PDC Premier League of Darts

[square_ball]

Been pondering about the now deceased BDO world championship.

I'm wondering if the reason why it managed to hold on for so long - despite being such an inferior product in terms of abilities and presentation - was because Phil Taylor dominated the PDO tournament for so long that it was refreshing to watch a darts tournament with an unpredictable outcome.

Certainly I remember seriously enjoying the McDanger and Burnett and Hankey tournaments.

Not sure if Taylor winning every year had much to do with it. BDO was free to air and had a bagful more viewers than the PDC because of that. Take Taylor out of the PDC and the standard was very similar in the 90s and early 00s. A lot of the players that transferred over to the PDC done from the BDO competed very well. And it's only in the last 5-10 years that the All Pally/Sky Sports thing has become so prevalent. The recent WDF finals which has replaced the BDO was poor though. Not sure where they get the players from.

[Franko]

Been pondering about the now deceased BDO world championship.

I'm wondering if the reason why it managed to hold on for so long - despite being such an inferior product in terms of abilities and presentation - was because Phil Taylor dominated the PDO tournament for so long that it was refreshing to watch a darts tournament with an unpredictable outcome.

Certainly I remember seriously enjoying the McDanger and Burnett and Hankey tournaments.

Not sure if Taylor winning every year had much to do with it. BDO was free to air and had a bagful more viewers than the PDC because of that. Take Taylor out of the PDC and the standard was very similar in the 90s and early 00s. A lot of the players that transferred over to the PDC done from the BDO competed very well. And it's only in the last 5-10 years that the All Pally/Sky Sports thing has become so prevalent. The recent WDF finals which has replaced the BDO was poor though. Not sure where they get the players from.

Think you've lost a decade there

The PDC has been inexistence for over 30 years and has been in the Ally Pally for almost 20??

The Taylor/Barney rivalry began in earnest in 2007

Or to put it a better way... the Ally Pally/Sky Sports thing has been in existence since before Luke Littler was born :-)

[square_ball]

Not sure if Taylor winning every year had much to do with it. BDO was free to air and had a bagful more viewers than the PDC because of that. Take Taylor out of the PDC and the standard was very similar in the 90s and early 00s. A lot of the players that transferred over to the PDC done from the BDO competed very well. And it's only in the last 5-10 years that the All Pally/Sky Sports thing has become so prevalent. The recent WDF finals which has replaced the BDO was poor though. Not sure where they get the players from.

Think you've lost a decade there

The PDC has been inexistence for over 30 years and has been in the Ally Pally for almost 20??

The Taylor/Barney rivalry began in earnest in 2007

Or to put it a better way... the Ally Pally/Sky Sports thing has been in existence since before Luke Littler was born :-)

I meant more the hype and showbiz around Ally Pally. Its feels like Sky have really ramped up their presentation and the atmosphere is night and day at All Pally over the last 10 years in comparison to how it was in the 00s and early 10s.

[Franko]

Nah , no chance.  It was essentially identical in those years to what it is now - except with a red Ladbrokes colour instead of a green Paddy Power one.

Bit of a change coming next year though.

[Armagh18]

Been pondering about the now deceased BDO world championship.

I'm wondering if the reason why it managed to hold on for so long - despite being such an inferior product in terms of abilities and presentation - was because Phil Taylor dominated the PDO tournament for so long that it was refreshing to watch a darts tournament with an unpredictable outcome.

Certainly I remember seriously enjoying the McDanger and Burnett and Hankey tournaments.

Not sure if Taylor winning every year had much to do with it. BDO was free to air and had a bagful more viewers than the PDC because of that. Take Taylor out of the PDC and the standard was very similar in the 90s and early 00s. A lot of the players that transferred over to the PDC done from the BDO competed very well. And it's only in the last 5-10 years that the All Pally/Sky Sports thing has become so prevalent. The recent WDF finals which has replaced the BDO was poor though. Not sure where they get the players from.

Think you've lost a decade there

The PDC has been inexistence for over 30 years and has been in the Ally Pally for almost 20??

The Taylor/Barney rivalry began in earnest in 2007

Or to put it a better way... the Ally Pally/Sky Sports thing has been in existence since before Luke Littler was born :-)

Stop it will you. Feeling ancient enough without the reminder lol

[square_ball]

Nah , no chance.  It was essentially identical in those years to what it is now - except with a red Ladbrokes colour instead of a green Paddy Power one.

Bit of a change coming next year though.

Look back at the videos. I didn't see many people dressed as Mario and Luigi or Hulk Hogan or chickens back in the late 00s. Or booing of players for that matter.

[Franko]

Nah , no chance.  It was essentially identical in those years to what it is now - except with a red Ladbrokes colour instead of a green Paddy Power one.

Bit of a change coming next year though.

Look back at the videos. I didn't see many people dressed as Mario and Luigi or Hulk Hogan or chickens back in the late 00s. Or booing of players for that matter.

I don't have to look back at videos.  I was there.

[square_ball]

Nah , no chance.  It was essentially identical in those years to what it is now - except with a red Ladbrokes colour instead of a green Paddy Power one.

Bit of a change coming next year though.

Look back at the videos. I didn't see many people dressed as Mario and Luigi or Hulk Hogan or chickens back in the late 00s. Or booing of players for that matter.

I don't have to look back at videos.  I was there.

Ok.

[SaffronSports]

Clayton, Rock, Bunting and Price get the wildcards for Premier League. Littler, Humphries, Van Veen and MVG already in it on rankings.

[93-DY-SAM]

Clayton, Rock, Bunting and Price get the wildcards for Premier League. Littler, Humphries, Van Veen and MVG already in it on rankings.

Bunting should be nowhere near that.

[clonian]

Been pondering about the now deceased BDO world championship.

I'm wondering if the reason why it managed to hold on for so long - despite being such an inferior product in terms of abilities and presentation - was because Phil Taylor dominated the PDO tournament for so long that it was refreshing to watch a darts tournament with an unpredictable outcome.

Certainly I remember seriously enjoying the McDanger and Burnett and Hankey tournaments.

It was always watched in our house too. Up to the early 2000s it was easily accessed and the tournaments were open enough too. I remember watching some of it in it's last few years and it was pub standard compared to the PDC though.
   
Darts just seemed to improve massively very quickly when the money came in from sky etc. Stopping sinking pints during the matches probably helped too.

[Truthsayer]

2026 Premier League selected albeit a boring series of exhibition games between big tournaments.
The top four in the PDC Order of Merit automatically qualify meaning world champion Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, World Championship finalist Gian van Veen, and Michael van Gerwen were guaranteed their spots.
Then Steve Bunting, Josh Rock, Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton chosen as the wildcard selections.
I do not get the self-proclaimed 'people's champion' Bunting. Noppert unlucky.
Josh and Gerwyn deserved it not sure bout Jonny Clayton.. for personality and entertainment Gary Anderson?... I think he indicated he may not have wanted to take part. Aspinal?

[gallsman]

Bunting is incredibly popular and was 4th in the world going into the world championship. Is currently 7th. Of course he deserves to be there.

[Truthsayer]

A legend in his own head.. isn't just decided on ranking is also who brings the excitement, charisma, crowds... like Searle is above Rock in the ranking but didn't get selected.

[gallsman]

See the bit about him being incredibly popular.