In the aftermath of the recent PDC World Darts Championship, it feels like the sport of darts is riding the crest of a wave at the moment.
The sport has been in the ascendancy for the best part of a decade now, increasing in popularity year on year. That was kicked into overdrive over the last month or so, with 16-year old Luke Littler's run at Alexandra Palace bringing a whole new audience to the game.
The PDC will be hoping to capitalise on that moving forward.
Littler's inclusion in the Premier League is sure to boost tickets sales in that particular competition, with their visits to Dublin and Belfast already sold out.
However, some are concerned with the direction the PDC are going down in some of their less celebrated events.
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Tyrone darts player calls out PDC for questionable rule change
While the biggest names in darts star in the Premier League, they make up only a small portion of the players currently earning a living on the pro tour.
Those other darts player spend countless hours travelling around Europe and the UK playing in much less popular tournaments, often with no guarantee of earning a good living.
Their life has not been all the more difficult by a rule change introduced by the authorities in the sport.
The PDC announced yesterday that the qualifying format for their European Tour events will change in 2024, with the world's top 16 players now automatically being handed a place in each event.
There will be 13 tournaments held in Europe this year, each of which will feature 48 players. There will be a total of £175,000 in prize money on offer at each one.
Those 16 players will be joined at each tournament by the next 16 players in the PDC order of merit at the time of the event, as well as 16 more players who can book their place through various qualifiers.
It essentially creates a divide between the world's top 32 or so players and the rest of those competing on the tour, with their appearances at these tournament allowing them to add to the prize money they have already won.
All of this amounts to more opportunities for the world's best players, and while those are the names that many fans will want to see, it will also hurt other players on the tour who will have their ability to qualify for such events severely restricted.
Tyrone native and long time tour player Mickey Mansell was among those to condemn the move by the PDC.
Pdc on a crest of a wave publicity wise, the tour changes announced last night is a kick in the stomach for two thirds of the 128 #elitism
— Mickey Mansell (@C10noeCyclone) January 8, 2024
Mansell is currently ranked 56th in the world, meaning he will have to be at the very top of his game in qualifying for each of the European Tour events in order to have a chance of participating.
He is not the only one to call out the PDC for this decision, with many feeling it will only act to hurt the growth of the sport moving forward.
At the World Championship you could see that there are a lot of great players in tour.. But unfortunately this will kill the chance to play in the European Championship for many players, included associate members😟 https://t.co/Yp3Mv5UIuM
— Madars Razma (@MadarsRazma) January 8, 2024
Elite being protected
Those lower down and new TC holders being ostracised
Bad move. ETs will grow stale https://t.co/2ZrOzTzBAa— Connor Cain (@TheConnorCain) January 7, 2024
Great news about the PC prize money of course, but this is a step in the wrong direction. You are essentially forming a protective ring around the top 32. You feel another Euro Tour prize money increase has to happen as £1.2k for 3-4 wins from a TCH qualifier is not a just reward https://t.co/mP6wWP2dXD
— The Darting Nerd (@thedartingnerd) January 7, 2024
Not a fan of this. Just makes the top 16 even more exclusive.
I get but because big players openly said they wouldn’t go to qualifiers. But it’s just protecting players.
Now makes cracking the top 16 even harder now in my opinion https://t.co/xs8B7KTnaI— Phill Barrs (@phillbarrs) January 7, 2024
This is ass imo.
It makes the greatest tour in sports less great by allowing for more repetetiveness and giving less opportunities to the average TC-holder (which I thought was the purpose of the Euro Tour?)
Also, why change a tried and tested formula that everybody liked? https://t.co/wwNqTtVcP8— Till (@180Thelaw) January 7, 2024
What a stinky move from the PDC https://t.co/IDnxBLXyDn pic.twitter.com/dTWOIu0f91
— Josh (@joshpearson180) January 7, 2024
Horrific change, the whole beauty of the Euro Tour was different faces qualifying and stars failing too. There's a reason no one gives a fuck about the Premier League, The Masters, The World Series, it's why the Champions League was a joke, it's the same players https://t.co/dIId2sERM5
— Swanny (@SwannyHypno) January 7, 2024
As many have pointed, this new rule will only serve to limit the variety of darts players on show at the tournaments taking place on the European Tour. It also limits the earning power of those tour members who sit just outside the very elite of the game.
It is something that won't go down well with many of those seeking to make a decent living by playing the sport.
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