Winmau World Masters

[Zapp Brannigan]

Remember the new Freeview sports channel owned by the guys behind Premier Sports is supposed to launch end August. So before the Masters.

No news yet on what it will be covering. May be a reason for this being midweek as that tends to be when there is least competing live sport.

Their promises with zero advertising seems interesting. Apparently going be showing football on freeview every night of the week

It seems the football they have rights to via their owners Premier Sports is Belgium and Republic of Ireland football league games. So ones Sky or BT weren't interested in.

They dont have anything to do with Premier sports, its 2 guys who used to work for them that are the directors.

They do. Look at all the rights they claim they have on the link I posted.

NHL, NASCAR, NRL, GAA (non Sky games). These rights are all owned exclusively in the UK by Premier Sports.

So either they have bought Premier Sports UK (Remember in Ireland it's now own by EIR the cable company) and this is what it converts to, or it's a taster channel which will show some of the above live hoping you pay and upgrade to Premier Sports to see more live coverage.

The article I read last week suggested that its two guys who have left Premier Sports and are chancing their look thinking they are going to take some sports from Premier sports and maybe the odd new one with the hope that there is an appeal in being on freeview

The only way this is going to be any different is if they have money and they are willing to go big for something with a bit of appeal. Problem is there isnt much out there for the taking at the minute.

[Zapp Brannigan]

You have to suspect it was a last resort taking back north. Lakeside obviously don't want to keep it.

Or the BDO realised that having all three of their big events at the same location was stupid, at least they are all in different places this year.

Cant imagine Potter has any issue with the darts being at his gaff three times a year. Hes a businessman after all.

Didn't someone say at the time of the WDT that Potter has said that he didn't want anything else apart from the worlds.

Think someone said it but I doubt the validity of it, the alternative is an empty room for a weekend, why would he turn two other goes at the darts per year down?

Unless he has gone a bit senile in his old age.

It was me. I was told by someone very very reliable that they are having nothing to do with the BDO outside of Lakeside.

Based on what was said Id be surprised if they are hosting the worlds after next year as well.

[Ginge]

Makes no sense whatsoever, his hotels are full for 9 days at a quiet time of year whilst it is on.

[Zapp Brannigan]

Makes no sense whatsoever, his hotels are full for 9 days at a quiet time of year whilst it is on.

How many of those rooms are at a full (or even half) rate?
How many are actually spending money behind the bar on food/drink?
How much are the BDO pushing a mates rate for things?
How much are the BDO coming back to lakeside asking for freebies and more money?

You have the last 2 winners openly doing interviews saying they dont want to spent a minute inside Lakeside outside of their match, Duzza even going as far to doing an interview saying he hates the players bar and the attitude in there.

Knowing what the BDO are expecting from new venues picking up events and how many venues laughed at the kind of rates they were asking for I can only think Lakeside are backed into a hole with a stupid rate. And if thats the case you wonder why they bother.

and thats without suggesting that the relationship between the Williams and the Porters is in the absolute gutter.

[The Jolly Man]

Makes no sense whatsoever, his hotels are full for 9 days at a quiet time of year whilst it is on.

How many of those rooms are at a full (or even half) rate?
How many are actually spending money behind the bar on food/drink?
How much are the BDO pushing a mates rate for things?
How much are the BDO coming back to lakeside asking for freebies and more money?

You have the last 2 winners openly doing interviews saying they dont want to spent a minute inside Lakeside outside of their match, Duzza even going as far to doing an interview saying he hates the players bar and the attitude in there.

Knowing what the BDO are expecting from new venues picking up events and how many venues laughed at the kind of rates they were asking for I can only think Lakeside are backed into a hole with a stupid rate. And if thats the case you wonder why they bother.

and thats without suggesting that the relationship between the Williams and the Porters is in the absolute gutter.

You missed the bit that Lakeside doesn't get BBC coverage. Nothing like having your venue mentioned on the BBC.

[Zeyes]

And still no lists of who actually has qualified to play in the Masters and the Lakeside playoffs?

At last.

http://bdodarts.com/mwm.php
http://bdodarts.com/wwm.php
http://bdodarts.com/bwm.php
http://bdodarts.com/gwm.php

http://bdodarts.com/mwp.php
http://bdodarts.com/wwp.php

Wildly incomplete though, so I guess it's just the lists of those that have actually confirmed their participation as opposed to the usual lists of those who are eligible...

[oche balboa]

Ted Hankey gets a sponsors invite lol

[Ginge]

Ted Hankey gets a sponsors invite lol

Wouldn't he get in for life as an ex Lakeside champion anyway?

[Addicks Fan]

Ted Hankey gets a sponsors invite lol

Wouldn't he get in for life as an ex Lakeside champion anyway?

Does the same apply to the Lakeside play-offs? His name is not on that list

[Ginge]

Ted Hankey gets a sponsors invite lol

Wouldn't he get in for life as an ex Lakeside champion anyway?

Does the same apply to the Lakeside play-offs? His name is not on that list

Yes it applies to that as well. No doubt his name will be added in time.

[oche balboa]

Yep as too Fordham

[ChrisW]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

[Ginge]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

[Zeyes]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

And seemingly reduced to just the last 3 years' champions for the Lakeside playoffs. (2.02 A, http://bdodarts.com/images/bdo-content/ ... -pro-m.pdf)

[WCDPA]

Ted Hankey gets a sponsors invite lol

Wouldn't he get in for life as an ex Lakeside champion anyway?

It's now the current and previous 4 world champions .

[WCDPA]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

And seemingly reduced to just the last 3 years' champions for the Lakeside playoffs. (2.02 A, http://bdodarts.com/images/bdo-content/ ... -pro-m.pdf)

Used to be all previous champs still playing , so often included in the draw and no shows .

[Zeyes]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

And seemingly reduced to just the last 3 years' champions for the Lakeside playoffs. (2.02 A, http://bdodarts.com/images/bdo-content/ ... -pro-m.pdf)

Used to be all previous champs still playing , so often included in the draw and no shows .

Well, that hasn't been a significant issue the last two or three years since they started putting only confirmed participants in the draw. (Of course, they're still getting 10%+ no-shows at the Masters despite that, which always puzzles me.)

[Ginge]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

And seemingly reduced to just the last 3 years' champions for the Lakeside playoffs. (2.02 A, http://bdodarts.com/images/bdo-content/ ... -pro-m.pdf)

Used to be all previous champs still playing , so often included in the draw and no shows .

Well, that hasn't been a significant issue the last two or three years since they started putting only confirmed participants in the draw. (Of course, they're still getting 10%+ no-shows at the Masters despite that, which always puzzles me.)

Seems a silly thing to cut.

The no show thing could be avoided in part by getting players to confirm they want to actually go into the draw. Sure some still will fail to turn up, but it will help.

[ChrisW]

For the Masters it's 'current and 4 x years previous World Professional Men’s Champions as eligible'

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

And seemingly reduced to just the last 3 years' champions for the Lakeside playoffs. (2.02 A, http://bdodarts.com/images/bdo-content/ ... -pro-m.pdf)

Used to be all previous champs still playing , so often included in the draw and no shows .

Well, that hasn't been a significant issue the last two or three years since they started putting only confirmed participants in the draw. (Of course, they're still getting 10%+ no-shows at the Masters despite that, which always puzzles me.)

Doesn't surprise me if you see the list.

[WCDPA]

Interesting. Sure it used to be all who where still eligible.

And seemingly reduced to just the last 3 years' champions for the Lakeside playoffs. (2.02 A, http://bdodarts.com/images/bdo-content/ ... -pro-m.pdf)

Used to be all previous champs still playing , so often included in the draw and no shows .

Well, that hasn't been a significant issue the last two or three years since they started putting only confirmed participants in the draw. (Of course, they're still getting 10%+ no-shows at the Masters despite that, which always puzzles me.)

Doesn't surprise me if you see the list.

One idea would be a £50 reg fee that they get back if they turn up .