Back to the Divide

There is a massive divide between the standard of play from the PDC players to the BDO players, most of us accept that. The top players from the BDO can compete with most of the players from the PDC, but most players from the PDC can't cope with the top players either. When players leave the BDO to join the PDC they usually do themselves justice, this doesn't always mean they have a chance of winning the PDC World Championship.
When Mervyn King moved to the PDC nobody predicted he would win their World Championship and he hasn't. He does well and earns a good living but he won't win it. When Raymond van Barneveld moved across we all knew his class - he was expected to win it and he has.
The 2 biggest moves this year were Ted Hankey moving back to the BDO and Stephen Bunting moving to the PDC.
Ted coming back was not much of a shock as he used to be one of the best in the BDO but was never near the top with the PDC. Ted wants to win so gave up with the PDC. It will be interesting to see how gets on.
Stephen is a great player and quite young, he has a chance to make it in the PDC.

Is it right to move freely between the two sides? I don't think so.Ted decides he won't win anything with the PDC so is allowed back into the BDO system. There should be an 18 month period where he can't enter major competitions. He should try to get back in through the county system to prove he is back for the BDO not just himself.
The way Stephen moved makes a mockery of the whole sport of darts. He won the BDO World Championship and then moved across to the PDC, leaving the BDO without a World Champion. I bet Barry Hearn loved that - he is the winner, darts is the loser.

Any player who enters either World Championship should sign a contract to stay with that side for 12 months.

We all love watching the Darts on Sky. Sky and the PDC made the sport interesting to lots of new fans, flashing lights, fireworks and commentators with personality along with usually excellent darts. The BDO competitions on Eurosport and especially the BBC are awful to watch for ardent darts fans like myself. There are some good games but many more awful ones backed up with mundane commentary. The one advantage the BDO has is they have a Women's World Championship but they cock that up by only showing it begrudgingly and not much of it.

Until the sides make up and become one darts will remain a laughing stock. It should be run like football with the best teams getting promoted to the Premier Division and teams automatically getting relegated. The top plays move to the PDC and the underperforming players relegated back down to the BDO. All could then enter one World Championship. This would stop the situation we have now where the PDC have 2 World Champions and the the BDO none

Why are the Two Darts Governing Bodies?

I have often been asked why there are 2 Darts World Championships and who do I think is the “real” World Champion. I can answer the questions to the best of my ability but this is my opinion, the opinion of a player who has been involved at different levels of the game for many years.

The split was caused by a dispute between the people governing the game and the top professional players. The dispute snowballed and both sides became stubborn. There were court cases, personal verbal assaults, exaggerations and general bitterness from both sides that ultimately has left the game in disarray.

I do not have a favourite side, I love playing and watching the game. I would like the 2 sides to join but I know it will never happen.

In 1994 the top players wanted “more” out of the game. More what? It depends who you talk to – more money, more TV exposure or more of a say in moving darts forward.

 

The British Darts Organisation (BDO) had been the games governing body since forming in 1973. Their biggest mistake was not to listen to the “rebels” or take them seriously, they expected them to return to the fold with their tails between their legs once defeated. At the time the game was in decline and some thought that the BDO were not acting quick enough to stop this decline. The BDO members recognised a similar decline and voted out the old committee and replaced them with an almost entirely new one recently, if this had happened in 1994 this split may have been avoided.

 

16 players split and formed their own governing body – The World Darts Council, later to be renamed the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). The first contract won was for 3 competitions screened by Sky TV. The 16 who split were:

Phil Taylor           DennisPriestley                 Rod Harrington                 John Lowe          Eric Bristow

Jocky Wilson      AlanWarriner                    Bob Anderson                   Peter Evison       Jamie Harvey    

Chris Johns         RitchieGardner                 Cliff Lazarenko                  Kevin Spiolek     Kieth Deller

Mike Gregory

This list includes all the past world champions except Leighton Rees who had stopped playing tournament darts.

Instead of talking and sorting out the differences to ensure the public got the best out of darts, the 2 groups argued until the gap widened into such a position as it is impossible to close. We now have 2 sides with their own world championships and neither side will relinquish theirs for the good of the game.

Which is the best? As a spectator the more thrilling spectacle is put on by Sky TV. Top quality darts shown with great pictures with knowledgeable commentary. The BDO competition is screened by the BBC and is dull to the uninitiated, only darts players watch it; it will not win new fans.

As a dart player I like the BDO version, I know a lot of the players and officials. I know there is a better chance of a grassroots player winning through to the TV stages and even winning the competition. There is also a women’s world championship with the BDO.

Who is the real champion? Most will say the PDC winner because overall the competition his of a better standard. The truth is that there are a lot of players in the BDO who could beat anybody on their day, Scott Waites proved that by winning the 2010 Grand Slam  – the only top competition open to players from both sides of the divide.

I would like the gap to close and bring the sport together, as would about 80% of darts people. Barry Hearn offered to buy out the BDO recently but was turned down by a vote of the BDO members – I was there. It was the correct decision as the grassroots player would not be looked after in that proposal. You can’t have a top class sport where only the best players and best counties are looked after.

The only way the 2 sides could start closing the gap would be for both sides to formerly recognise the role of the other. Follow the football route with the PDC becoming the Premier League and the BDO the FA.

Interview with Paul Hogan – Could an Outsider win the 2014 Lakeside Professional Darts Championship?

Paul agreed to meet me in Rileys Norwich where he was representing Berkshire in a BICC match against Norfolk. He won his game, the match was an 18-18 draw.

 

GH – Hi Paul thank-you for agreeing to do this interview with me– When did you start playing darts?

PH – I started playing when I was seventeen, I didn’t really enjoy it at first but it grew on me. I went from playing for fun to pub league, super league then county and finally I represented England.

GH – This isn’t the first time you’ve qualified for the finals of the World Championship is it?

PH – No, this is the 7^th time I’ve qualified. I have reached the quarter finals twice. In fact I got to the quarter final in my first year of qualifying, 1995, before losing to Richie Burnett who went on to become the champion. I was beaten in the 2^nd round by the defending champion in 2004 and the following year it was Jelle Klaasen who knocked me out in the quarters.

GH – How was the Hull play-offs this year?

PH – It was a well organised and well run tournament. In the past we’ve played in some inappropriate venues but this one was fine. We played in an ice rink one year and it was obviously freezing.

GH – How did you play in Hull?

PH – I played really well all the way through. I beat some good players – including Scotland’s Gary Stone who qualified in 2012 and 2013. After I won my last game I was getting ready to play another before I was told that was it, I’d qualified.

GH - I bet you wished you could just carry on into the finals instead of a 2 month break.

PH – yes and no. It would have been good while I was playing well but my form has stayed with me for some time now.

GH – Yes, as well as qualifying at Hull you’ve won the Buck’s Easter Open and the BDO Gold Cup in 2013.

GH – Have you changed your practice or playing routine since qualifying?

PH – No, I’ve been playing darts a long time now so I know what I need to do. My routine has got me this far so I’ll continue as I do. Hopefully my routine and experience will take me further.

GH – What are your thoughts on the finals?

PH – I’m going in there with experience – I’ve been 6 times before and reached the quarter finals twice. People won’t want to play me; they know what I’m capable of. No matter who I play I will keep going and going and going.

I’m really looking forward to it.

GH – What about the draw, are you happy with it?

PH – Yes, I listened to it streamed on my computer. I don’t know much about Karel Sedlacek the Czech who I play in the prelims. I looked him up on the internet. You know that whoever you are drawn against will be a good player.

GH – When you’re there do you plan to watch other games?

PH – Not really, I just want to get on with my practice and my games. I will have enough to focus on with concentrating on what I am doing.

GH – Is anybody going with you for support?

PH – Yes my wife attends lots of my tournaments. She will be more nervous than me.

GH – Is your hotel booked?

PH – I don’t know yet, the BDO do all that. I don’t know when I go, where I’m staying or when I’m playing yet.

Thanks Paul. I wish you all the best at Lakeside. If you play how you know you can and enjoy it, we know you can go a long way. You can beat anybody on your day.