insane atmosphere. I'd love to experience that in my time, come and experience a 15, 16, 17, 18 thousand American crowd in their full voice.

"What they showed this weekend just proves that they really are, really are enjoying it, so it's great to see the numbers are up and we're getting bigger and better.

"Next year, hopefully, even bigger and then, who knows, we can get to that big arena, that's what we all dream of."