This is an interview with Jonathan Martin from MM Sports Consultants.
1. How did you get into running Darts exhibitions?
I have worked in football for a few years and was always looking at new and different events for my clubs and a darts show was suggested and it started from there. I have a lot of contacts within sport and this really helped in the early days to build the darts show business with events at great venues such as Celtic FC and Munster.
2. I believe you have just moved into the management side of the players now. Why have you taken that route?
It seemed a natural progression to be honest with my managerial background in business and after meeting Will Adamson from the Cleveland Arms who has previously managed darts and snooker players we decided to branch into this side of the business as MM Sports Consultants can offer players something very different to the typical management proposal.
3. Who is in the MM Sports stable?
We currently have Brendan Dolan and Wayne Jones in the PDC and 2 extremely exciting youngsters in Josh McCarthy from Swindon and John Seagrave from Dublin.
4. Have you been looking at any other players to manage?
Yes. But you don't expect me to give any names do you?
5. Whats next for you?
That would be telling but all I will say at this stage is there is a lot planned for 2014 and as soon as we can announce details we will.
6. Are you any good at darts?
I used to be an average pub player but cricket and golf were my competitive sports.
7. If you could have your own walk-on music, what would it be?
I think it would be 'Don't stop me now' by Queen as 'I am having such a good time, I'm having a ball'.
8. What would you Darting nickname be?
'The Shropshire Lad' or 'Big John'.
9. Who would be in you Ideal exhibition?
That's a difficult one to be honest as I have quite a few favourites as you will see from my shows but from the past I think Jocky may have been entertaining with say Bobby.
10. Do you take much notice of the social media side of darts i.e.: Twitter, Face book etc
Yes I am very actively involved in face book and twitter both in a personal and business capacity and I spend at least an hour a day on social media for work purposes.
11. What’s your favourite tournament?
It has to be the Worlds followed very closely by the Matchplay.
12. Do you have a favourite player past or present?
As a youngster I was intrigued with the charisma and stage presence of Jocky Wilson and Bobby George -I have had the enormous pleasure now of getting to know Bobby and working with him quite regularly and they say never meet your legends as you may be disappointed-well that certainly is not the case with Bobby who is one of the most genuine people I have ever met in my life. It is a big regret that I never had the pleasure of meeting Jocky. As for current players before I got actively involved I always followed Terry Jenkins and again sometimes have to pinch myself when I now regard him as a friend as well as a fantastic exhibitionist in my shows.
13. What do you like to do in your spare Time, if you have any?
As the question has indicated I spend a lot of time away from home now but when at home I just love to spend time with my gorgeous 3 year old Henry and my wife Lorraine-I have massive respect for mothers caring for young children and would never swap roles for all the tea in China.
14. Do you have any funny printable darts stories you can tell me?
Well the word printable rules out a few but the funniest -in fact 99% of my funny stories come from Ireland and this one in particular came at my first big exhibition at Munster RFC in Limerick. It was a dream foursome of Manley, Mardle, Jenkins and Smith and the event was going fantastically with the usual gallons of Guinness being consumed-we got towards the end of the night and the doubles challenge between Peter and Wayne and Andy and Terry. The game was progressing nicely when Andy threw and then went to the board to collect his darts and the next thing I knew was the stage set had collapsed around him with MC Wills looking like crying at the sight of his destroyed stage set and Andy protesting his innocence that he hadn't done anything other than pick out his darts. Now in most places that would have meant the end of the night but not in Ireland. A few of the lads decided to carry a dart mate onto the stage but then in their enthusiasm forgot it was quite a low ceiling and pushed the dart mate through the fragile false roof with tiles falling to the floor. It really was like a scene from a Laurel and Hardy film but the dart mate went on the stage and the night was finished-we still tease Andy about that to this day.
A big thank you to Jonathan for doing this interview, it was a pleasure.
This interview was done by Richard on Tuesday 23rd of July 2013.
1. How did you get into running Darts exhibitions?
I have worked in football for a few years and was always looking at new and different events for my clubs and a darts show was suggested and it started from there. I have a lot of contacts within sport and this really helped in the early days to build the darts show business with events at great venues such as Celtic FC and Munster.
2. I believe you have just moved into the management side of the players now. Why have you taken that route?
It seemed a natural progression to be honest with my managerial background in business and after meeting Will Adamson from the Cleveland Arms who has previously managed darts and snooker players we decided to branch into this side of the business as MM Sports Consultants can offer players something very different to the typical management proposal.
3. Who is in the MM Sports stable?
We currently have Brendan Dolan and Wayne Jones in the PDC and 2 extremely exciting youngsters in Josh McCarthy from Swindon and John Seagrave from Dublin.
4. Have you been looking at any other players to manage?
Yes. But you don't expect me to give any names do you?
5. Whats next for you?
That would be telling but all I will say at this stage is there is a lot planned for 2014 and as soon as we can announce details we will.
6. Are you any good at darts?
I used to be an average pub player but cricket and golf were my competitive sports.
7. If you could have your own walk-on music, what would it be?
I think it would be 'Don't stop me now' by Queen as 'I am having such a good time, I'm having a ball'.
8. What would you Darting nickname be?
'The Shropshire Lad' or 'Big John'.
9. Who would be in you Ideal exhibition?
That's a difficult one to be honest as I have quite a few favourites as you will see from my shows but from the past I think Jocky may have been entertaining with say Bobby.
10. Do you take much notice of the social media side of darts i.e.: Twitter, Face book etc
Yes I am very actively involved in face book and twitter both in a personal and business capacity and I spend at least an hour a day on social media for work purposes.
11. What’s your favourite tournament?
It has to be the Worlds followed very closely by the Matchplay.
12. Do you have a favourite player past or present?
As a youngster I was intrigued with the charisma and stage presence of Jocky Wilson and Bobby George -I have had the enormous pleasure now of getting to know Bobby and working with him quite regularly and they say never meet your legends as you may be disappointed-well that certainly is not the case with Bobby who is one of the most genuine people I have ever met in my life. It is a big regret that I never had the pleasure of meeting Jocky. As for current players before I got actively involved I always followed Terry Jenkins and again sometimes have to pinch myself when I now regard him as a friend as well as a fantastic exhibitionist in my shows.
13. What do you like to do in your spare Time, if you have any?
As the question has indicated I spend a lot of time away from home now but when at home I just love to spend time with my gorgeous 3 year old Henry and my wife Lorraine-I have massive respect for mothers caring for young children and would never swap roles for all the tea in China.
14. Do you have any funny printable darts stories you can tell me?
Well the word printable rules out a few but the funniest -in fact 99% of my funny stories come from Ireland and this one in particular came at my first big exhibition at Munster RFC in Limerick. It was a dream foursome of Manley, Mardle, Jenkins and Smith and the event was going fantastically with the usual gallons of Guinness being consumed-we got towards the end of the night and the doubles challenge between Peter and Wayne and Andy and Terry. The game was progressing nicely when Andy threw and then went to the board to collect his darts and the next thing I knew was the stage set had collapsed around him with MC Wills looking like crying at the sight of his destroyed stage set and Andy protesting his innocence that he hadn't done anything other than pick out his darts. Now in most places that would have meant the end of the night but not in Ireland. A few of the lads decided to carry a dart mate onto the stage but then in their enthusiasm forgot it was quite a low ceiling and pushed the dart mate through the fragile false roof with tiles falling to the floor. It really was like a scene from a Laurel and Hardy film but the dart mate went on the stage and the night was finished-we still tease Andy about that to this day.
A big thank you to Jonathan for doing this interview, it was a pleasure.
This interview was done by Richard on Tuesday 23rd of July 2013.
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