Ian White has revealed his astonishment at the growing number of young darts fans who fail to recognise the sport's biggest names – including 16-time world champion Phil Taylor. Speaking to Online Darts at the launch of Unicorn's 2027 collection, the experienced Englishman opened up about his decline in the rankings, the emergence of younger players, and the changing face of the sport.
White, who admits he is "not where I want to be in the rankings," acknowledged the improved standard across the PDC, particularly from the younger generation. "These kids are getting good, so we've just got to keep going," he said. But the rapid growth of darts has created an unusual situation, with a new generation of supporters unfamiliar with some of the established names from previous eras. "It's great, and it's nice when people recognise you. But now it's the older generation that recognises you, because the youngsters haven't got a clue who you are!" White laughed.
Interviewer Phil Barrs recalled an extraordinary incident at an exhibition the previous year, when a table of young fans reportedly failed to recognise Phil Taylor while the 16-time world champion was answering questions on stage. According to Barrs, the youngsters asked: "Who's he?" White immediately agreed with the example, responding: "Exactly!" White has experienced similar situations himself, with younger supporters increasingly unfamiliar with his achievements. "I've been to a few events, and these youngsters are like, 'Ian White? Who are you?' If you don't watch the first round and you only watch the second round onwards, you probably wouldn't have seen me for the last ten years or whatever!"
Despite his own struggles on the circuit, White remains enthusiastic about the sport's development. "You come here now, look at this place. It's massive. They've got academies on, they've got competitions on. When we started off, we had Super League and then the odd competition a month with the BDO. That's all we had." He also recalled how intimidating it was to arrive on the PDC circuit surrounded by some of the sport's biggest names. "When I first came over, playing in the events, you've got Barney on one side, Phil Taylor on the other. It was nerve-racking. These kids aren't nervous now. They've got a structure where they can come through. It's good for the sport. It's not good for me, but it's good for the sport!"
White's immediate focus remains on securing his PDC Tour Card and proving he can still compete against the new generation. "I take it day by day. I've got to get to the World Championship. I've got to get to the Players Championship Finals. I've got to concentrate on that. Then we can look at next year's calendar." Should he lose his Tour Card, White is determined to give himself another opportunity. "No, I'd definitely go to Q School. Because if you win it, you get your card back for another two years."
