oldace

Twenty years ago darts wasn't in big halls full of drunks. it was played in small venues in muted silence in front of a few old dears doing their knitting. Barry Hearn and the WDC changed the profile completely bringing razzmatazz and atmosphere to the sport. Of course the blue rinse types were up in arms and stuck with the traditional BDO while the (by now) PDC flourished marketing itself to a new audience. Getting a crowd in once is easy, anyone with a modicum of nouse could do it, the free entry route is the simplest and most effective. It is only worthwhile though if you are going to show those people something they will be willing to pay to come back to in the future otherwise you have just cost the sport a few thousand potential fans

Yes indeed but the racing is only 15 minutes of am evenings entertainment. It all needs repackaging for the modern era, a full entertainment package, all well presented by professional people, not willing 80 year old volunteers playing music from the 60s and 70s. As you say the darts is still just darts but the way its packaged today bears no resemblance to its seventies self, loud music, flashing lights, atmosphere. Until this is addressed then the opening post will be a regular occurrence Hang on a minute, I am being ganged up on here, is this the pack mentality Parsloes was talking about

There are dozens of threads on this forum that I think are pathetic/silly/of no interest etc. I simply dont post on them. It works for me

Just what the forum needs, another self appointed moderator to preside over us telling us what can and can't be discussed

And that confirms the point I have been making for years, marketing a flawed product is an absolute no no. Despite your good intentions those people are now lost forever to the sport, I doubt any persuading will get them to go again, those potential customers now lost.

To quote Orion "Whoosh"

No, couldn't do qualifying because Sidney is dead against it, well today he is anyway

To be honest I can't keep up with Sidney's ever changing opinions. I think at the moment he is "anti" qualifying rounds but that opinion was a few minutes ago so it could have changed back. Even his usual allies seem to have deserted him now, obviously they have seen the iceberg and got out fast.

Sounds like a plan, enjoy your evening Sidney

I thought that was Bwitcher, have I got to the top with that one post

If only you knew what you were talking about this could be an interesting debate. Sadly with yourself and Ian just making up what is clearly nonsense it really would be futile to get into an exchange with yourself That plus the fact I don't want GRW to come along and make me look like a mug again!!!!!

Well Sidney has argued for both. MJJ missing out because of an engine failure or two is now why is so dead against a qualifying process. It must never have happened in the past because up until this week he was decrying the (so called) lack of qualifiers. His opinion has turned full circle.

Yes. An old world final had 16 PICKED using your criteria. 11 picked on the strength of finishing in the top 8 - 11 of a series of fairly mediocre meetings and five picked on the strength of a few more even easier meetings

Not for the European GPs, the prize money is all you get. I think an allowance has been paid for southern hemisphere GPs as regards the cost of travel and shipping

It had me wondering. I am sure we have had pages of debate with Sidney banging the drum for qualifying (which has always been in existence) and now he hates qualifying, largely I suspect because Ward failed to qualify for this year

Thanks for that, wasn't sure

Wouldn't think it would have any effect. It was exactly the right call however harsh it seems. A rider can't simply lay the bike down and claim a re run because he thought the guy in front may fall. For whatever reason Iversen was the one on the deck and the one who had to go

Does anyone know if the next GP is on SKY or not?

Not at the GPs (Except Cardiff)

I am not missing your point, it is just that your point is totally wrong, Like I explained, neither Eurosport or SKY provide the commentary They buy the world feed and it comes with it. Had Sky extended their contract to show the GPs you would have watched the exact same pictures and commentary as you did on Eurosport. When the GP comes back to Europe the commentary will once again be Nigel and Kelvin. SKYs only addition was the studio section, Eurosport simply let the feed run

Eurosport didn't have different commentators. As you said they simply took the world feed and the commentary that came with it. The only difference was they stayed with the feed throughout whereas SKY used to cut out of it and do the studio bit.

It had nothing to do with Eurosport. They simply buy the world feed exactly as SKY have done in the past. The Heuwen studio bit was SKYs own input, Eurosport simply let the feed run

And if he has a season this year like Ward did last year then even if he fails in the qualification process he will be considered for a wildcard. He is a good rider I agree, not world class though, not yet and that final breakthrough from very good to truly world class is a very hard one to make, time will tell

Sidney said qualifying for the SGP was a joke because MJJ suffered engine problems in a qualifying round.The question was would this have been different if it was a World Final.

What are you talking about!!!!!!!