asians

[Randall]

are going to dominate world darts according to phil taylor

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/darts/15852396.stm

happened to a certain degree in snooker, will darts follow suit?

[darkhorse]

are going to dominate world darts according to phil taylor

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/darts/15852396.stm

happened to a certain degree in snooker, will darts follow suit?

Can't see it myself. Having lived and played in Asia for 6 years there is no doubting the quality of the top players, but soft tip darts is massive out here. For example the last national soft tip tourney I played in Korea had over 400 entrants (varying standards granted) the last steel tip had 16.

Problem is IMO darts is very fashionable out here with the young trendy generation, and darts sell for a fortune £100+ for a brand like Cosmo to £800-£15000 for a brand like Joker Driver. The PDC doesn't exactly suit this image. Also with this new soft tip tournament in Hong Kong offering prize money to the winner of around £80000 and about £8000 per qualifying win, I'm surprised some of the British players don't fly out (the North Americans do - Ray Carvers won twice Paul Lim and Part once each). BTW you can watch the final event on Ustream on December 18th to see what it's all about.

The games there tho and the fillipinos have proven they can play with Ilagan reaching the semis of the masters a few years back and think it was Briones who won the French open(?)

[Justin Credible]

The PDC doesn't exactly suit this image. Also with this new soft tip tournament in Hong Kong offering prize money to the winner of around £80000 and about £8000 per qualifying win, I'm surprised some of the British players don't fly out (the North Americans do - Ray Carvers won twice Paul Lim and Part once each). BTW you can watch the final event on Ustream on December 18th to see what it's all about.

always wondered why more brits did not travel out as well.
Cheers for the heads up, will keep an eye out for that stream

[Randall]

im sure i have seen taylor and part playing soft tip in asia on youtube?

[darkhorse]

im sure i have seen taylor and part playing soft tip in asia on youtube?

Part comes out a bit, think last time Taylor was here was a few years ago promoting the game for Unicorn along with others like Lowe Osbourne and others I forget

[Randall]

the matchroom snooker mob under hearns control were in the far east a lot in the mid to late 80s and look what that has produced.

enormous market in the far east to be exploited.

what are the popular sports in china etc, table tennis aside i cannot recall them competing at the highest level in any sports?

[Justin Credible]

badminton is popular i believe randall

[Randall]

for a country the size of china and the number of people in it badminton and table tennis cannot be the height of the countrys achievements or goals??

[Justin Credible]

their olympic team and success in the olmpics have improved drastically in recent years although the success has been tarnished with drug allegations

[Randall]

with the olympics in their own country i think failiure was not an option.

[darkhorse]

Just seen the entry list for the finals in Hong Kong on the 18th, of note John Part and Toni Alcinas have both entered. Not ideal preparation for Ally Pally (depending on when their games are scheduled), but I'm sure they won't give a shit if they trouser 80grand!