# Luke Littler faces crowd hostility after World Series of Darts Finals

> World champion Luke Littler's World Series of Darts Finals performance overshadowed by Dutch crowd whistling
- Title: Luke Littler faces crowd hostility after World Series of…
- Summary: World champion Luke Littler's World Series of Darts Finals performance overshadowed by Dutch crowd whistling Littler may need to adjust his crowd interaction…
- Keywords: luke littler, world series of darts finals, amsterdam, darts, crowd whistling, pdc, ross smith, paul nicholson, gerwyn price, darts tournament, sports, Luke
- Source: Sky Sports — https://skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13591118/luke-littler-does-world-champion-need-to-change-approach-to-hostile-crowds-after-whistling-at-world-series-of-darts-finals
- Published: 2026-09-23T17:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: luke littler, world series of darts finals, amsterdam, darts, crowd whistling, pdc, ross smith, paul nicholson, gerwyn price, darts tournament, sports
## Crowd reaction intensifies
Luke Littler faced repeated whistling from Dutch fans during his World Series of Darts Finals matches in Amsterdam, prompting threats to boycott future events.

> I tried to, with Gian, I had more banter with them, you know what I mean? Just like thumbs up to them, but smiling, not in an aggressive way and they sort of laugh with you, it's not a problem.
## Littler's clean sweep ends
Littler's bid for a clean sweep of major PDC titles in 2026 ended after a 10-4 loss to Jonny Clayton in the World Series of Darts Finals last weekend.
## Referee intervenes
Referee Charlie Corstorphine stepped in after Littler threatened to boycott Dutch tournaments following booing and whistling during his matches.
## Past crowd issues
Littler previously refused to compete in German events due to fan hostility, showing a history of avoiding volatile crowd environments.
## Ross Smith's advice
Ross Smith, World Series of Darts Finals champion, suggests learning from Michael van Gerwen's calm approach to crowd interactions.

> I try not to rise to it because I know you're just going to get more stick.
## Paul Nicholson's perspective
Former world champion Paul Nicholson believes Littler could benefit from adopting strategies used by Gerwyn Price to improve crowd relations.

> Gerwyn Price has taken years to figure it out. Now he gives the smile with the aggression, and the crowd are with him more than they ever have been.
## Whistling vs. booing
Whistling is more disruptive than booing for players due to its sharp, piercing sound that can interrupt focus during matches.

> You don't know if it's going to come when you're throwing a match dart, a leg dart, or even going for a treble.
## Littler's future schedule
Littler has upcoming tournaments including the World Grand Prix in Leicester and the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
## Crowd interaction strategies
Players like Gerwyn Price have learned to balance aggression with crowd engagement to build stronger fan connections.

> I think it's how you can react on stage, if you're aggressive towards them, it's going to create problems for you.
## Littler's potential response
Littler may adjust his approach to crowd interactions to prevent future boycotts and maintain tournament participation.
## Key takeaway

Littler may need to adjust his crowd interaction strategy to avoid future tournament boycotts