NEW SEASON VIEWPOINT by OLLY CROFT
In the August 2000 issue of Darts World, I was delighted to report on the strength of BDO darts from grassroots right through to national, international, world and professional levels, and it is now my privilege and pleasure to introduce yet another new darts season on behalf of the British Darts Organisation.
And I can only do so by repeating what I have been saying for more years than I care to remember: the standards of play, and the achievements of darts players on a global basis gets BETTER and BETTER!
Nowhere is this more apparent than here in Britain, where the multitude of outstanding players from the home countries (men, women and youth) set the consistent standards that the rest of the world can only envy and endeavour to emulate.
Women in darts
This is perfectly reflected by our proud announcement elsewhere in this issue of the WOMEN’S WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP, which becomes an integral part of the 2001 Embassy World Professional Darts Championship match schedule next January.
It was in 1995 that the BDO led the way in recognising the strength of women’s darts by inviting the top women players into the Embassy International Play-Offs. Now, just five years later, their ever-improving playing standards have earned them their own stand-alone World Championship. It is wonderful news for the BDO/WDF women players, and also for the sport in general.
Positives
Such positives will help the BDO to attain the goals which it seeks to attain on behalf of the sport in this new Millennium of BDO darts. These are:
MORE televised darts
MORE sponsors
MORE tournaments
MORE prize money and
MORE national exposure for our sport.
I can promise you that no one works harder at achieving these goals than the British Darts Organisation. TV is a priority and, in addition to discussions with BBC TV Sport re the possibility of more televised darts to complement the outstanding coverage of the Embassy World Professional, we are in regular contact with every other broadcaster.
Darts on TV
We all know that darts on TV makes sense in terms of viewing figures. We prove it every year with the Embassy World Championship. But we need to convince broadcasters who can choose between an endless menu of soccer, cricket, rugby, tennis, horse racing, golf and a whole selection of other sports vying for air-time, that darts is worth devoting valuable scheduled time to. And the same goes for high-profile sponsors who are being asked to put their names and reputations on the line. The Embassy World Championship has been a jewel in the crown since 1978, but broadcasters and sponsors alike need to see a united BDO and with it a united sport.
By demonstrating this we will have a far greater chance of seeing more televised tournaments on terrestrial TV, and with it will come the interest and commitment of high-profile sponsors, and the promotion of the players and the sport to bigger and better audiences. Ultimately, this combination will attract the type of funding to guarantee the future of the BDO and the sport it represents.
Surely, this is what we all want?
To move towards achieving it, more than ever before the BDO needs to be positive in all that it does, because what should never be overlooked is that we represent all players, from grassroots right through to those who achieve success at the very top national, international, world and professional levels: men, women and youth.
The sport, its players and its officials, and what they achieve year in year out, is what the BDO commitment is all about.
At the last estimate it was claimed that an incredible 40 million people around the globe play darts at some level or other, and the 10 million or so who play it in this country have made it one of the Top 5 participation sports in the UK. Yet, we are still having to fight to gain official recognition for darts - even though we have secured the backing of Sports Minister Kate Hoey (and before her, Tony Banks), Culture Secretary Chris Smith and many other prominent figures across all the political parties.
Sports recognition
The BDO knows that it is vital to the overall perception of our game - especially by broadcasters and sponsors - that darts is recognised as a bona-fide sport rather than being described as an ‘activity’. From the playing and official point of view, the BDO feels that it is high time that those who participate in darts are respected for what they truly are: sportsmen and sportswomen.
After three decades of world-wide BDO success it is the very least that our game, its players and officials deserve.
Sport England is in no doubt. They have said a resounding ‘yes’. And the same goes for Wales and Northern Ireland, whose Sports Councils have no problem in agreeing with England. But their colleagues at Sport Scotland do not share this majority view, because it is rumoured they are not keen on an ‘activity’ played in licensed premises! Hardly an argument when most sports are served by licensed premises, and a great deal of Scottish based sport (including soccer) benefits from sponsors who sell alcoholic products!
Scotland and its players and administrators have played a major part in making darts what it is today, which is why I am dismayed that its bureaucrats are now holding back our ability to progress.
You have my assurance that the BDO will keep on fighting for rightful recognition for darts as a sport.
Youth in darts
However, for now there are lots of positive achievements to applaud. Like the introduction last year of separate Winmau World Masters Youth titles for boys and girls. This is a prime example of inspiring and encouraging young people into the sport, and Winmau, the BDO’s longest serving sponsor, is to be congratulated for helping us to look after the future of darts.
To reinforce this, the BDO provides financial support to the national youth teams representing the home countries, and also the WDF Youth Cup. We are now introducing prize money for the BDO Best Young Player for 2001.
To make sure that everyone has equal opportunity and access to major events, the BDO moved the British Internationals to Wales this year; the British Open is being played in Liverpool for the first time, and the British Teenage Finals, the British Inter-County Youth Knockout Cup and the British Classic are now all played in the heart of the country at Kettering - where once again this year we saw a wonderful commitment to BDO darts, particularly from the young players.
For the first time in a number of years, the BDO is now in a profitable situation, and we have also secured our ongoing relationship with BBC TV Sport and sponsors Imperial Tobacco for the Embassy World Professional to be staged until at least 2003. We are currently lobbying the Government and other decision-makers for the Embassy World Championship to be continued until 2006. To do so would be a huge triumph for darts. The Embassy Gold Cup is secured until 2003.
Hopefully, you will agree that the BDO, its officials and its members, combine to make the British Darts Organisation the most pro-active darts organisation in the world?
Averages
To mirror this, playing standards at all levels - men, women and youth - have grown to create an excellence that could only once have been dreamed of. Just look at the outstanding BICC averages for the 1999/2000 season, and especially the performance of players outside the Premier Division, together with the averages in Internationals and major competition - particularly the Embassy World Championship.
Embassy 2000 was dominated by the success of Ted Hankey, who literally blew away all previous records with a performance that deserved to be seen at the very highest level of our sport. His averages were over 30 from the Second Round on, and his record-breaking 48 maximums were enhanced when he won the 2000 title with a memorable 170 checkout!
And he did this against Ronnie Baxter, one of the most talented players in world darts, who had to settle for runner-up spot for the second successive year. But, such is the sportsmanship in BDO darts that Ronnie was the first to admit that he could have no complaints on the day. Ted was simply awesome and he’ll be back next January to try to do it all over again! So will Ronnie, and exciting players like semi-finalists Chris Mason and Co Stompe. The wonderful thing is that these players are now household names - as are other Embassy favourites who made up the 2000 line-up: Double World Champion (1998 and 1999) Raymond Barneveld, 1996 World Champion Steve Beaton, 1995 World Champion Richie Burnett, Andy Fordham, Colin Monk, Kevin Painter, Mervyn King, Robbie Widdows, Martin Adams, Peter Johnstone, Andy Jenkins, Paul Williams, Matt Clark, Bob Taylor, Sean Palfrey, Ritchie Davies, Bobby George and the exciting influx of players like Steve Coote, Steve Douglas, Wayne Mardle, Garry Spedding, Andy Hayfield, Denis Ovens, Andy Smith and Les Fitton.
Embassy 2001
In thanking them all for combining to make Embassy 2000 such a memorable Championship, I (like the players, officials and fans) am looking forward to January 6th to 14th, 2001 and the 24th Embassy World Professional Darts Championship at Lakeside. As announced in last month’s Darts World, our ever-generous sponsors have made it the richest ever World Championship, with an available prize fund of £242,000 - £46,000 of which will go to the 2001 Champion!
There isn’t a darts player on this planet who doesn’t want to be crowned Embassy World Champion. That’s an undeniable fact!
This issue includes ticket order forms for Embassy 2001, but you will need to be quick! Such is the magic of Embassy World Darts that all tickets will be sold-out within weeks!! No one wants to miss it, and everyone wants to be there - players, fans, officials and media (even Sports Minister Kate Hoey has got it in her 2001 diary!).
As always, grateful thanks go to Imperial Tobacco Ltd, BBC TV Sport and Bob Potter and his Lakeside staff for making the Embassy the fantastic Championship that it is.
But then we, the people involved in darts, do not need proof that the darts we play and the system in which we play them is the best in the world. The true universal success of our sport is due first and foremost to the players and their outstanding performances, the sheer quality of the BDO Inter-County Championships (the largest organised system of open, competitive darts anywhere in the world with 256 teams - men and women - competing every month throughout the season), the dedicated band of approx.1,000 officials and administrators throughout Great Britain, and to the greatest World Championship in darts.
I make no apology for repeating what I said a year ago: As we enter this new Millennium, the BDO will continue to concentrate on what it does best of all - organising, administering, developing, promoting, fostering and encouraging fair, open and competitive darts from youth, national, county, international and professional levels right through to World Championships.
The new season starts with lots to live up to. You will have seen the 1999/2000 averages and performances in the July issue of Darts World so I won’t repeat them. Suffice it to say that I congratulate all the players for continually improving their playing standards year after year.
BDO Majors
In just a couple of months from now the new season of BDO majors starts with the 23rd Embassy Gold Cup at Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent, closely followed by the 27th Winmau World Masters. The latter returns to Lakeside and once again boasts four separate finals: Men’s, Women’s and Youth (Boys and Girls) World Masters. It is the oldest established World event in darts and, as with all its sponsors, the BDO values its relationship with the Winmau Dartboard Company.
Just as the World Masters provides the competitiveness that all top players crave for, so does the annual ‘battle’ for the remaining places in the Embassy World Championship. As always, the famed International Play-Offs are staged the day before the Winmau gets under way.
However, moving away from the playing arena, I applaud each of the hard-working BDO officials for ensuring that not only do we stage the very best tournaments in world darts, but also that the BDO Inter-County system works for the overall benefit of the sport and all who play in it. Without those who gives up so much of their time for darts, the sport would not be able to operate at such a high and successful level.
I can only finish in the same way that I started, by urging everyone to be positive in their words and deeds. We all know that we need more BDO darts on television, and with it new sponsors coming into the game. I can promise you that no stone will be left unturned in achieving these goals.
The BDO commitment to the overall success of darts cannot be doubted, but nothing can be achieved without the loyalty, co-operation and backing of our players and officials. Perhaps now more than ever before we all need to pull together in the same direction to make sure that our positive policies work for the overall benefit and success of everyone within the BDO.
Our slogan for 2000/2001 should be: ‘Let’s make it happen for darts!’
And, on that uplifting note all that remains is for me to offer sincere best wishes to all players, officials, administrators, sponsors, broadcasters and supporters for another hugely successful season of BDO darts.
OLLY CROFT, General Secretary/Director
BRITISH DARTS ORGANISATION
Will post more articles, Purely for resource soon
