PDC Partner Fireball is backing fans with the creation of Sick Note Service - the ultimate way to call in sick for work following a festive night of 'going for the double' at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
• The service has been launched with a mockumentary film starring Tim Oliver alongside some of the biggest ‘dartists’ in the world, including World Champions Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Gary Anderson.
• New statistics have shown that 46% of workers admitted to pulling at least one sickie over the festive period, when they weren’t really ill.
It's December and that can only mean one thing: it’s the most wonderful time of the year – aka the World Darts Championship. As fans ready themselves for the 16-day long festivities at Ally Pally, many will also be dreading the morning after the show and the trudge to the office after an energetic night at the arrows.
This year fans need not fear because Fireball, the number one shot brand in the USA, in collaboration with the PDC, has created a festive “get out of job free” offering: the Fireball Sick Note Service.
For the duration of the tournament from December 15-January 3, darts fans can visit fireballuk.com/pages/sick-note to get a “sick note” from some of the most famous dartists, letting their boss know they won’t be coming in to work the next day via two types of videos available:
1. Four videos, one done by featured darts legends without name specificity to ensure every possible darts fan is covered by Sick Note Service
2. One hundred additional personalized videos leveraging some of the most common first names in the UK also available for download
According to a recent survey, almost half (46%) of workers admitted to pulling a sickie after attending festive events. With the World Darts Championship well known for its energetic atmosphere, Fireball felt inspired to offer enthusiastic supporters a solution to the next-day-nerves by getting darts players to call in sick for them.
To unveil the offering, Fireball dropped a hilarious video detailing the fictional world of the Sick Note Service call centre. With legendary Tim Oliver at the helm, exasperated darts players, including World Champions Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Michael Smith, plus Dimitri Van den Bergh and Stephen Bunting, are seen hitting the phones on behalf of exhausted fans.
Those visiting Ally Pally from December 15-17 will also have the unique opportunity to get their own custom “sick note” IRL from darts refereeing icon, Russ Bray, in Fireball’s on-site branded experience. Follow along on socials for more information.
Lorenzo Farronato, spokesperson at Fireball, said: "Much like Fireball, darts is a sport with a fanbase dedicated to fun and comradery, with a splash of mischief woven in.
"Both Fireball and our partners at the PDC have those fans at the forefront of everything we do - we are always looking to introduce programs 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 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."
A poll of 2,000 adults showed that Christmas parties topped the list when it comes to excuses for calling in sick, closely followed by festive burnout. The ‘sickiest’ day of the year falls on December 24, the day after the World Darts Championship finishes for Christmas (just saying!).
To download a sick note, fans can simply visit fireballuk.com/pages/sick-note before sending direct to their boss and settling down to watch some good old morning TV.
The fun will continue throughout the World Darts Championship, and darts enthusiasts are encouraged to share the silliness on their socials, tagging @FireballUK and using #SickNoteService.