Premier League Qualification - Time for a Change?

[sammylad]

The OoM system worked well when Taylor was winning everything.... but now the Major Events are so open is it time for a change?
I'm not sure if somebody has said this before?

Premier League Qualifiers;

1/ World Champion
2/ Premier League Winner
3/ UK Open Champion
4/ World Matchplay Champion
5/ European Champion
6/ Grand Prix Champion
7/ Number One in the World PDC OoM in January
8/ Number Two in the World PDC OoM in January

If a Major Winner has already qualified it goes to the Runner-Up. If the R/U has qualified it becomes a Wild Card
Same applies if to points 7 & 8

You could also add the GsoD, instead of #8?

So basically if you win a Major you're in the Premier League

[Chizzyfan]

It is time for a change, but I am not sure if that system would be the best, maybe another one? Maybe the highest ranked floor player to get in?

[devosteve]

i like the idea, it would make every event that bit more exciting. And would reward winners. The PL would then become more of a CHAMPIONS league (time for a name change as well?).

But the PDC want to keep a certain amount of control on the PL. They don't want certain types of players in the league, and they like certain characters and different nationalities, and thus i can't see them ever not having wild cards. They will always have the world champion in, who ever that is. But if MVG doesn't win anything but makes a couple of finals but still isn't in the top 2 then they will pick him for what he "brings to the table".

[Krispy]

Not knocking it as an idea.. a best of those who perform on TV - which makes sense for a bit TV exhibition.

I'd leave out the Grand Slam winner though - as it can (and is) a BDO player - and that could make things difficult seeing as politics hasn't got any better.

[Mr Glass]

As the PL is a glorified exhibition, i'd say just go for 8 wildcards.

Ditch the players that don't look interested in it...Barney, Wade, Anderson, ...and get some characters in...Hankey, Van Gerwen, Nicholson......

[Stubby]

They need 8 players that want to play in it first of all.

Some of them in the past have not shown much passion on stage win or lose.

[hang the dj]

Not a bad idea, the defending PL champ if not qualified via other route should also get a spot to defend his trophy

[nikkiboy]

Top 3 in the OOM - three wild cards plus a qualifier from all non qualified PDC televised winners who play off on week 1 for the only place.

[ThePadster]

The Snooker Premier League brought in this system and to be honest I'm in two ways about it. On the one part it does become almost a Champions League and gives a sense that each player takes part in the league on merit it also means that you've got players who normally wouldn't be considered for the Premier League, considering the rules which operate within it. Which is why many snooker fans view SKY's tournaments as pandering more to the entertainment side of the sport. Something which when SKY do it with darts, it's never done in the same manner, i.e. you don't get any tournaments where it's open out for instance, or creating a 15 second window to

However, the Darts Premier League has moved away from the format of directly earning the slot, - hence why its four wildcard entries now allowed to compete.

I've said for a while the Premier League could do with an expansion, to 10 players, or even 12 (competing in a single round robin). The expansion from seven to eight was the right thing to do but the problem for me now is that the matches get stale. Another move I'd bring in is relegation, for example the bottom two in the Premier League for that season is then relegated and ineligible to compete the following season. It would provide something for players well out of the running to play for, - considering the Snooker PL provides £1,000 per frame won.

[GtotheF]

I've been saying for years - have a fans vote for one of the wildcards!!!!

Why not.

Mr G's idea about 8 wildcards was pretty good.

The PDC obviously have to ensure they're gonna sell tickets so Taylor and Barney are a must.

[Zeyes]

The PDC obviously have to ensure they're gonna sell tickets so Taylor and Barney are a must.

So Barney's still gonna be in it when he's #27 in the world. Might as well keep inviting Taylor after his retirement from ranked competition, as well.

Nothing "Premier" about it then, though. Just call it a legends tour.

Seriously though, the PDC needs to wean itself off the Barney drug one of these days for the PL, or they'll be in for a rude awakening in a few years. Ruining the brand image for short-term profit is rarely a good idea.

[The Crusader]

If Barneys picked this year then so should Bristow, Mardle, Nicholson & Anastasia

[GtotheF]

The PDC obviously have to ensure they're gonna sell tickets so Taylor and Barney are a must.

So Barney's still gonna be in it when he's #27 in the world. Might as well keep inviting Taylor after his retirement from ranked competition, as well.

Nothing "Premier" about it then, though. Just call it a legends tour.

Seriously though, the PDC needs to wean itself off the Barney drug one of these days for the PL, or they'll be in for a rude awakening in a few years. Ruining the brand image for short-term profit is rarely a good idea.

Barney is still a top player and has a huge fan base.

I don't want to sound like a scratched record but seriously a lot of people will pay to watch Mikey if he carries on like he has been.

So I can see Barney being out the door in a couple of years.

[The Crusader]

The PDC obviously have to ensure they're gonna sell tickets so Taylor and Barney are a must.

So Barney's still gonna be in it when he's #27 in the world. Might as well keep inviting Taylor after his retirement from ranked competition, as well.

Nothing "Premier" about it then, though. Just call it a legends tour.

Seriously though, the PDC needs to wean itself off the Barney drug one of these days for the PL, or they'll be in for a rude awakening in a few years. Ruining the brand image for short-term profit is rarely a good idea.

Barney is still a top player and has a huge fan base.

I don't want to sound like a scratched record but seriously a lot of people will pay to watch Mikey if he carries on like he has been.

So I can see Barney being out the door in a couple of years.

[Zeyes]

Barney is still a top player and has a huge fan base.

I don't want to sound like a scratched record but seriously a lot of people will pay to watch Mikey if he carries on like he has been.

Yes, but the PDC can (and probably should) help it along by giving some guys the PL exposure to maybe "make" them into household names, instead of waiting for them to win three majors first and force the PDC's hand.

The PDC figured out that they can't hope to rely on the same players until the sorry end and rightly introduced the youth tour. The same principle needs to apply to the very top tier and the PL - trying to ride the coattails of the same three or four guys until the very end is going to backfire in the long run. That doesn't mean they should make next year's lineup Taylor/Whitlock/Wade/Newton/Chisnall/Pipe/Thornton/MvG or something, but they can't play it safe forever.

Hypothetical: Van Barneveld and Anderson struggle big-time next year too, and Taylor decides to retire all of a sudden. Then what for the 2014 PL? The PDC would be better off preparing for that by dumping one of its strugglers for the 2013 season and give a shot to van Gerwen, or Thornton or even Chisnall, whoever they think has the best chance to connect with the audience and would otherwise not be among the 8 selected players. Whether the guy they leave off is Barney or Anderson doesn't make a whole lot of a difference to me (and probably not to the success of the PL either). Maybe even Wade.

[callataxi]

im afraid 6 of the premier league line is set in stone as usual.

taylor,wade,anderson,barney,whitlock and lewis will be in regardless.

as we stand its looking like newton and van gerwen or chisnall will be given final 2 slots.

i dont think pipe will ever get in unless its by automatic selection.

[Stinus98]

Phil Taylor
Adrian Lewis
Gary Anderson
James Wade
-------------
Newton
MvG
Barney
????

[Spud180]

King will be in, if he wins this wgp, and then who ever has a decent worlds ala andy hamilton style, come from no where and make the final. Jenkins, baxter etc

[WizardFan]

It is time for a change, but I am not sure if that system would be the best, maybe another one? Maybe the highest ranked floor player to get in?

[WizardFan]

I do think there will be change .. BUT I dont think change will happen .. I think that, at the minute the way to get into the PL is totally unfair .. It would also make PL more exciting rather than 4 top players and then 4 wildcards (who dont all always deserve their wildcard) while players like Thornton etc . who have won majors this year are forgotten about !!! What are the chances of Thornton, a major winner this year, getting into the PL over a player like Anderson or Wade or Barney who havent really done much this year !! This makes me so angry .. There needs to be change .. it needs to be a more fair way of choosing the players because at the minute it is totally unfair on the players who are not in the top 10 in the world when players in the 11-20 spots in the OoM could easily beat some top ten players but wont get the chance because the top 10 guys are winners of tournaments years ago !!