Legendary darts caller Russ Bray, now 70, has not been on a major TV stage for over two years, but his iconic gravelly voice and distinctive look still draw fans worldwide. During a recent interview, a young boy interrupted to ask for a photo, proving Bray's enduring popularity. 'That little lad just came up to me. What was he? Four or five years old?' Bray said with a smile. 'I'm still known by them folk.'
A Life More Hectic Than Ever
Bray never formally retired; he stepped back from the main stage to become the sport's greatest ambassador. His scoring app, which uses his voice, receives dozens of new name call requests monthly, ensuring the next generation grows up hearing his signature 'one-hundred-and-eighty' call. Now, he tours the globe, promoting darts in emerging markets.
'My life, it's more hectic now, believe you me,' Bray said. 'In my last eight weeks I've been to Canada, Kuala Lumpur, Thailand for the Asian Championships, Mongolia, Iceland, and I'm off to Spain in the morning. My schedule is unbelievable.' He also has trips to the Philippines and six weeks in Australia for their Premier League in September. 'The ambassadorial things keep me nice and busy.'
Growing the Game in Asia
Bray has been particularly impressed by the growth of darts in Asia, where soft-tip darts once dominated but steel-tip is now thriving on the PDC circuit. Interest has boomed even beyond the Luke Littler phenomenon. 'The Asian tour, which I have been involved in since 2018, is absolutely incredible,' Bray said. 'The first time I went to Mongolia, they have a population of about 3.5 million and there's 600 darts players turning up. The very first call I made out there was an 11-year-old kid in the boys' final. His first throw was treble-19, treble-19, treble-19. That's how big darts is out there.'
He believes one successful player could spark a wave of talent. 'You just need one player to go a long way. I'm not saying win a tournament, but go a long way. If you have one go a long way then you will have 10 going a long way only a few years later – and it's getting that way.'
Could Asia Produce a Luke Littler?
When asked if Asian players could reach the heights of teenage sensation Luke Littler, Bray was optimistic. 'Yeah, absolutely. We know Littler is a bit of a one-off, he's a [Phil] Taylor, a [Eric] Bristow sort of talent. But I can definitely see it – and I can see four or five in one go, as opposed to one superstar at a particular time.'
Retirement? It's a Holiday
Bray, a former policeman before joining the PDC as an official, now enjoys a life of flights, cruises, and hotel rooms. 'I'm the luckiest man in the world,' he said. 'I'm probably the most travelled darts person, including even the players. I travel more than anybody else.' He describes the Asian Darts Championships as 'absolutely terrific' grassroots darts, where players compete in shorts and a man walks around with a music box. 'It's so, so basic, but so much fun. And for me, they're holidays. I'm on holiday 365 days a year. I'm still as enthusiastic as I was when the darts started!'
