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Fireball offers sick notes for darts fans
Ahead of the upcoming World Darts Championships in London, Sazerac-owned Fireball is offering ‘get out of job free’ cards to fans.
The cinnamon-flavoured whisky liqueur brand signed a multi-year partnership with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) earlier this year.
The world championship is the biggest tournament on the professional darts calendar and it kicks off next week at Alexandra Palace on Sunday 15 December.
Citing statistics that show 46% of workers pull at least one ‘sickie’ over the festive season (when they weren’t really ill), the brand is creating a ‘Sick Note Service’ for attendees who may already be dreading the morning after their darts session, and the idea of facing a day in the office.
The One Poll survey, taken in November 2024 from a pool of 2,000 employed adults, showed that nearly half admitted to pulling a sickie after attending festive events, with Christmas parties being the number one excuse used, followed by ‘festive burnout’. The ‘sickiest’ day of the year was said to be 24 December.
Beyond the spectator aspect of the sport itself, live darts is also known for its ‘energetic’ atmosphere.
Fans can download sick notes at fireballuk.com/pages/sick-note, which can then be sent directly to bosses, before, Fireball says, ‘settling down to watch some good old morning TV’. The sick notes are available for the duration of the tournament, from 15 December 2024 to 3 January 2025.
They come via two types of videos. One done by featured darts legends without name specificity, which Fireball said ensures ‘every possible darts fan is covered’. And the other through 100 additional personalised videos that feature some of the most common first names in the UK.
Lorenzo Farronato, a spokesperson at Fireball, said: “Much like Fireball, darts is a sport with a fanbase dedicated to fun and camaraderie, with a splash of mischief woven in. Both Fireball and our partners at the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) have those fans at the forefront of everything we do – we are always looking to introduce programmes that spice up their experiences while delivering something a bit unexpected at every turn.
“The World Darts Championship is one of the hottest tickets in town this season and we’re excited to give darts enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy it without worrying about next-day woes, courtesy of some of their favourite players competing in the tournament.”
To celebrate the launch of the service, a mockumentary film has been released starring former darts world champions Michael Van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Gary Anderson, as well as other big names such as Dimitri Van Den Bergh and Stephen Bunting.
Set in the fictional world of the Sick Note Service call centre, in the video, the players, led by David Brent lookalike/impersonator Tim Oliver, are seen looking exasperated fielding calls from ‘exhausted’ fans.
Those with tickets and who are heading to Alexandra Palace (also affectionately known as the Ally Pally) for the month of darts can also get a sick note in real life from former darts referee Russ Bray at Fireball’s on-site branded experience.
The brand also launched a similarly out-there marketing initiative with the National Football League (NFL) recently, inviting sad fans to donate their tears for a whisky.
Spirits brands and sports organisations have been growing close this year, and last month, we rounded up 10 of our favourite partnerships between the two.
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