Are the BDO trying to merge with the PDC?

Petyr Baelish

Remember the thing about the BDO now allowing their players play in the PDC, how do you think it's going to work? If a good few of the top BDO lads get through Q School, will they keep entering the Winmau Masters or the Lakeside? If they can, then surely any PDC player could do the same and go play at the Lakeside. It would really help the BDO out and increase their profile again thus helping them to get better TV deals, sponsorship, audiences and most likely save the organisation from what seems to be an almost certain death.

The BDO can be shall we say, very flexible in how they have handed out wildcard entries in the past and they could even set up a qualifier for PDC players if they wanted in, after all their current qualifying system is based on the number of tournaments played. So if Durrant and a good few others do get tour cards, how would they qualify for next years Lakeside? The PDC calendar is too packed for them to play both.

This reminds me of the original split in darts but now the BDO are the smaller organisation, it's more of a soft revolution - for the moment at least. We don't know if Barry Hearn will allow the BDO lads to keep playing there.

This could be a clever strategy from Tony Jacklin. He may be trying to save the BDO by carefully making them the darting version of the Championship with the PDC becoming acknowledged as the Premier League. The Masters and the Lakeside could become BDO run Majors with some PDC players entering in the same way that the Grand Slam is currently run by the PDC. It would be easy for the BDO to pull in sponsors if they can pull in even 16 good PDC players into those two events. The money could be used for a lot of things the BDO does well, e.g. youth darts, the Counties, the amateurs and at least making some effort at promoting women in darts. There is the argument about not separating the men and women but that's a discussion for another thread.

The BDO name would live on and be secured through the benefit of getting the rub from the PDC players playing under its banner too. Players who leave the BDO could still be regarded as their players by their fans in the way that they often do already with several PDC players who came through their ranks first. Jacklin would have a job selling it to the BDO diehards. It won't be easy but what other options have they at this stage?

I think the real spanner is the works could be Barry Hearn. It's a the complete opposite situation in terms of holding the power compared to the first split in darts but this time it need not be so costly for both. It could only bring more money into the PDC and the BDO while Q School remaining in place will ensure that the quality of Hearn's pro tour will always be superior to the Jacklin's.

We won't know anything for a while yet, until PDC players new or existing, start talking about entering BDO events.

marklazarcovic

Not a hope , pdc is elite darts now,either bdo gets bought out by pdc,funded by a billionaire,or it stays largely a minor player, no chance the pdc will give them anything to help them survive either.

Petyr Baelish

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Not a hope , pdc is elite darts now,either bdo gets bought out by pdc,funded by a billionaire,or it stays largely a minor player, no chance the pdc will give them anything to help them survive either.

Did you even read what I wrote or just the title? Don't get hung up on the word 'merge'. It's only about facilitating players so that they can play on both sides and what the result would be if that happens.

marklazarcovic

Yes I read it before I posted it

Petyr Baelish

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Yes I read it before I posted it

You are very dismissive of it. At least consider what I'm saying here. The BDO are leaving the door open and a precedent exists in the form of the Grand Slam so now the players who leave this year are being given an option by the BDO. Why shouldn't they be allowed to take that opportunity and if they do, what would the implications and likely outcome be?

marklazarcovic

Imo, the bdo will revert to amateur darts,it's pretty much the only show on the road there so has no competition,it's quite successful due to volunteers and pub leagues being very popular, the pdc want the pub image removed from the players,to be professional,make money.

If the bdo was run properly it could compete with pdc,but it would take 10-15 years ,unless they something bought up the very good pdc players and had as good prize money.

If there was no bdo the up n coming players would have no place to flourish under less pressure.
If they could keep them players and add to them over time who knows.

But the pdc will not help them,unless they buy them.in any way.

Degag

I don't think Hearn would allow his players play on the BDO circuit or in the BDO WC. AFAIK it's currently not allowed.


He tried buying out the BDO a few years ago and after that i'd say he's happy to see them rot. They are absolutely no competition to his business now and he won't see any reason to try and change that.

Petyr Baelish

The problem for Hearn is that he already allows BDO guys into the Grand Slam so if he is going to try to block the former BDO players competing in a couple of their events it would be hypocritical of him to do so. It could lead to the end of the BDO guys playing in the Grand Slam.

By no means I I suggesting the organisations would officially merge but having more crossover events would be a positive thing IMO.

marklazarcovic

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Not a hope , pdc is elite darts now,either bdo gets bought out by pdc,funded by a billionaire,or it stays largely a minor player, no chance the pdc will give them anything to help them survive either.

Billionaire? Hearn? I’d say not the first cousin of one.

marklazarcovic

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Billionaire? Hearn? I’d say not the first cousin of one.

Never said he was,said bdo would need one

Petyr Baelish

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Billionaire? Hearn? I’d say not the first cousin of one.

I don't think he means that Hearn is a billionaire.

Degag

Petyr Baelish wrote: »

The problem for Hearn is that he already allows BDO guys into the Grand Slam so if he is going to try to block the former BDO players competing in a couple of their events it would be hypocritical of him to do so. It could lead to the end of the BDO guys playing in the Grand Slam.

By no means I I suggesting the organisations would officially merge but having more crossover events would be a positive thing IMO.

Can't see too many elite PDC players have interest in any BDO events barring perhaps the Winmau Masters. Don't think there should be any crossover in a given year for the World Championships.

Ultimate Seduction

PDC tour card holders are not allowed to play televised or streamed darts anywhere else. Its in their contract.

Petyr Baelish

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

PDC tour card holders are not allowed to play televised or streamed darts anywhere else. Its in their contract.

So why would the BDO remove their ban? What's their angle?

DEFTLEFTHAND

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

PDC tour card holders are not allowed to play televised or streamed darts anywhere else. Its in their contract.

Yes, they can play in BDO sanctioned tournaments as long as they're not streamed or televised.

You'll often have PDC card holders playing in the BDO County Open events over the summer.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Petyr Baelish wrote: »

So why would the BDO remove their ban? What's their angle?

There's a new regime in charge of the BDO since last September.

They seem to be much more open to working the PDC.

Petyr Baelish

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

There's a new regime in charge of the BDO since last September.

They seem to be much more open to working the PDC.

Yes I know, I mentioned that several times in my OP.

Kingp35

Petyr Baelish wrote: »

So why would the BDO remove their ban? What's their angle?

The BDO have fought against the PDC for years and it's gotten them nowhere. In fact it's done nothing but hurt the organisation. Case in point being the threat to withhold prize money if a player switched to the PDC. Stephen Bunting and Ted Hankey called them out on this. Hankey actually refused to go on stage for a semi final match until the BDO agreed that they wouldn't withhold his prize money. They have also been threatened with numerous legal suits so they know it's a losing battle.

The new BDO board have decided to try something new and embrace the fact that they are clearly second fiddle to the BDO. They are essentially going to be the breeding ground for darts and for players who don't want to turn pro. They are dying so they needed to try something.

As for PDC players playing in BDO events, there's no way the PDC will allow this. PDC players used to be permitted play in BDO events back in 2007 but now it's in their contracts that they can't play. It's all about image rights etc.

The PDC needs the BDO though so I don't think Barry Hearn would allow them to die out.

sc86

cant see pdc players wanting to enter bdo events with 1k to prize winner in back arse of europe

dont think pdc needs bdo anymore to be fair
3 or 4 years ago yes for sure
with challange tour - youth tours etc it doesnt need to feeding system as much
nearly nobody left in bdo to improve the pdc after this years q school