PDC Japan Tour is here

[Rogg]

A place in the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship is on offer in the new Japan Tour, which will feature ten events and a Play-Off this year.

The Japan Tour will be played across three weekends in April, July and September, with five double-header days followed by the top 32 playing off for a World Championship place.

https://www.pdc.tv/news/2024/04/26/japa ... spot-offer

[Rogg]

This sprung up very suddenly. Events 1-3 have happened. Event 4 is happening now, see the bottom link. It is streamed on PDCTV.


https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 01/matches
https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 02/matches
https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 03/matches

https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 04/matches

[tungsten tossers]

Asada wins the 1st 2 events

[tungsten tossers]

Tsunami washes them all away in event 3

[The Thorn]

So this means Asada can still play or was the lineup shite?

Is this an existing tour being rebranded or a brand new PDC thing?

Anyway good times for darts!

[IndyCarDavid]

This tour seemed to just turn up overnight. Did they actually announce it previously on the website?

[The Thorn]

This tour seemed to just turn up overnight. Did they actually announce it previously on the website?

Don't think so. Rogg would have noticed it earlier.

[oche balboa]

They are focusing on the wrong country

[IndyCarDavid]

They are focusing on the wrong country

Yeah, Japan seems a well looked after market. Nothing wrong with making it bigger though.

Surprised they didn't go back with a World Series event to Japan. Obviously the Bahrain cash is too good to turn down!

[oche balboa]

Philippines seems to have a deeper run of talent

[The Thorn]

Now compare the size and potential of the markets

[oche balboa]

I agree. But its a focus

[The Crow]

Now compare the size and potential of the markets

This

Japan also 100% should have a World Series event again. Of if they are serious about making the game global then the Asia pacific region wether that be Aus or elsewhere should get a ranked major event.

Something along the lines of 24 player event

top 8 in OOM (seeded to last 16)
Top 5 from pro tour OOM
Top 4 each from Asian tour and DPA OOMs
Winner of China Premier league
Highest ranked on DPNZ
Highest ranked on Japan tour

Should also do something similar in North America with another 24 player ranked major actually reward these well run regional tours and make ranking events more global.

[Rogg]

This tour seemed to just turn up overnight. Did they actually announce it previously on the website?

The 26th April article on the PDC site was the first I knew about it, then the tour started on the 27th. Thankfully the players knew about it lolol.

[1205]

Now compare the size and potential of the markets

Populations:
Philiipines 110.6M 1.5% growth
Japan 124.4M -0.3% growth

Japan's population is aging and declining, although the Japanese government has quietly increased immigration. (The main source of immigrants is now Vietnam - 99.4M 0.7% growth.)

But anyway, I don't think it's a big deal. If anything, it's a recognition by the PDC that in players won't travel that much. It replaces the old qualifier with a 3-weekend "Tour".
Maybe that'll be a nudge to some more players to try to get support to play the Asian Tour.

The Asian Tour averages suggest that Japan has plenty of depth.

[1205]

This sprung up very suddenly. Events 1-3 have happened. Event 4 is happening now, see the bottom link. It is streamed on PDCTV.


https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 01/matches
https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 02/matches
https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 03/matches

https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/steeld ... 04/matches

Well, suddenly as in we didn't know about it. Based on Facebook posts it seems to have been announced on 1st March.

[shenmue]

I love Japs

[DeepFriedRat]

Good to see Asada back in form

[The Thorn]

I love Japs eyes

[1205]

Good to see Asada back in form

He's doing it for his country.