THE SPLIT: Your memories/attitudes

[Rogg]

If you remember it happening, what did you think about it?

If not, do you remember how you became aware of it?

Did you have strong attitudes in any direction? Did it bug you in some way to be a fan of a game that was split?

[Rogg]

I remember Taylor winning a tournament on Sky, and he gurned at the end: "Bring on Barneveld!"

I had no idea what that was.

It turned out to be the 1999 'Match of The Century' between Taylor and Barney, if you hadn't guessed.

I'd been vaguely aware of the darts on Sky through the late 90s but this was the first I'd heard about some other set of players existing... I think.

The first BDO darts I remember seeing was the 2000 Lakeside... as I do remember watching Mason beating Barney in Round 1 and Hankey battering Baxter in a final.

The BBC darts looked and sounded like absolute crap, but I thought the overall standard of play was a lot better.

[Randall]

I have no clear memory of the split at the time it happened anymore even though I must have watched 93 and 94.
I remember watching embassy finals from the mid 80s onwards, but as a casual fan it was one week a year and move onto the next sporting event (which always seemed to be bowls)
I didnt have sky, nor did streams exist in the early days of sky so I'd have seen very little of early pdc events live. A mate of mine uses to record the back end of tournaments on vhs for me and later I would buy them in their entirety on dvd.
One thing I do have clear memory of is the showdown in 99. My boss at the time played county darts. He viewed the bdo as the premier event, has was absolutely certain barney would win. He was absolute Crestfallen on the Monday afterwards.
In terms of feeling any resentment between the 2, that probably only came about with the forums. In the early days I think most people still thought the bdo was the premier event because largely they weren't exposed to the pdc or know any better.
That probably changed after barneys annihilation in 99 and Taylor passing bristows 5 world titles.
Certainly in 2007 and "that" final perceptions had changed even amongst casual fans.

[Rogg]

One thing I do have clear memory of is the showdown in 99. My boss at the time played county darts. He viewed the bdo as the premier event, has was absolutely certain barney would win. He was absolute Crestfallen on the Monday afterwards.

In terms of feeling any resentment between the 2, that probably only came about with the forums.

Crestfallen, lol. Amazing. And darts forums, yes.

All I wanted was for all the best players to be playing in the same place. It didn't seem like a wild idea.

It never even occurred to me that darts fans would want anything different... then I encountered forums and BDO Cult. Oh dear me.

[sennafan24]

My first darting memory was watching the George vs Part Lakeside final in 94.

I didn't even know what the PDC was until the late 90s. My older brother used to tell me that there was a player on Sky who was better than the BDO players. I also have a vague memory of watching Taylor beat Headshaker on ITV in 1999. My parents eventually got Sky in late 1999 and I have been a PDC fan ever since.

Looking back, the BDO's fields probably had more depth for a period in the late 90s and early 2000s, but Taylor was always the best player and his main rivals (Harrington, Priestley, Part circa 2001-2005, etc) could have easily held the own in the BDO. The tide continued to turn in the PDC's favour as the 2000s progressed, with the addition of the "Skol 6" to their ranks in 2002 and the decline of the BDO's fields after 2004 (Lakeside 2006 was an utter farce for example). After a series of defections between 2006-2009, which included RVB, MVG, King and others switching from the BDO to the PDC, the war for the professional side of the game was over.

I didn't take the BDO at all seriously from the Tony Fleet incident onward.

[Randall]

One thing I do have clear memory of is the showdown in 99. My boss at the time played county darts. He viewed the bdo as the premier event, has was absolutely certain barney would win. He was absolute Crestfallen on the Monday afterwards.

In terms of feeling any resentment between the 2, that probably only came about with the forums.

Crestfallen, lol. Amazing. And darts forums, yes.

All I wanted was for all the best players to be playing in the same place. It didn't seem like a wild idea.

It never even occurred to me that darts fans would want anything different... then I encountered forums and BDO Cult. Oh dear me.

Th3 fact Taylor won 2cof the last 4 embassies seemed lost on him. I remember quite clearly discussing it with him on the friday before and he was adamant barney would win. He slinked in the door on the Monday morning
I dont remember clearly when I started using forums but even back in the glory days of 606 mushroomism was deeply rooted and I want to say that was circa 2007.

[sennafan24]

Th3 fact Taylor won 2cof the last 4 embassies seemed lost on him. I remember quite clearly discussing it with him on the friday before and he was adamant barney would win. He slinked in the door on the Monday morning
I dont remember clearly when I started using forums but even back in the glory days of 606 mushroomism was deeply rooted and I want to say that was circa 2007.

How on earth did Darren Lethem become your boss?

[Randall]

My first darting memory was watching the George vs Part Lakeside final in 94.

I didn't even know what the PDC was until the late 90s. My older brother used to tell me that there was a player on Sky who was better than the BDO players. I also have a vague memory of watching Taylor beat Headshaker on ITV in 1999. My parents eventually got Sky in late 1999 and I have been a PDC fan ever since.

Looking back, the BDO's fields probably had more depth for a period in the late 90s and early 2000s, but Taylor was always the best player and his main rivals (Harrington, Priestley, Part circa 2001-2005, etc) could have easily held the own in the BDO. The tide continued to turn in the PDC's favour as the 2000s progressed, with the addition of the "Skol 6" to their ranks in 2002 and the decline of the BDO's fields after 2004 (Lakeside 2006 was an utter farce for example). After a series of defections between 2006-2009, which included RVB, MVG, King and others switching from the BDO to the PDC, the war for the professional side of the game was over.

I didn't take the BDO at all seriously from the Tony Fleet incident onward.

I remember a mate of mine who circa 2000 was adamant the bdo was better.
This continued for some years until at some point his position changed to "I know the pdc is better it's just to razzamatazz" that was probably around 2010.
Sadly I haven't spoken to him in 5 years as my ex was shagging a member of his hockey team and he declined to tell me.

[Randall]

Th3 fact Taylor won 2cof the last 4 embassies seemed lost on him. I remember quite clearly discussing it with him on the friday before and he was adamant barney would win. He slinked in the door on the Monday morning
I dont remember clearly when I started using forums but even back in the glory days of 606 mushroomism was deeply rooted and I want to say that was circa 2007.

How on earth did Darren Lethem become your boss?

Luckily it never got that bad.

[Greipel]

I didn't even know about the split till 2014.

[Randall]

I didn't even know about the split till 2014.

Probably for the best

[Mabbsy]

Remember it well.

The first WDC worlds on sky was great, even my old chap (r.i.p) said something along the lines of wow they've done a proper job on sky.
John Lowe at lakeside with his placard, think it read "the real world champs is on sky" was a highlight of the split.

[Randall]

Remember it well.

The first WDC worlds on sky was great, even my old chap (r.i.p) said something along the lines of wow they've done a proper job on sky.
John Lowe at lakeside with his placard, think it read "the real world champs is on sky" was a highlight of the split.

I dont remember that but only shows again what a legend john is.

[thegentle]

I remember Taylor winning a tournament on Sky, and he gurned at the end: "Bring on Barneveld!"

I had no idea what that was.

It turned out to be the 1999 'Match of The Century' between Taylor and Barney, if you hadn't guessed.

I'd been vaguely aware of the darts on Sky through the late 90s but this was the first I'd heard about some other set of players existing... I think.

The first BDO darts I remember seeing was the 2000 Lakeside... as I do remember watching Mason beating Barney in Round 1 and Hankey battering Baxter in a final.

The BBC darts looked and sounded like absolute crap, but I thought the overall standard of play was a lot better.

My early memories of darts were in the early to mid noughties, we'd always watch the PDC Worlds (and sometimes other TV tournaments on Sky/ITV, but not religiously), but only occasionally any BDO stuff, and when we did, a mixture of the production values and snide comments from my dad meant that I always viewed the Lakeside as far inferior even in the days where 'Taylor was the only difference between the codes'. Ironically, it was only when the gap between the Ally Pally and the Lakeside/Indigo events became a chasm that I paid much attention to the latter...

[Wolflanternbumbag]

Wasn’t really aware of it, just watched BDO Worlds once a year. First final I remember was Burnett v Barney. Didn’t start watching PDC till the year Taylor beat Barney in the final. One sided match.

[fandarts]

i remember the split, of course bought into the hype of sky that these were the best players-if you took out taylor and priestley, the were washed up alchos,has beens and american jobbers,with age and hindsight, darts ended then, now darts just resembles something similar but not the same-its like having sex or a wank,same result but the wank is soulless.

[sennafan24]

i remember the split, of course bought into the hype of sky that these were the best players-if you took out taylor and priestley, the were washed up alchos,has beens and american jobbers,with age and hindsight, darts ended then, now darts just resembles something similar but not the same-its like having sex or a wank,same result but the wank is soulless.

[The Thorn]

i remember the split, of course bought into the hype of sky that these were the best players-if you took out taylor and priestley, the were washed up alchos,has beens and american jobbers,with age and hindsight, darts ended then, now darts just resembles something similar but not the same-its like having sex or a wank,same result but the wank is soulless.

Welcome back sir

[fandarts]

happy Christmas thorn, didn't get chance to say it to you

[The Thorn]

happy Christmas thorn, didn't get chance to say it to you

And to you mate. I'lltake it for next year