The Darts Forum

It's clear that the PDC calendar is slowly getting overpacked. More nations are looking to get an Euro Tour event in their home country (Spain, Poland and Denmark come to mind), and the PDC is really eager to spread darts across the globe with the World Series (how about Brazil, South Africa, India?). But there isn't enough room left on the calendar, it seems.

I chose six events that I think could be considered 'irrelevant' and might have some arguments against continuation of that event. Pick one or two events that you would most like to see removed (or care the least about if it were) and tell us what kind of event you'd like to see added to the calendar instead.

Here's the six events I chose, and why I think someone could argumentate them:
1. The Masters - This tournament is most mentioned by players themselves as considered irrelevant, especially now that we also have the Champions League of Darts. It's more of a filler tournament and could easily be replaced by a Euro Tour event which will probably attract bigger crowds (although not on TV)
2. One of the 7 Euro Tour events in Germany - I get it, Germany is big and there are good players in every corner of the country. Darts couldn't be bigger at the moment. But 7 events? Come on! There are other countries which also deserve a Euro Tour event!
3. Challenge Tour - One could consider the Challenge Tour a B-Tour of the PDC, but one could just move over to the BDO tournaments and perform better there.
4. World Cup of Darts - A team tournament is good, but some nations never seem to impress on the World Cup of Darts. It's almost as if there aren't enough nations around the world with high-quality players yet (examples of recent years are China, Brazil, Hong Kong and Gibraltar). It would be nice to change it up for a year or two with more World Series events in countries they haven't visited yet to raise the level of other countries so this tournament will get more interesting and competitive for once.
5. Champions League of Darts - Same thing as with The Masters, basically, although this seems to have a more clear purpose nowadays than The Masters. I would like to see this with a set tournament instead of legs, because there are really not enough set tournaments right now (only two). Kind of like how the ATP Finals work in tennis: two groups of four play two-set games, the top two advance to the semi's where they play three-set games (this isn't 100% ATP but would work well with darts).
6. World Series Finals - It's a nice TV tournament and all, and I love how they want to change the venue every year (although it'll always be Europe), but perhaps another World Series event instead of this would be better. Something like how it was in the first few years of the World Series before 2015.

If you have any other irrelevant tournaments that come to mind, share them here!

World Darts Trophy.

1 - I agree that the Masters is pretty much irrelevant. Actually this is the only tournament I'd happily remove. It's been mentioned countless times, but a 128-player, best of 3 legs tournament should happen. I'd put that instead of the Masters, right after Q-School to get to see all the card holders.

2 - There are definitely too many ET events in Germany. I would remove 2 of those and replace them with other countries. (Spain and Poland)

3 - What the fuck. Why would the PDC scrap the CT? If anything, it should be improved. More tour cards need to go to Challenge Tour and fewer to Q-School. The BDO is becoming more and more irrelevant, so the PDC will have to do more with the CT, DT to improve its own feeder system. Which is pretty decent right now but there's a lot to do still.

4 - No way. You may think many don't care about the World Cup but that's only true in the echo chamber of darts forums. For the 32 nations that are involved (apart from the half dozen that already see their players on TV all year anyway), the World Cup is one of the highlights of the year. Along with Ally Pally and the World Series, this is where players from all around the world can show themselves, which is essential in growing the game of darts.

5 - I don't care too much about the CL, but it's worth having just to have a tournament on the BBC. Having said that, the camera work and presentation will have to sharply improve next year.

6 - Again, it's a meh event but has its purpose. If the WS finals actually did what it supposed to do, and reward the actual World Series players, it would be all right. Not just catapult in jobbers like they did it with Noppert and Wattimena this year. (I do know Noppert reached the final but that doesn't vindicate the decision whatsoever.)

Fuck me, just when you think the topics can't get any more inane.

"Who's got the nicest flights and stems?"

TopLad180 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 4:21 pm Fuck me, just when you think the topics can't get any more inane.

Fucks it gotta do with you?

If be more inclined to bin the pl and have a major reshuffle but that wont happen.
First half if the year has nothing meaningful while the back is loaded

Randall wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 5:00 pm If be more inclined to bin the pl and have a major reshuffle but that wont happen.
First half if the year has nothing meaningful while the back is loaded

Well, the European Championship and Players Championship Finals should obviously be at the end of the season.

I hope they won't scrap the Premier League (in fact, I'd like an extension from 10 to 16 players, but I'll elaborate on this idea in a future 2020 Premier League thread (by the way, where is that? It's about time to start discussing who we want in)), but if they do, then probably they could do the Grand Slam maybe at the start of the year? And the World Matchplay being swapped places with the World Cup of Darts, so that the World Cup of Darts is in the summer holidays and it's not too hot in Winter Gardens?

The Masters is just there to top up the interest in Darts right after the worlds isnt it?

Bit pointless it may be - but has its own purpose between the worlds and the PL to keep people interested.

The Thorn wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 4:04 pm 1 - I agree that the Masters is pretty much irrelevant. Actually this is the only tournament I'd happily remove. It's been mentioned countless times, but a 128-player, best of 3 legs tournament should happen. I'd put that instead of the Masters, right after Q-School to get to see all the card holders.

2 - There are definitely too many ET events in Germany. I would remove 2 of those and replace them with other countries. (Spain and Poland)

3 - What the fuck. Why would the PDC scrap the CT? If anything, it should be improved. More tour cards need to go to Challenge Tour and fewer to Q-School. The BDO is becoming more and more irrelevant, so the PDC will have to do more with the CT, DT to improve its own feeder system. Which is pretty decent right now but there's a lot to do still.

4 - No way. You may think many don't care about the World Cup but that's only true in the echo chamber of darts forums. For the 32 nations that are involved (apart from the half dozen that already see their players on TV all year anyway), the World Cup is one of the highlights of the year. Along with Ally Pally and the World Series, this is where players from all around the world can show themselves, which is essential in growing the game of darts.

5 - I don't care too much about the CL, but it's worth having just to have a tournament on the BBC. Having said that, the camera work and presentation will have to sharply improve next year.

6 - Again, it's a meh event but has its purpose. If the WS finals actually did what it supposed to do, and reward the actual World Series players, it would be all right. Not just catapult in jobbers like they did it with Noppert and Wattimena this year. (I do know Noppert reached the final but that doesn't vindicate the decision whatsoever.)

Pretty much this. I'd also like a NotW style event, maybe have in on BBC in place of the CL (the Masters is a little consolation prize for those who have just missed out on the PL, whereas the PL basically fulfils the role of a competition for the elites), but I'm not fussed either way, they're both the most pointless events on the calendar (and I say this as a Suljovic fan lol). Good point on the World Series, Noppy did great to make the final, but it would be so much more useful if the likes of Robb and Kurz had got invited

Whatever they do they need to give them some definition.
Hard to tell one from the other.

vizIIsto wrote:It's clear that the PDC calendar is slowly getting overpacked. More nations are looking to get an Euro Tour event in their home country (Spain, Poland and Denmark come to mind), and the PDC is really eager to spread darts across the globe with the World Series (how about Brazil, South Africa, India?). But there isn't enough room left on the calendar, it seems.

I chose six events that I think could be considered 'irrelevant' and might have some arguments against continuation of that event. Pick one or two events that you would most like to see removed (or care the least about if it were) and tell us what kind of event you'd like to see added to the calendar instead.

Here's the six events I chose, and why I think someone could argumentate them:
1. The Masters - This tournament is most mentioned by players themselves as considered irrelevant, especially now that we also have the Champions League of Darts. It's more of a filler tournament and could easily be replaced by a Euro Tour event which will probably attract bigger crowds (although not on TV)
2. One of the 7 Euro Tour events in Germany - I get it, Germany is big and there are good players in every corner of the country. Darts couldn't be bigger at the moment. But 7 events? Come on! There are other countries which also deserve a Euro Tour event!
3. Challenge Tour - One could consider the Challenge Tour a B-Tour of the PDC, but one could just move over to the BDO tournaments and perform better there.
4. World Cup of Darts - A team tournament is good, but some nations never seem to impress on the World Cup of Darts. It's almost as if there aren't enough nations around the world with high-quality players yet (examples of recent years are China, Brazil, Hong Kong and Gibraltar). It would be nice to change it up for a year or two with more World Series events in countries they haven't visited yet to raise the level of other countries so this tournament will get more interesting and competitive for once.
5. Champions League of Darts - Same thing as with The Masters, basically, although this seems to have a more clear purpose nowadays than The Masters. I would like to see this with a set tournament instead of legs, because there are really not enough set tournaments right now (only two). Kind of like how the ATP Finals work in tennis: two groups of four play two-set games, the top two advance to the semi's where they play three-set games (this isn't 100% ATP but would work well with darts).
6. World Series Finals - It's a nice TV tournament and all, and I love how they want to change the venue every year (although it'll always be Europe), but perhaps another World Series event instead of this would be better. Something like how it was in the first few years of the World Series before 2015.

If you have any other irrelevant tournaments that come to mind, share them here!

Thank you for sharing this. If you have any more opinions that no fucker asked for, don’t hesitate to post them.


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Scrap none, the more darts the better. players are free to choose when and what they play and viewers are free to choose what to and not to watch, I don't see the problem?

Golfers or golf fans don't complain there's multiple tournaments every week do they? Players are independant contractors, turn up or don't someone else will take your place.

I don't have any problem with the number of events on TV.

But it annoys me that every tournament that is on TV is called a Major, and the way the first prize for all these tournaments is set up it makes everything outside of the WC (500k) and PL (250k) seem of pretty similar importance.

I know the Matchplay has gone to 150k and Grand Prix is 110k, but I think they should both be 250k to the winner as well, to make a clear list of 4 Majors with much bigger money than the other TV events.

Oh, and bin The Masters and move the UK Open to that date please Uncle Barry.

SuperSwede wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:55 am Scrap none, the more darts the better. players are free to choose when and what they play and viewers are free to choose what to and not to watch, I don't see the problem?

Golfers or golf fans don't complain there's multiple tournaments every week do they? Players are independant contractors, turn up or don't someone else will take your place.

Very fair point. I too can't bring myself to get excited about all the exbo events, so I'll simply pick and choose what to watch.

BDO world championship......should be scrapped instantly

bullseye wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2019 2:56 pm BDO world championship......should be scrapped instantly

You get my vote

Thursday Darts Thriller.

The tour is going to be split. A senior/masters which will be the top tier then the pro ranks. Then of course CT and DT.

Those useless tournaments like the masters are money makers for the PDC and mony earners for the top players.

There should not be a need for splitting as the players should be self selecting based on proper incentives via payouts. Think the ETs need to be evaluated, up the payouts, get back to paying oom for seed first rnd losers, and reduce the fucking useless home nation qualifiers