The future of the BDO and Lakeside - your views

[Booji Boy]

I know that Bishop Desmond Tutu and Winnie Mandela were in it.

[Mack]

I know that Bishop Desmond Tutu and Winnie Mandela were in it.

And are being deported tomorrow now

[oche balboa]

There is one more year of TV left.

After that?

I doubt it.

Hahaha

[Case]

BDO done, Lakeside done.

[ChrisW]

There is one more year of TV left.

After that?

I doubt it.

Hahaha

2012 oh dear how wrong can you be.

[Wazza180]

The BDO always seems soldier on. It's lost the professional side of the game, but that doesn't mean it has no purpose. It could still be a strong secondary division for the semi-pros, ladies, etc.

They should send Des to a desert Island, concentrate on survival, and then in a few years when things are brighter, start to invest a bit more.

[greatkingrat]

Tommy Thompson on Facebook -

I have viewed many of the interviews on several media platforms with players, and to a man or woman, they are all scathing of the BDO and how it is currently being run. So do I believe them or more importantly do the rank and file of the BDO membership believe them, conversely, does anyone care?
Well I for one do, as I have said over previous social media posts I started in the BDO in 1974, I was an elected official of Lancashire since 1977. I have seen Lancashire with audiences at County matches of over 1,000 as a norm, played at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool in front of 1500 against a star studied Surrey team, Evison, Lazerenko, Glazier, Gardner and many more. Where are we now? Lancashire the biggest membership county in the BICC, lucky to get 150, and we are one of the better supported counties. From the elite in World Darts we are being ignored as irrelevant, and what are we doing about it, nothing! we are managing to stumble from one crisis to another, because people are either afraid, couldn’t care less, not prepared to change things. We saw 500+ players attending QS last week, the majority are our players, these players are loyal servants to our system to the Inter-Counties, have to make the choice, because a simple thing as changing the County fixture date would have resolved, but no, the attitude is, it is our date, let them change, so, so many teams were decimated last weekend, you cannot take this number of players out of our system and replace them with similar quality, yes teams made do, drafted in replacements, but it doesn’t stop there because the next fixture teams will be unable to put out their best teams once again.

If delegates cannot understand what is happening, at what, should be the top of the pinnacle of our system has descended into a joke throughout not only our side of darts, but globally, that players have no confidence in anything that the BDO say or promise, and that this is not going to have massive repercussions lower down the line to County, and the viability of its continuation in its present form, then they need to wake up and smell the coffee. The delegates have over the past number of years failed to grasp, that we are in a market place for our company, they have watched the split with the WDC, then the rise of the PDC, losing contracts with Sky, then the BBC, losing Lakeside, losing Winmau, Pontins etc. the PDC increasing their base with Challenge Tour, Development tour and now the Youth JDC, and done nothing as our players leave us on all fronts, even now today there is a call to the PDC to create a ladies tour, and you cannot blame them, watch virtually all the assets of the company go. All the time, sitting back an excepting this as if it was inevitable, no it wasn’t, it was all in the Counties hands to involve themselves as the custodians of the company for their players.

I am not going to fault the players for being outspoken, they have been treated appallingly, and I am not going down the line of its, his/her fault, we inherited this that and the other, but the complete lack of any transparency for many years has brought this once great sporting organisation to the brink of collapse. I hope there is a future, but I doubt it if we carry on the way we have been doing, promises of jam tomorrow doesn’t do it anymore. We are being told that there are other TV events scheduled for next year, how on earth can I, never mind anyone else believe this when the three events we have already had in 2019, have obviously been a financial disaster, and for these “New” events where does the production money come from never mind prize monies. I think we are on the last chance saloon, probably past it, but I hope not, forget the threats of intimidation, when people genuinely ask for information they are entitled to, forget the blame game, concentrate on what the company can do in 2020, what it has in place, money in the bank, contracts signed, prize monies guaranteed not dependant on tickets sales, or some benefactor coming in at the 24thhour to save the events, or the magic money tree appearing.
We need an honest and transparent state of the nations, including information on any potential legal action and the worst-case scenario on these potential issues if applicable, or outstanding invoices owed. Have we any contracts, if so, who with and for what duration.

Do I think any of this is going to happen, not a snowball in hell's chance! Prove me wrong!!!

[Black Velvet]

My eyes!

[TheSandman]

Tommy T-Rex is still stuck in the dark ages when county meant something.

The majority of players under 35 would rather go play in a tournament than travel 100’s of miles wasting a weekend to play 1 best of 7 game.

[devosteve]

Tommy T-Rex is still stuck in the dark ages when county meant something.

The majority of players under 35 would rather go play in a tournament than travel 100’s of miles wasting a weekend to play 1 best of 7 game.

We have folks on here (I think) who play county. And at least one caller.
It would be interesting to know if the average age of the county players is increasing year on year.

[Rout]

Have I read that right that the claim is that county darts should be the pinnacle of the system?

[Black Velvet]

Tommy T-Rex is still stuck in the dark ages when county meant something.

The majority of players under 35 would rather go play in a tournament than travel 100’s of miles wasting a weekend to play 1 best of 7 game.

As an under 35 player, I'd rather play county.

[BlueSpark]

Jesus, TTs rants are almost as long as Routs farewell speeches

[TheSandman]

Tommy T-Rex is still stuck in the dark ages when county meant something.

The majority of players under 35 would rather go play in a tournament than travel 100’s of miles wasting a weekend to play 1 best of 7 game.

As an under 35 player, I'd rather play county.

Do you actually play county instead of tourneys?

I have the option and always tell the county guys I would rather go play in a tournament.

[Black Velvet]

Tommy T-Rex is still stuck in the dark ages when county meant something.

The majority of players under 35 would rather go play in a tournament than travel 100’s of miles wasting a weekend to play 1 best of 7 game.

As an under 35 player, I'd rather play county.

Do you actually play county instead of tourneys?

I have the option and always tell the county guys I would rather go play in a tournament.

Aye, love it. Not played county/been available to do so for a few years but will probably be back in the fold next season.

[Zapp Brannigan]

Have I read that right that the claim is that county darts should be the pinnacle of the system?

It’s his answer every time, he doesn’t see anything past county and England

His last proposal was the weigh the bdo worlds in favour of players doing a full county season

[Deleted User]

Jesus, TTs rants are almost as long as Routs farewell speeches

Still wishing for another one. Soon.

[Black Velvet]

Sigh.

[Si Robin]

Most of the County players I know treat it as a glorified piss-up in a place they wouldn't usually go (Gloucestershire were in Tyne & Wear last weekend).

There's always the one guy though who thinks it's up there with the World Championships - the sort of bloke who demands silence in the whole pub when he's throwing in the pub league, and gets laughed at by the rest of his team.

[NvH]

Tommy Thompson talks utter shite. I've been sceptical about recent claims that there's no good candidate to replace Des in the BDO system, but reading drivel like the above makes me think these people have a point.