Tuesday 10th February, 2026 – Eyebrows were raised on Wednesday (4 Feb) last week, as brand experience agency onepointfive and creative marketing and PR agency Square in the Air floated a giant gold dart down the River Tyne to activate BetMGM’s sponsorship of the Premier League Darts ahead of the opening night in Newcastle.
Ideated and overseen by Square in the Air, with onepointfive delivering on the production of the stunt, the activation helped raise awareness of BetMGM’s sponsorship as well as its unique tournament offering of a set of 18-carat gold darts worth £30,000 for any player who hits a nine-dart finish.
The stunt peaked with a high-impact photocall on the quayside in Newcastle, featuring all eight of the players lining up for this year’s tournament, with the dart framed by the iconic Tyne Bridge. The hero installation was then moved into the Utilita Arena, where it became the must-see fan moment of the opening night.
The stunt saw the creation of a giant gold dart to float down the Tyne, as well as a dartboard structure for the photocall on the quayside | credit: BetMGM
onepointfive designed and delivered the full technical and experiential production behind the stunt, from branded boat dressing to scenic installs and the large-scale dartboard photo set, all created to maximise broadcast impact, press capture and live fan engagement. The project signals the agency’s growing momentum in sport and live activations, where production precision meets headline-grabbing experiential storytelling.
London-based creative marketing agency Square in the Air oversaw the project and handled all media relations. The stunt drove a high level of coverage, including via broadcast on BBC News, online with national newspapers and darts publications, as well as in the print of local and regional papers. The stunt was also well-shared across social media, with players such as Luke Humphries, Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen sharing the imagery, as well as several influential darts accounts.
Joel Barsch, Director at onepointfive, said: “We’re always looking for ideas that stop people in their tracks, and a giant golden dart travelling down the Tyne certainly does that. It’s ambitious, playful and rooted in place, which makes it far more than a visual stunt. For us, it’s about turning a bold creative idea into something deliverable, memorable and genuinely exciting for fans on the ground and audiences following the sport.”
Tom Marriott, PR Director at Square in the Air, said: “Re-activating BetMGM’s sponsorship of the Premier League Darts has been a real honour for us at Square in the Air and we’re pleased to see it drive plenty of brand exposure.
“The giant dart really stood out against the iconic Tyne Bridge backdrop, while it was great to get the players involved ahead of the start of the BetMGM Premier League Darts. We can’t wait to see how the tournament goes over the next few weeks and we’re sure it will be another hugely successful sponsorship for BetMGM.”
