Premier League

In 2005, introduced by the PDC as the strongest competition in world darts, the premier league is a travelling darts circus all around Great Britain. The first year all the British players get a home fixture in venues that can roughly house 500-1000 fans. The league is an instant hit especially when Raymond van Barneveld joins the PDC before the second season. In 2016 the league expands to mainland Europe when Rotterdam appears on the calendar, in 2018 Berlin follows.

Crowds create absolute bedlam in growing arenas and make it a football like atmosphere. In 2005 and 2006 seven players compete in the league, from 2007 till 2012 this number is eight and in 2013 the field expands to ten players. Because Gary Anderson has to cancel last minute in 2019 with back problems, the PDC decide to have nine so called ‘Contenders’ fill in for the Scot, one every week in the first nine weeks. Everyone likes it so much that they return in 2020, then named Challengers.

Phil Taylor is the most successful player in the league winning the tournament six times. The Power finishes top of the regular competition the first eight times. But from the moment Michael van Gerwen makes his entrance in the league in 2013 the Dutchman always finishes top of the league. Until the re-arranged year 2020, when the schedule has to be changed due to Covid-19 and Van Gerwen doesn’t even make the play-offs. It’s Glen Durrant who not only wins the regular season but also claims the Premier League title. Mighty Mike claims the title five times in 2013 and from 2016 till 2019. Gary Anderson wins it twice in 2011 and 2015. Other champions are James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld.

A nine-darter has been hit ten times in the history of the Premier League. Raymond van Barneveld is the first one to do so, just after moving to the PDC in the fifth week of the Premier League in 2006. He did this in Bournemouth against Peter Manley. Four years later, he was also responsible for the second nine-darter ever. That same year, Phil Taylor makes history one more time by becoming the first player to hit two nine-darters in one match in the final against James Wade. He misses a third nine-darter with his eight dart. Phil Taylor hits two more in the Premier League and Adrian Lewis is also in the history books twice. The other players who achieve perfection are Simon Whitlock, Michael Smith and Peter Wright.