PDC Senior Tour

[Mensur Suljovic Fan]

I wonder if this is a way to throw John Part a bone after the moaning and groaning on social media about Barney getting a year-long send-off and Part just fading into mediocrity?

[Paddy McGinty]

Won't do a woman's tour but no problem with a geriatric one..........

[el_ringo]

Won't do a woman's tour but no problem with a geriatric one..........

Because more people would be interested in seeing old names and more companies would be interested in sponsoring it and most importantly the standard would still be higher than any ladies one

[Mensur Suljovic Fan]

I wonder if this is a way to throw John Part a bone after the moaning and groaning on social media about Barney getting a year-long send-off and Part just fading into mediocrity?

Wouldn’t surprise if Part gets to the worlds via the North American route this year. The standard f Canadian players in that tour isn’t great so if Part does the whole tour I would make him favorite to be close to the top of the Canadians.

Yeah, unfortunately for the Canadians it's mainly in the States so I think a lot of them stay away, even though by all accounts the Canadians are actually better than the Americans. Part only did a little bit of the CDC last year but won an event towards the end of the year (although he failed to qualify for the NA Championship and World Series). Jeff Smith I don't think did it much last year neither, although he's said that he'll do the CDC tour rather than the Challenge Tour this year, I suppose he'd be favourite to top the Canadian rankings

[1205]

The oldest tour card holder is actually 57 year old Terry Temple.

Though People like Priestley, Bob Anderson, Paul Lim etc. We’re all throwing well enough into their 60’s that they could likely have done reasonable well on the tour. Age means very little in darts providing you still have good health. I can’t see Beaton for example losing his card anytime soon.

Let me correct myself: the oldest player in the PDC Top 64 is 54.
In addition, the tour is getting younger, with average ages of those gaining cards significantly less than those losing them.

Maybe those players you listed could have done reasonably well, but they stopped playing the tour. Senior tours are designed to be less of a grind, with players not expected to play a large proportion of events, and also to be more open. For example, in golf, the US PGA Champions tour, compared to the PGA Tour, has fewer events, with the main event mostly played over fewer holes, with open pre-qualifiers, and then qualifiers. The events also have a different feel for spectators.

Darts isn't golf, but the PDC Pro Tour is pretty unforgiving. Players who drop out of the top 16 begin to disappear from view, and have to win more games to earn the same money. There's little to no room for semi-retirement.

A senior tour would allow more for semi-retirement, without the players disappearing, so I can see why the PDC would be thinking about it. Maybe 55 would be a better minimum for darts, given the greater longevity.

For it to work properly, as in golf, players need to know it's there when they're ready to cut back. The previous attempts at a nostalgia tour were with players long fully-retired.

[Murphio]

On the subject of John Part has he been binned by Sky in favour of Mark Webster?

[The Jolly Man]

I wonder if this is a way to throw John Part a bone after the moaning and groaning on social media about Barney getting a year-long send-off and Part just fading into mediocrity?

Wouldn’t surprise if Part gets to the worlds via the North American route this year. The standard f Canadian players in that tour isn’t great so if Part does the whole tour I would make him favorite to be close to the top of the Canadians.

Yeah, unfortunately for the Canadians it's mainly in the States so I think a lot of them stay away, even though by all accounts the Canadians are actually better than the Americans. Part only did a little bit of the CDC last year but won an event towards the end of the year (although he failed to qualify for the NA Championship and World Series). Jeff Smith I don't think did it much last year neither, although he's said that he'll do the CDC tour rather than the Challenge Tour this year, I suppose he'd be favourite to top the Canadian rankings

Think Cameron and MacNeil are doing the CDC tour as well

[el_ringo]

On the subject of John Part has he been binned by Sky in favour of Mark Webster?

Isn't Webster on ITV4 or am i imagining I saw him on there this past weekend ?

[Murphio]

On the subject of John Part has he been binned by Sky in favour of Mark Webster?

Isn't Webster on ITV4 or am i imagining I saw him on there this past weekend ?

He started out on ITV but he's being doing the Premier League. As for this Seniors Tour - surely they'd want to get Taylor and Barney involved? Dennis Priestley? And, dare I say it, would Martin Adams have any interest? Along with Loyd, Scholten, Mardle, Deller, Manley, Part, Mason, Butler, Burgess, Warriner. Baxter, Ovens, Bob Anderson? Dennis Smith - there is plenty of potential. Maybe even a return for the Count!

[DavidB]

On the subject of John Part has he been binned by Sky in favour of Mark Webster?

Isn't Webster on ITV4 or am i imagining I saw him on there this past weekend ?

He started out on ITV but he's being doing the Premier League. As for this Seniors Tour - surely they'd want to get Taylor and Barney involved? Dennis Priestley? And, dare I say it, would Martin Adams have any interest? Along with Loyd, Scholten, Mardle, Deller, Manley, Part, Mason, Butler, Burgess, Warriner. Baxter, Ovens, Bob Anderson? Dennis Smith - there is plenty of potential. Maybe even a return for the Count!

Mark Webster is a regular BBC pundit for the champions league but I don’t remember him ever doing the same on ITV ??

[1205]

On the subject of John Part has he been binned by Sky in favour of Mark Webster?

Isn't Webster on ITV4 or am i imagining I saw him on there this past weekend ?

He started out on ITV but he's being doing the Premier League. As for this Seniors Tour - surely they'd want to get Taylor and Barney involved? Dennis Priestley? And, dare I say it, would Martin Adams have any interest? Along with Loyd, Scholten, Mardle, Deller, Manley, Part, Mason, Butler, Burgess, Warriner. Baxter, Ovens, Bob Anderson? Dennis Smith - there is plenty of potential. Maybe even a return for the Count!

Crap darts are crap darts. I expect a lot of those old names wouldn't really be good enough now. But maybe with a structured, limited tour, maybe some would get back practicing and pick up a bit. For watchable darts, 18 or fewer darts per leg is what you want.

I don't think it'd be for the old names. It'd be for the players who might retire over the next 5 to 10 years, and, let's face it, Taylor, if he felt like it.

[Murphio]

On the subject of John Part has he been binned by Sky in favour of Mark Webster?

Isn't Webster on ITV4 or am i imagining I saw him on there this past weekend ?

He started out on ITV but he's being doing the Premier League. As for this Seniors Tour - surely they'd want to get Taylor and Barney involved? Dennis Priestley? And, dare I say it, would Martin Adams have any interest? Along with Loyd, Scholten, Mardle, Deller, Manley, Part, Mason, Butler, Burgess, Warriner. Baxter, Ovens, Bob Anderson? Dennis Smith - there is plenty of potential. Maybe even a return for the Count!

Crap darts are crap darts. I expect a lot of those old names wouldn't really be good enough now. But maybe with a structured, limited tour, maybe some would get back practicing and pick up a bit. For watchable darts, 18 or fewer darts per leg is what you want.

I don't think it'd be for the old names. It'd be for the players who might retire over the next 5 to 10 years, and, let's face it, Taylor, if he felt like it.

If you look at snooker as the model - all the former world champions are seeds in the main championship. Terry Griffiths, Stephen Hendry, Cliff Thorburn, Dennis Taylor, Joe Johnson, John Parrot, Steve Davis. Ken Doherty etc. Most are now just 'names' rather than active competitors and it is then supplemented by others of 45 and over. Those players would be a big selling point regardless of standard which in most cases is nowhere near what it was.

[Murphio]

Incidentally - the snooker version offers the winner a place in the main world championship - this could be a big attraction for some guys.

[Murphio]

Barry Hearn says there is no truth to this.

[el_ringo]

he was actually asked if there was any truth in the original post and replied none at all (for example it might not have been mention at all on RTL at all )

He didn't deny a similar concept might be happening

It may well be on the cards but not as described in the Op

[oche balboa]

I doubt the PDC actually want to create this

The best way is via independent organisations

[Black Velvet]

Why not invite any former champion to their Worlds, as it's a bloated field anyway and may drum up some interest. Better than the sub-70 offerings on show from unknowns.

[Ginge]

I think that inviting any former champion to their Worlds is a great idea, as it's a bloated field anyway and may drum up some interest. Better than the sub-70 offerings on show from unknowns.

[Black Velvet]

Thanks Ginge.

[The Crusader]

Wouldn't work past maybe 1st or 2nd event. Novelty would make people interested at first but that would soon wear off.