BDO Darts Championship

[CardiffIrish2]

Got to love the Sharts. It’s like watching Phoenix nights Sports evening

[jamieccfc]

A few years ago the PDC offered tour cards to the four Lakeside semifinalists. Now they don't, so potentially the BDO World Champion would need to qualify through Q-School. As far as I understand, any player wanting to move to the BDO from the PDC would be warmly welcomed with no obstacles whatsoever.

I read an article on Glen Durrant recently where he was asking Barry Hearn to give him a tour card, which Hearn subsequently refused. Durrant (and maybe other BDO players) has it in his contract that if he was to switch allegiance, he'd have to forfeit any prize money he won this year.

I disagree with StraightOuttaCanton's remark that it's better to be a big fish at the BDO. Durrant wants to move, he knows he can earn more money at the PDC being an average player. The player currently ranked 40th at the PDC has earned over £100k in 2 years. That's more than all the current BDO players, bar the last two World Champions (Durrant and Waites) have earned in prize money over the last 2 years. Take James Wilson - was ranked BDO no. 1 when he decided to have a go at Q-school. His biggest prize at the BDO was £30k for winning the World Trophy. He's yet to make a ranking semi final at the PDC yet he's earned almost £150k over the last 2 years.

Unless you can win the Lakeside, you can't make that sort of living. Yes, there's prestige in being a BDO world Champion (I feel that prestige is on the wane) but ultimately it's about money. That's not knocking the BDO or being necessarily in favour of the PDC, it's stating fact. The prize money offered by the PDC means dart players can become full time professionals, which they can't really be at the BDO. This suits some fine, like Scott Waites, who considers darts a hobby. It's an interesting position for a dart player to be in - some thrive at the opportunity, some don't. Take Rob Cross - an amazing story. He's earned over £600k this year. He could never have got close to that at the BDO. Next year entry fees in the PDC are being scrapped, so players can take home even more. Players will mainly go where the money is.

Bloody hell no wonder all the decent players can't wait to jump ship

[StraightOuttaCanton]

A few years ago the PDC offered tour cards to the four Lakeside semifinalists. Now they don't, so potentially the BDO World Champion would need to qualify through Q-School. As far as I understand, any player wanting to move to the BDO from the PDC would be warmly welcomed with no obstacles whatsoever.

I read an article on Glen Durrant recently where he was asking Barry Hearn to give him a tour card, which Hearn subsequently refused. Durrant (and maybe other BDO players) has it in his contract that if he was to switch allegiance, he'd have to forfeit any prize money he won this year.

I disagree with StraightOuttaCanton's remark that it's better to be a big fish at the BDO. Durrant wants to move, he knows he can earn more money at the PDC being an average player. The player currently ranked 40th at the PDC has earned over £100k in 2 years. That's more than all the current BDO players, bar the last two World Champions (Durrant and Waites) have earned in prize money over the last 2 years. Take James Wilson - was ranked BDO no. 1 when he decided to have a go at Q-school. His biggest prize at the BDO was £30k for winning the World Trophy. He's yet to make a ranking semi final at the PDC yet he's earned almost £150k over the last 2 years.

Unless you can win the Lakeside, you can't make that sort of living. Yes, there's prestige in being a BDO world Champion (I feel that prestige is on the wane) but ultimately it's about money. That's not knocking the BDO or being necessarily in favour of the PDC, it's stating fact. The prize money offered by the PDC means dart players can become full time professionals, which they can't really be at the BDO. This suits some fine, like Scott Waites, who considers darts a hobby. It's an interesting position for a dart player to be in - some thrive at the opportunity, some don't. Take Rob Cross - an amazing story. He's earned over £600k this year. He could never have got close to that at the BDO. Next year entry fees in the PDC are being scrapped, so players can take home even more. Players will mainly go where the money is.

Fair point on defection - that must have changed in the last few years

I’m personally not a fan of Barry Hearn - (feels to me like he has an elitist approach)

If it’s about money though it shouldn’t be too hard for someone to resurrect the BDO, although it is run by a bunch of dinosaurs to be fair and they haven’t reacted in 15+ years.

All it really needs is someone to inject the cash though and it’s a different ball game.

The BDO will it feels always be there though as there’ll never be a shortage of darts players

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Cheers, Eric. I didn't expect such a brilliant answer.

I don't want the PDC to crush the BDO into nothing. I can understand why they would hold off on paying the prize money to a switcher.

Same here. The BDO has a massive role in darts, bigger than the PDC. Ideally, the two would merge, though that would mean killing off the Lakeside championship. The vast majority of PDC tungsten tossers came from the BDO and the BDO run the game at grass roots level. It's (I guess) a bit like the FA running football in England while the Premier League runs the top flight.

[StraightOuttaCanton]

Same here. The BDO has a massive role in darts, bigger than the PDC. Ideally, the two would merge, though that would mean killing off the Lakeside championship. The vast majority of PDC tungsten tossers came from the BDO and the BDO run the game at grass roots level. It's (I guess) a bit like the FA running football in England while the Premier League runs the top flight.

The biggest travesty of all would be the elimination of The Lakeside. An iconic and brilliant sporting venue

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Fair point on defection - that must have changed in the last few years

I’m personally not a fan of Barry Hearn - (feels to me like he has an elitist approach)

If it’s about money though it shouldn’t be too hard for someone to resurrect the BDO, although it is run by a bunch of dinosaurs to be fair and they haven’t reacted in 15+ years.

All it really needs is someone to inject the cash though and it’s a different ball game.

The BDO will it feels always be there though as there’ll never be a shortage of darts players

Precisely, it's about money. 10 years ago I would have agreed with you on the possibility of resurrecting the BDO, but I don't feel that's possible any more. The PDC has become too successful.

I just posted saying that the BDO has the most important role in darts, running the game in the UK. It's a bit like the Premier League and the FA with the BDO being a feeder organisation. I don't have a problem with that, there's an argument perhaps that the BDO should concentrate on producing top players who then go on to the PDC. Rather than try and compete (futile), the two would be better working together.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

The biggest travesty of all would be the elimination of The Lakeside. An iconic and brilliant sporting venue

If that's the main reason why PDC and BDO can't get together (BDO won't want to lose their world championship) then more fool them.

[The Bob Banker Spanker]

And we’re going all the way in this game.
Great so far in this one, deciding set.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

The biggest travesty of all would be the elimination of The Lakeside. An iconic and brilliant sporting venue

If there was ever to be a unification of BDO and PDC, there's no way they could go back to a small venue. Sponsors wouldn't allow it.

[Bobby_The_Bhoy]

Precisely, it's about money. 10 years ago I would have agreed with you on the possibility of resurrecting the BDO, but I don't feel that's possible any more. The PDC has become too successful.

I just posted saying that the BDO has the most important role in darts, running the game in the UK. It's a bit like the Premier League and the FA with the BDO being a feeder organisation. I don't have a problem with that, there's an argument perhaps that the BDO should concentrate on producing top players who then go on to the PDC. Rather than try and compete (futile), the two would be better working together.

Remember this from a few years back Eric. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...olly-croft-bdo

[StraightOuttaCanton]

If there was ever to be a unification of BDO and PDC, there's no way they could go back to a small venue. Sponsors wouldn't allow it.

Marketing trumps romanticism.

Shame really

[BLUETIT]

Ladies' darts nights in pubs around the country could be improved by scrapping the usual game of 501 and just going straight for double one, which is where most ladies games finish anyway. The time saved could then be spent drinking more heavily than usual and fighting in the car park.

Anyone remember Maureen ?

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/...h.jpg:thumbup:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Flowers

[Des Parrot]

Same here. The BDO has a massive role in darts, bigger than the PDC. Ideally, the two would merge, though that would mean killing off the Lakeside championship. The vast majority of PDC tungsten tossers came from the BDO and the BDO run the game at grass roots level. It's (I guess) a bit like the FA running football in England while the Premier League runs the top flight.

I think this analogy is spot on Eric. My mate had 3 seasons with the PDC and did reasonably ok. His biggest regret was moving away from the BDO he was not allowed to play internationals or county darts. He went back to the BDO when the PDC switched from open to seeded draws (from firsts rounds). With open draws he made the last 16 / 32 on a regular basis when they changed to seeded it meant that he went out in early rounds and so the cash pool instead of being spread round became focused on the seeds. His winnings went from around £15k / year to less than £1k virtually overnight.

[bobh]

People forget that if it weren't for the BDO, there would be no 'big' darts comp.
As said above, they run the game at the lower levels, but they also brought the first big championships to TV.
I recall the only TV darts were a few minutes of highlights of the News of the World final - essentially a best-of-three pub players' knockout.
The n, when the BDO world championships attracted TV interest, along came Hearn and Sky money, and nicked it, forming the PDC without regard for all the work the BDO had done.

Like said, it's all about money now.

[ian gibson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHnBppccI0o

Proper darts match

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Marketing trumps romanticism.

Shame really

I've been told Lakeside is a bit of a shithole. Perhaps that's the romance of the place.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

People forget that if it weren't for the BDO, there would be no 'big' darts comp.
As said above, they run the game at the lower levels, but they also brought the first big championships to TV.
I recall the only TV darts were a few minutes of highlights of the News of the World final - essentially a best-of-three pub players' knockout.
The n, when the BDO world championships attracted TV interest, along came Hearn and Sky money, and nicked it, forming the PDC without regard for all the work the BDO had done.

Not really. By the early 1980s there were 14 televised tournaments between the BBC and ITV. ITV lost some darts coverage when World of Sport went but carried on showing the World Masters and Matchplay until 1988. The Beeb also cut back on its coverage.

By the time of the split there were only 2 televised tournaments. The top players believed they were being let down by the BDO and set up their own darts council called the World Darts Council, in order to attract new sponsorship and tv deals. The BDO didn't take too kindly to this, banning any WDC member from its tournaments after the 1993 World Championship. There was a long court case, some WDC players even remortgaged their own houses in order to fund it. Out of that the World Darts Council became the PDC.

It certainly wasn't Hearn and Sky that caused the split. I have no idea when Barry Hearn became involved with the PDC, but it was the top players themselves who weren't happy with what they were offered and thought they could do better. History shows they got it spot on.

[bobh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHnBppccI0o

Proper darts match

I just KNEW someone would dig that up!

[StraightOuttaCanton]

I've been told Lakeside is a bit of a shithole. Perhaps that's the romance of the place.

I’ve been told lots of places are shitholes. I prefer to form my own opinion, which in this case is that for The BDO world darts (which is perhaps obviously the only time I’ve been) it has always miraculously transformed itself into a thing of beauty. Perhaps the 15 pints contributed but I’ve been so many times and the shine never left it.

Ally Pally is just a line of trestle tables joined together a cavernous room. I hated it. It was so impersonal.

It’s more about the occasion than the darts for me, but at the Lakeside you are never more than 25 yards from the stage no matter where you sit, and there are about 1500 people who are there on exactly the same mission as you - it’s like the best stag night and football tour you’ve ever been on rolled into one

Try it one year - you won’t be disappointed unless of courseI you’re a bit of a nerd in which case I could see how the darting marketing extravaganza that is Ally Pally would have more appeal.

[skunkatron]

Great match on now Welshman Wayne Warren vs Dutchman Wesly Harms. Pretty even atm

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Article taken from Dutch paper AD (translated from https://www.ad.nl/darts/de-teloorgan...leet~a622747e/)

"The demise of Lakeside is complete

On the historic ground of Frimley Green is this year again played for the profits in the Lakeside. But the BDO World Championship has now completely slipped to a place in the immense shadow of the PDC.

Pim Bijl 10-01-18, 12:38 Last update: 15:07

For more than fifteen years, his voice has been heard in Dutch living rooms when arrows of interest are thrown. Jacques Nieuwlaat stands up and goes to bed with darts. Where is the darts purist now during the Lakeside? In sunny Mexico, on one of the beautiful beaches, under a parasol. "That used to be unthinkable, indeed," Nieuwlaat responds from his reclining chair.

It is significant that the RTL7 commentator enjoys a vacation while an official World Cup is being held. His channel does not have the broadcasting rights, but the World Cup of the BDO has also slipped so finely that it is deep in the immense shadow of the other federation, the PDC, has come to stand. The attention has shifted completely. The World Cup of the PDC, the other majors of that league and the Premier League are now much more prestigious than the tournament on the historic, once lively ground of Frimley Green.

The Netherlands got to know darts with images from the Lakeside Country Club. There was first a victory of 'The Embassy' fought and later, after a law amendment was no longer possible to the world championship to name a cigarette brand, the 'Lakeside'.

Raymond van Barneveld, with his nail-biting Silvia in the audience, grew to become a national pet bearer thanks to his four victories. International characters such as Martin Adams, Ted Hankey, Mervyn King and Andy Fordham were also embraced. In 2006, approximately 5 million people watched the cracker Jelle Klaasen won in the final against Van Barneveld.

There is nothing left of that. The PDC, created in 1990 when sixteen players left the BDO out of dissatisfaction with the declining popularity of the sport, has outstripped its competitor. "The BDO is extinct," says Michael van Gerwen, the world's number 1. "I think it is even unfair that this association may still have a number of permanent seats at our tournaments. That does not bring the sport anything. "

Van Barneveld transferred to the PDC in 2006 to challenge Phil Taylor. Now it is with a magnifying glass search for top players on the Lakeside, where the final of the 41st edition will be played. Because of the much lower prize pool, playing with the wealthy PDC is simply much more interesting. To make matters worse, last year the BBC also took the hands off Lakeside, after a collaboration of no less than 38 years. Danny Noppert, last year's losing finalist, is the best-known participant in the Netherlands. The Frisian is through to the second round. Striking, but not surprising, is the huge difference in average scores of the races at Lakeside compared to the World Championship of the PDC won by Rob Cross on 1 January. Darryl Fitton already garnered praise on Monday with a finish of 170.

In fact, there is only one player at the BDO who, according to experts, has sufficient quality to make a good impression at the other association. It is no coincidence that the Englishman, Glen Durrant, has been watching the PDC for a long time. Only the BDO has devised a contractual trick to delay the decline. If Durrant reaches the semi-finals or the final, he may not become a member of the PDC unless he hands in all his prize money from reaching the last four. Despite that regulation Durrant makes no secret of wanting to step over. "If I win the Lakeside, I will remain loyal to the BDO. Otherwise I will try to switch. "

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I’ve been told lots of places are shitholes. I prefer to form my own opinion, which in this case is that for The BDO world darts (which is perhaps obviously the only time I’ve been) it has always miraculously transformed itself into a thing of beauty. Perhaps the 15 pints contributed but I’ve been so many times and the shine never left it.

Ally Pally is just a line of trestle tables joined together a cavernous room. I hated it. It was so impersonal.

It’s more about the occasion than the darts for me, but at the Lakeside you are never more than 25 yards from the stage no matter where you sit, and there are about 1500 people who are there on exactly the same mission as you - it’s like the best stag night and football tour you’ve ever been on rolled into one

Try it one year - you won’t be disappointed unless of courseI you’re a bit of a nerd in which case I could see how the darting marketing extravaganza that is Ally Pally would have more appeal.

Ah, it's a giant piss up.

Strangely, I go to watch the darts. I thought that's what it was all about. And getting pissed, yes, having a good time and dressing up in silly outfits, yes, but I like watching the darts first and foremost.

[ccfc_is_my_life]

If you want to go to watch the darts, you go to PDC. That's where the quality darts is.

People going to BDO are like those real ale bores droning on with tales of ales of yore...

[Eric the Half a Bee]

If you want to go to watch the darts, you go to PDC. That's where the quality darts is.

That's generally the case though the BDO has exceptions.

There has been 1 100+ average at the Lakeside in the last decade, there have been 115 ton plus averages at Ally Pally.
Only once since 2010 have there been more averages over 90 than under 90 at Lakeside for the tournament as a whole. There hasn't been one example of this since 2010 at the PDC World Champ - in fact at the last 3 PDC World Championships over two thirds of players hit an average of 90 or more, the most recent tournament that figure stands at 80% of all players hit a 90+ average. Ther e have even been two occasions when the BDO World Champ has hit a sub 90 average in winning the final.

That's just how it is. I'd expect those statistics. After all the PDC players are full time pros who have to work hard or they lose their place in the rankings and stop earning good money. Someone ranked 40th in the PDC has earned more in 2 years than all BDO players bar the major winners. That's why the majority of decent players want to switch. The BDO could have sorted out all of this nonsense years ago but chose not to. That's not to suggest that the BDO hasn't got a role in darts - it has, arguably the most important. Just it doesn't do enough for its top players.

[ccfc_is_my_life]

Indeed, it seems those running BDO are more concerned with themselves than the actual players.

Money, backing of Sky led to professionalism, something players recognised and wanted. Professionalism leads to higher standards, which drives the sport on.

Those running the BDO are seeing their gravy train drying up.