Michael Smith disagrees with Michael Van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price over Ally Pally’s World Darts Championship decision

Michael Smith insists the World Darts Championship must stay at Alexandra Palace.

There has been a divide in the sport in recent times, after Barry Hearn appeared to open the door to moving the World Darts Championship from its spiritual home to Saudi Arabia.

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In recent days, stars Michael Van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price have expressed their openness to a historic move of the flagship event to the shores of the Middle East.

But 2023 world champion Smith believes the flagship event of the darts calendar belongs within the hallowed walls of the north London venue.

He told the Daily Mirror: “Ally Pally, we should move the rooms, not the venues. There’s a bigger room in there that can hold six or seven thousand people.

“You absolutely must not move it, never move the room. It’s an iconic thing.

“You’re not going to move the Matchplay, because it’s Winter Gardens. It’s iconic.

“The Premier League is iconic 02, and the World Championships are Ally Pally.

“No one ever calls it the World Championships, they say ‘I’ll watch at Ally Pally’.

“That’s what everyone recognizes: you should never move.”

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Smith is not completely opposed to moving other tournaments to Saudi Arabia, but he supported the widely held opinion of fans about moving the Tungsten tournament.

Price himself had suggested he was happy the move was happening, due to his villain arc with fans which saw him deal with heckling from the hostile crowd.

A solution is being studied solely based on ticket demand, as the current part of the site where the tournament is taking place can only accommodate 3,200 spectators.

Tickets are often purchased before they go on sale, and the sport has become popular in recent times.

Loud atmospheres have been a regular feature of the venue since it changed from Circus Tavern in 2008, with fans heavily involved.

But the sport has seen unprecedented growth since the arrival of teenage sensation Luke Littler.

An initial move to the larger venue at Ally Pally is likely to be a preferred option, given it could double the capacity of each session.

But for now, players will be able to honor the oche in its traditional home.