Darts world champion Luke Littler is partly to thank for the resurgence of the Black Isle Darts League, according to one organiser.

The former iteration of the league, encompassing teams from Rosemarkie, Dingwall, Strathpeffer and Muir of Ord, folded in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic due to a lack of interest.

However, there has been a major boom in recent years, in no small part because of the influence of teenage world champion Littler.

That renewed interest led to discussions at the end of last year between landlord of Fortrose’s Union Tavern and Rosemarkie’s Plough Inn Steven Wood and former Plough Inn darts team captain Calum James Mackenzie around whether a league could be feasible again.

A small, four-team league ran for six weeks at the start of 2026, before expanding to seven teams for a new season in recent weeks.

That number includes The Plough Inn, Plough Ladies, Fortrose Tavern, Fortrose Union, the Culbokie Inn, Avoch Pavilion and Maryburgh’s Cottage Bar.

Mackenzie, who had served on the old league’s committee as treasurer, acknowledges it has been a major turnaround in a relatively short space of time.

“Being entirely honest, for a couple of years I don’t think the old league was missed,” he said.

“There was a bit of a dearth of interest in darts, and I do think it was a big loss for the area in terms of having something we could do, but what I think really kicked things off again was Luke Littler.

“Most of these young guys who play now really seemed to follow his story. They watched Luke Littler, got dart boards, and then there was no league for them to join in the local area.

“A bit of competition is what piques people’s interest, and there wasn’t overly much, but you are starting to see darts become a bit of a talking point in the pubs again.

“It can be quite busy on Thursday nights, because they know there will be people in there, and if they can’t make it along they will be asking how you got on the next day.

“I’ve actually been quite taken aback by how much interest there has been. I remember people not turning up for games and all the bad experiences before, but this is nothing like I have experienced. Every team has got more than six players, so the interest has really been quite surprising but very welcome.

Although they may have been in the minority, while the league was dormant Mackenzie and his former teammates would regularly talk about how much they missed the competition, and would get together to play amongst themselves.

Seeing it resurrected so strongly, then, has meant a lot to Mackenzie on a personal level.

“I’m completely overjoyed about it,” he continued.

“I had never picked up a dart until 2017, when my uncle said we were putting a team on at The Plough and said they might need me to play if they were short of people.

“I started having a practice every now and then with the idea I might help out if needed, but then the very first league week my uncle couldn’t make it so they needed me to play.

“When I turned up, nobody knew who should be the captain, so they said it had to be me. Not only had I never played before, I was picking the team order on my first night, so I got thrown right in.

“I absolutely loved it, and for me personally not having the league was always a big miss. It was a big part of my life that had gone away, especially in the winter months when it’s darker nights and there’s not much on. It’s always good to have an excuse to get out and socialise as much as anything else.”

While Mackenzie is responsible for putting together the fixture lists and organising competitions, he also says he could not have pulled everything together on his own.

“I have to say a massive thank you to Aardvark Contractors Ltd for sponsoring the league,” he added.

“Before, each team had to raise fees, but we don’t do that any more. It’s completely accessible for anyone – even if you don’t have a set of darts, someone can get you a set.

“You don’t need to be drinking anything other than soft drinks or water if you want either. It’s just on every Thursday night, and if you want to play get in touch with someone.

“That is totally down to our sponsors, which has taken a big weight off everything.

“Steve was a massive factor in getting it all organised too. He pretty much got three other teams to join, and really got the ball rolling. It was his endeavour and belief that it could get started again that made it happen.

“Someone told him he would never get a Black Isle Darts League started again, and I think he took umbrage to that and set about doing it.

“He deserves massive credit for that, and so do all the players and captains who organise their teams. I think it has been a real community effort, and it is starting to pay dividends now.”