2018 PDC World Championship- Alexandra Palace, London-14th December 2017- 1st January 2018

[Dannyboy]

On Devon - I agree there should be an African representative, but why didn't they just hold a qualifier?

[Ecky Thump]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

[Ginge]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

Which is what makes it utterly hilarious.

Should have gone the whole hog and invited Machin

[Murphio]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

Really? With Jeff Smith? He is a decent/good player but he is hardly someone you are going to go out of your way to shoehorn into your world championship as two fingers to a rival.

[ifm]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

It's an odd one, they won't offer a tour card to BDO players anymore yet throw wildcards at them, why not just give them the card?
I know Durrant would have accepted and that would have been a real coup.

[Murphio]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

It's an odd one, they won't offer a tour card to BDO players anymore yet throw wildcards at them, why not just give them the card?
I know Durrant would have accepted and that would have been a real coup.

You have to think it is not about the player - it is about the market.

[Murphio]

IE - the PDC has plans for Canada.

[Ginge]

Is this even shown on telly in Canada?

[ifm]

Can someone ask Uncle Barry on twatter?
I'm genuinely interesting in the thinking behind this, i'm sure the pdc players are too.

[Murphio]

Can someone ask Uncle Barry on twatter?
I'm genuinely interesting in the thinking behind this, i'm sure the pdc players are too.

He won't fess up to anything - he will tell you Smith is in because he qualified using the PDC's criteria. If they have practically invented the criteria to shoehorn him in though you can bet your last 2p there is a commercial decision behind it.

[Zeyes]

IE - the PDC has plans for Canada.

That's my guess, too.

[ChrisW]

Is this even shown on telly in Canada?

No, ESPN shows it in US and latin America.

[The Jolly Man]

Can someone please ask the NFDC at what point they knew their rankings were being used for the pdc worlds.

[Addicks Fan]

Can someone please ask the NFDC at what point they knew their rankings were being used for the pdc worlds.

Suspension from the WDF if they did know!

[Ecky Thump]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

Which is what makes it utterly hilarious.

Should have gone the whole hog and invited Machin

Yes they should have.

[Ecky Thump]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

Really? With Jeff Smith? He is a decent/good player but he is hardly someone you are going to go out of your way to shoehorn into your world championship as two fingers to a rival.

Ex Lakeside finalist and current World cup winner. Metaphorical two fingers and mooning at the BDO.
Giving a place to Machin would be akin to shitting on their sandwiches, so surprised that hasn't happened.

[Murphio]

The PDC is devaluing it's premier tournament with these wildcards. And that is what they are, dressed up as a dodgy set of criteria - 'Highest Placed African', ' No 1 ranked on NDFC' - I would be a bit miffed if I was a PDC European or British player next in line on the rankings.

The Jeff Smith reason/excuse for inviting him is hilarious - No 1 ranked in an organisation that doesn't recognise the PDC, and where the ranking applies to a whole 4/5 months of competition. Someone who hasn't played a single PDC ranking event in the year! This is just about getting a Canadian in, anyone will do, and he just happens to be available and the best known.

Would love to see what the qualifying criteria will be for the 2019 event will be - why can't they just be honest and call a wildcard a wildcard rather than aim for bogus credibility by 'making it up as they go along'?

While you have a point I am a little perplexed as to why they are going around the houses to give Jeff Smith a wildcard in this first place. Is is purely for the Canadian market or what's the craic?

Two fingers to the BDO is the point.

Really? With Jeff Smith? He is a decent/good player but he is hardly someone you are going to go out of your way to shoehorn into your world championship as two fingers to a rival.

Ex Lakeside finalist and current World cup winner. Metaphorical two fingers and mooning at the BDO.
Giving a place to Machin would be akin to shitting on their sandwiches, so surprised that hasn't happened.

If the PDC was genuinely interested in sticking two fingers up to the BDO why not offer Durrant a tour card? Barry Hearn was, in fact, quite clear the PDC would not interfere with the Lakeside contract (which they effectively did with Bunting). I think you do the PDC a disservice on this occasion - I think the org is too business orientated to be making decisions for such reasons. I am willing to bet that other than petty oneupmanship they see Canada as a potential market to exploit and Jeff Smith as someone who can help them do it.

[BlueSpark]

He won't last long in it anyway.
Nice little payday for him.

[ssjsa]

He would have been certifiably insane not to do it and at the end of the day it's his choice where he plays. Best of luck to him.

For me, this post is spot on. It is not about anyone getting one over on any darts organisation, but rather one player being given an opportunity to make some money, and taking advantage of that offer.

[The Jolly Man]

So why Jeff Smith and not John Part. Or Dawson Murschell?