The Greatest Show on Mighty Mike's Green Earth 2019 (Dec 13 - Jan 1)

[Rogg]

I think this thread sums it all up really, doesn't it?

[ITG]

WHO SAW THIS COMING


Rod Studd @Rod_Studd
If the BDO allow their best 2 women to play, it’ll be a brilliant move to promote women’s darts and encourage more to play the game. That has to be a good thing Chris.

Chris Mason @Chris180Mason 12m
Absolutley, however I am hearing that the BDO will not allow them to compete in both, missing a huge opportunity if they go down that road.

Hopefully, more bad PR for the scum.

[tungsten tossers]

I'm guessing from how it's announced it'll be an unseeded first round (unless they purposefully do ProTour v Qualifier) with the seeds entering at round 2.

That's a big question. I don't think the article addresses it. Not sure what I'd want to happen there... if totally random, you could have things like Indian Qualifier v Chinese Qualifier followed by Ratajski v Dimitri, in the same round that is. Not necessarily a problem but the balance is odd.

You might also have the bizarre scenario where Michael Barnard could top the Challenge Tour Order of Merit AND qualify automatically through the ProTour. They'd surely have to give it to the second placed CT player then.

Although I'd rather see the Plodosaurus nowhere near the TV stage.

Things might be different now but they don't tend to go further down merit lists in these cases. Maybe they would give an extra spot to the PDPA Qualifier if Barnard qualifies twice.

Think they did this last year when Dimitri qualified through the Pro Tour spots and as youth world champ. Was it Jamie Lewis who took that 3rd spot at the PDPA Qualifier? Turned out quite well for him if so!

In that case, I believe we could potentially have 6 spaces available at the PDPA qualifier if both Dev tour leaders are already qualified. As unlikely as that is, it could be utter madness!

Like you said, probably unlikely, but if it is four then that would be no issue, it was 3 last year and they had to have the play off for the spot. Weird that two spots go to Dev Tour but only 1 to CT but I suppose it is the youth that is being promoted. As the time gets nearer we will know the world youth champion and some of the regional winners such as DPA and German super league etc.
Due to the good PR it is already getting, they may even give an extra spot to the ladies.
Bazza doesn't usually miss a good PR trick

[Fiss Plaps]

Bazza doesn't usually miss a good PR trick

Especially with the timing of today's announcement straight after one of the worst attended darts "majors" in history.

[tungsten tossers]

Bazza doesn't usually miss a good PR trick

Especially with the timing of today's announcement straight after one of the worst attended darts "majors" in history.

So true, if this doesn't make more of the younger BDO players add QS to their calendars then nothing will
The second round paying as much as a Lakeshite semi final!!

[thegentle]

https://mobile.twitter.com/BarryHearn/s ... 265739?p=v
Open draw first round. Hello Dimitri vs Ratajski!

[tungsten tossers]

https://mobile.twitter.com/BarryHearn/s ... 265739?p=v
Open draw first round. Hello Dimitri vs Ratajski!

I read bazza's reply to mean the pro tour players will be kept apart
He says 32 pro tour will play the 32 qualifiers
Am I reading that correctly?

[ITG]

https://mobile.twitter.com/BarryHearn/s ... 265739?p=v
Open draw first round. Hello Dimitri vs Ratajski!

Won't matter, no easy games at Ally Pally.

[thegentle]

https://mobile.twitter.com/BarryHearn/s ... 265739?p=v
Open draw first round. Hello Dimitri vs Ratajski!

I read bazza's reply to mean the pro tour players will be kept apart
He says 32 pro tour will play the 32 qualifiers
Am I reading that correctly?

Hmmm, yeah, think you may be right after all, think I may have picked it up wrong. I prefer ProTour vs internationals, it means that players from weaker countries have to at least earn their place among the big guns by beating someone at least halfway decent. Besides, some of the better international qualifiers are definitely as good as the lads playing on the ProTour

[Fiss Plaps]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/44361901

BBC report leading with the "guaranteed women's places" angle.

If the BDO go ahead and ban women who compete in the qualifiers, this will backfire massively on them.

[The Ginge Reaper]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/44361901

BBC report leading with the "guaranteed women's places" angle.

If the BDO go ahead and ban women who compete in the qualifiers, this will backfire massively on them.

In an ideal world they should let the two qualifiers play in both anyway, this is a unique set of circumstances.

[Rogg]

Yep, Baz confirmed that Round 1 is structured 32 Pro Tour v 32 'Qualifiers'.

So any 'Qualifier' getting to the Last 64 will have beaten a tour card holder in Round 1, or at least beaten someone like Ratajski/Barnard who's good enough to be one. The second quarter of the 128 if yoo like, roughly speaking.

That's a quite nice structure I think. You'll no longer have 2 horrified overseas players slugging out a shitfest and the winner playing the best player in the world.

[Fiss Plaps]

Yep, Baz confirmed that Round 1 is structured 32 Pro Tour v 32 'Qualifiers'.

So any 'Qualifier' getting to the Last 64 will have beaten a tour card holder in Round 1, or at least beaten someone like Ratajski/Barnard who's good enough to be one. The second quarter of the 128 if yoo like, roughly speaking.

That's a quite nice structure I think. You'll no longer have 2 horrified overseas players slugging out a shitfest and the winner playing the best player in the world.

That's great to hear regarding the Pro Tour and the Qualifiers.

As for the last sentence: remember Rene Eidams? Not saying that will ever happen again but, y'know.

[Rogg]

Yep, Baz confirmed that Round 1 is structured 32 Pro Tour v 32 'Qualifiers'.

So any 'Qualifier' getting to the Last 64 will have beaten a tour card holder in Round 1, or at least beaten someone like Ratajski/Barnard who's good enough to be one. The second quarter of the 128 if yoo like, roughly speaking.

That's a quite nice structure I think. You'll no longer have 2 horrified overseas players slugging out a shitfest and the winner playing the best player in the world.

That's great to hear regarding the Pro Tour and the Qualifiers.

As for the last sentence: remember Rene Eidams? Not saying that will ever happen again but, y'know.

Rene may return next time and do the opposite, play in blinder in R1 to beat De Zwaan then die against Pipe in R2.
It's a wacky old world intit but I do like the new structure.

Be intrestin to see over the years how many of the Pro Tour qualifiers lose in Round 1. International qualifiers should improve as time goes by but so might the pro tour qualifiers.

[Zeyes]

The biggest surprise for me if that they've expanded the Pro Tour qualifiers all the way to 32. I figured something like 20 or maaaybe 24 was coming, but...

Happy to see that the Japanese (and the Chinese) will be getting a standalone qualifier in addition to the 4 Asian Tour spots. Gonna be scrambling time for the PDJ now though...normally their qualification cycle is already in full swing by now, but as it stands they've organized nothing, or at least not made anything public. The problem being that they have to schedule around all the soft-tip stuff over there, might be difficult to find enough open dates for the qualifiers now.

Anyway, the overall structure sounds good, and the new prize money distribution looks alright, too, the lower guaranteed money for the Pro Tour qualifiers notwithstanding.

North America has the same setup as Oceania now - one combined spot, plus one spot for each of the two countries in the area.

[Zeyes]

Be intrestin to see over the years how many of the Pro Tour qualifiers lose in Round 1. International qualifiers should improve as time goes by but so might the pro tour qualifiers.

Being able to observe that will be a very nice side effect of that new structure. Might also be useful for the PDC re: long-term trends in the strength of the international qualifiers, certainly much better than what they've had so far.

And it means the likes of Petersen or Reyes have a very good reason to push for qualification through the Pro Tour rather than rely on their local qualifying as an "easier" backup.

[ITG]

Bitter clowns upset as usual. Delish.

[Chizzyfan]

This is surely a great opportunity for the likes of Hamilton to come back and try and get in through the pro tour route. Maybe Andy Smith, Dennis Smith and Lionel Sams could benefit as well.

[Chizzyfan]

Let's go mad. Alex Roy could make it back. Maybe even Adrian Grey. Perhaps Hannes Schnier. How could I forget Special Brew! Who will qualify? Nobody knows.

[tungsten tossers]

Yep, Baz confirmed that Round 1 is structured 32 Pro Tour v 32 'Qualifiers'.

So any 'Qualifier' getting to the Last 64 will have beaten a tour card holder in Round 1, or at least beaten someone like Ratajski/Barnard who's good enough to be one. The second quarter of the 128 if yoo like, roughly speaking.

That's a quite nice structure I think. You'll no longer have 2 horrified overseas players slugging out a shitfest and the winner playing the best player in the world.

That's great to hear regarding the Pro Tour and the Qualifiers.

As for the last sentence: remember Rene Eidams? Not saying that will ever happen again but, y'know.

Rene may return next time and do the opposite, play in blinder in R1 to beat De Zwaan then die against Pipe in R2.
It's a wacky old world intit but I do like the new structure.

Be intrestin to see over the years how many of the Pro Tour qualifiers lose in Round 1. International qualifiers should improve as time goes by but so might the pro tour qualifiers.

There are bound to be a few Naff games round one as there have been in the prelims.
Some of the first timers will freeze on stage at get trounced but will get experience (and 7.5k)
But the more I read this the better it seems. There will be 90,000 tickets on sale which is just incredible for a darts tournament. Add that to the 20k in Germany and the double sell out in Rotterdam it is all looking rosy for Uncle Barry