There was plenty of pyro but not much partying on the second night of Premier League Darts action.
At least not from the players’ side of things, with boo boys and whistlers having overshadowed proceedings in Glasgow.
Be it Rob Cross’ match darts getting booed (twice), Gerwyn Price snapping back at the fans while up on stage, or Luke Littler blasting the referee’s handling of the whistlers, there was a sour end to what ought to have been a belting night of darts.
And in truth, despite the best efforts of some inside the OVO Hydro, it still was.
Which makes the booing, jeering and whistling all the more difficult to comprehend.
Littler’s stunning comeback from 5-1 down against Cross, the teen’s emphatic 170 finish in the final and Price’s 10-leg epic versus Nathan Aspinall were all moments to cherish.
Of course, Thursday night’s chaos wasn’t an isolated incident. It’s happened at venues up and down the country before.
Just two years ago at the 2023 World Darts Championship, Price emerged on the Alexandra Palace stage wearing ear defenders after getting stick from the audience.
More than anything, it was a shame for the fans who paid good money to go and watch the likes of Littler, Humphries and Price doing what they do best… play fantastic darts.
Maybe it’s a sign of the times. The sport’s popularity has boomed in recent months and it’s understandable more and more people are wanting to get a glimpse of these other-worldly talents.
But the players on stage aren’t performing circus monkeys. They’re professional sportsmen whose livelihoods, professions and futures in the sport are on the line.
It’s not fair on anyone – fans and players alike – for minority members of the crowd to serve up rude interjections at key points in matches.
Who the onus falls on to stop it from happening is a different question though. Littler referenced Kirk Bevins’ attempt to quieten the whistlers during his Thursday night clash against Humphries, suggesting the referee’s efforts only made things worse.
The referees are in a lose-lose situation. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
Perhaps it puts the ball back in the court of the event organisers, the PDC.
While it isn’t their job to train adults to behave like… well adults, there were moments in the Littler vs Humphries match-up where the whistling spells appeared to get out of hand.
Both players were forced to stop to compose themselves, with it becoming an uncomfortable watch at times.
And if patience wears thin with the players – the main attraction of these money-spinning Premier League nights – the PDC really will have an issue on their hands.