Luke Littler has "thrived" on hostility from darts fans but may need to take a "different approach" in the future, says PDC chief executive Matt Porter.
Speaking to Your Site on Wednesday, Porter's comments came in response to whether he had been surprised by the booing Littler has received in several arenas and countries this year.
Two-time reigning world champion Littler, 19, emerged onto the scene as a 16-year-old phenomenon at the World Darts Championship in December 2023, eventually losing the final to Luke Humphries on January 3, 2024, before going on to lift the crown in 2025 and 2026.
While he appeared universally adored at that point and for some time after, though, his at the quarter-final stage of the most recent World Championship, and then his has markedly changed his reception from fans.
Indeed, Littler described the atmosphere in Rotterdam on Night 11 of the Premier League as
"Yes and no," Porter replied to Your Site when asked if the booing of Littler had surprised him. "Luke has always enjoyed interacting with the crowd and I don't think he minds it too much to a level.
"Obviously if you're going to wind the crowd up a little bit, as he has done in the past, then you have to expect them to react to that. And often when Luke's done that, he's had a smile on his face and it's been something he's thrived on.
"It's difficult because darts crowds can tend to follow patterns. They copy what they see the week before. So once you get on a little bit of a run of having a certain reaction from the crowd, you need to do something to reverse that.
"If Luke's that bothered about it - I don't think he necessarily is hugely - then he'll look to change it.
"But if he can shrug it off and treat it like water off a duck's back, then he'll be alright with it. You know, we saw it with Gerwyn Price a few years ago. He's completely changed around the perception that he has from the crowds now and there's been others too.
"I think really it's going to be up to Luke, whether he feels it's something he finds quite funny and whether he can deal with it or if it's something that he wants to change, then you might see a different approach."
In addition to boos in Rotterdam and Liverpool, Littler has also clashed with fans in Dublin, Brighton, Nottingham and Berlin this season.
There is also perhaps a sense that despite Littler only being 19, his dominance at the top of a sport that has grown hugely in popularity means tense and changeable interactions with the crowd likely come with the territory.
"I think it probably does," Porter said.
"I mean you see it in every sport, don't you? Where people are there to be shot at and Luke's obviously got a target on his back, not only from the other players, but from people who watch the sport.
"That's not something that's unique to darts in any way, shape or form.
"These things always go in waves, don't they? Like I say, it'll be one thing today and then something else will come along and take that over in the future."
Of Thursday's Premier League Darts Night 13 action in Aberdeen and the crunch clash between defending champion Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen in the race for the Play-Offs, Porter said:
"Luke's perhaps not had the Premier League campaign that he would have wanted. He's got himself into good positions a lot of the time, but not always been able to convert that into wins.
"Whereas Michael's been quite steady, actually. You know, he's been pretty consistent, and if you keep the scoreboard ticking over with two points every week or picking up three and five occasionally, and just making sure you always get that first win under your belt, then you leave yourself in a good place.
"The pressure is a little bit more on Luke. He's going to probably want to win a night just to really get himself back into contention for the top four.
"But you wouldn't rule that out, obviously, with the talent that he's got."
The 2026 Premier League season will continue at the P&J Live in Aberdeen.
Humphries and Van Gerwen go head to head in a potentially pivotal clash in the race for a top-four finish, while league leader Jonny Clayton renews his rivalry with Van Veen.
Josh Rock and Littler lock horns in the evening's opener and Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price collide for a place in the semi-finals.
Ranking points are awarded per night - with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists - to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday May 28.
