Rising darts star Owen Bates was forced to ditch his nickname by the because they deemed it too rude. The 22-year-old was told to think of a new one after qualifying for the 2023 so that well-known MC John McDonald did not have to read it out.
Up to that point in his career, Bates had been known as 'The Master'. What seems innocent and plausible at first sight becomes something altogether different when realising that the last two words of his full title, as would be read out by McDonald at the Alexandra Palace, are 'Master Bates'.
The youngster ditched it for his trip to the worlds, where he lost to Steve Lennon in the first round. But news of his risque nickname had done the rounds leading up to the tournament, with Rangers legend Ally McCoist left in stitches during a broadcast.
"He's got to keep it," said the Scot. "Come on! He's keeping it. It's the best nickname. I love it man, it's hilarious."
At the time, Bates enlisted the help of the general public to come up with a replacement for 'The Master'. A poll conducted by churned out a selection of similarly crude suggestions, but the world No. 79 is yet to make anything official.
"I remember when I first started, we had only thought of master as a joke," Bates told the . "It was something that was fortunate, personally, and it was just as a joke. That's what it's all about, really.
"I was listening to talkSPORT and my name was mentioned. And how I reacted to it... I just remember it being all over Twitter and all over Facebook. It was only a bit of a terrible feeling, but it was all fun."
Bates earned a PDC Tour Card last year after finishing second in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit the previous season, having won one event and been runner-up at another four. The 22-year-old is a former World Youth Championship quarter-finalist and has reached the second round of the UK Open twice in a row.
He was in PDC action as recently as this week, defeating Jeffrey de Graaf at Players Championship 5 before coming unstuck against Adam Lipscombe, and making it to the last 32 of Players Championship 6 courtesy of wins over Florian Hempel and Haupai Puha.
