Variety is the spice of life - is PDC Darts lacking it?

Peter Wright's attire is a long way
from black trousers and shoes of only a few years ago

Someone once said "variety is the spice of life, that gives it all its flavour". I've also been in a pub called 'The spice of life" although unfortunately it didn't have a dartboard. 

The saying does ring true in life though. How often have you had the same options in the canteen, drove the same route, performed the same tasks over your 9-5 job or been in a routine that became monotonous? I'm not saying that Darts is boring, not by a long shot, but I do see some opportunities for the PDC to spice up its programme of events. I believe the PDC saw this a long while ago with their introduction of WWE style walk-ons, and the recent approval of Peter Wright's attire - but yet more could be done.

Listing the tournaments put on currently by the PDC (and there's a lot of them, and a hell of a lot of prize money - well done PDC) you will notice a trend towards the Matchplay format. That's a simple format which sees matches played over the best of x amount of legs (so best of 11 would be first to 6 legs for example). Straight Matchplay. Set play is the other option provided by the PDC. So set play would be matchplay over small distances, several times to win the game. For example set play may be best of 5 sets (so first to 3 sets) with each set best of 5 legs (first to 3 legs) and any final set needing a two leg advantage to win (a bit like tennis). This is nice and spicy as the eventual winner might actually lose more legs than they won (e.g. 3-2, 0-3, 3-2, 0-3, 4-2). Anyway, the list:

• PDC Pro Tour - Matchplay
• PDC Masters - Matchplay
• Premier League - Matchplay
• UK Open - Matchplay (+ amateur qualifiers + open draw akin to football's FA Cup)
• World Cup - Matchplay (+ pairs)
• World Matchplay - Matchplay...funnily enough
• European Championships - Matchplay
• World Grand Prix - Sets (+ Double in)
• Grand Slam of Darts - Matchplay (+ group stage + BDO invitations)
• Players Championships - Matchplay
• World Championships - Sets

You will note that nine out of a possible eleven tournaments use a matchplay format., and there are a couple satellite tours I've not noted also using it. With that in mind I believe there is room to consider amending one of the tournaments to the sets format instead. Of those listed the Masters or European Championships are probably best suited to such a change. I say this as the the Matchplay is the Matchplay after all, and the Players Championship should follow the same format as the Pro Tour through which it is qualified via. Other tournaments also already use set play or have their own 'spicy' element.

Adrian Gray, a previous conqueror of Phil Taylor
over the WGP's quirky format

Should the PDC ever consider changing one of those tournaments to a sets format, I would also suggest spicing it up yet further. The BDO Masters has run for years with a shorter set format, best of 3 legs, which makes it very quick fire to win a set. I believe this would create further shocks and see different players reaching the business end of such a tournament. Looking at tournaments with quirks we have seen different players reach the business end of for example the UK Open with Vincent van der Voort, Gary Mawson, Barrie Bates and Colin Osborne springing to mind. In the World Grand Prix we have seen Phil Taylor fall early against Kevin Painter, Andy Callaby and Adrian Gray. These different formats add some real spice and uncertainty to the events. When we have also seen the likes of poor old Kevin Painter up against Phil Taylor time and time again in the early rounds of PDC majors, there must be an even greater argument to spice things up and help the 15/16 ranks in the world out of that ranking quagmire.

More tournament opportunities

I have also been thinking about the opportunity for further events with even greater variety. As a keen spectator, and bit of an anorak, I am very much for the introduction of a longer format match up and a short format tournament. I believe both would whet the appetite of the regular punter too.

The one hour time limit

In 1999 then PDC World Champion Phil Taylor faced then BDO World Champion Raymond van Barneveld over an hour long contest. Taylor emerged the victor in this special one off event which pitted the two world champions head to head against one another. At that point, Taylor showed over such a long format he was the man. A similar contest was lined up between Taylor and Andy Fordham in 2004, but unfortunately Fordham succumbed to illness during the contest with Taylor again in the lead.

Nowadays it crosses the mind over a long format just who is the best. The decline of the BDO World Championship sees a head to head of PDC and BDO world champion probably not being the most competitive, so I wonder if a match up of PDC World Champion vs PDC World Number 1 or if the same, PDC World Number 1 vs PDC World Number 2 could work over such a time limit. This year it would see Gary Anderson (World champ) vs Michael van Gerwen (World Number 1) which would look a mouthwatering contest over a long format such as this. Some may argue that a big lead could see it be 'over' by the mid-way stage, but comebacks like we have seen by Scott Waites vs James Wade at the Grand Slam of Darts, and James Wade vs Mervyn King at the PDC Masters, plus a nine-dart prize could keep viewers gripped to their seats.

Snooker Shoot-out

Dominic Dale, World Snooker Ranking 32,
with his Snooker Shoot-out title

A second idea, and my favourite, is one similar to the very entertaining Snooker shoot-out. A single leg, or short timed format would not work for Darts, however, with legs of darts just 501 a format akin to the old News of the World Darts tournament could be a good fit.

The suggestion would see a 128 player tournament consisting of all PDC Pro Tour card holders (or if there's illness or injury top ranked challenge tour players invited to fill any open slots). The format would be as the News of the World, just best of 3 legs (so first to two legs). This would be sure to throw the cats amongst the pigeons and could be played mostly on TV over only a short period of time as the turnaround of matches should be quick (just 2 or 3 legs per match). An open draw might add more spice to affairs.

What do you think?

Has the PDC got the right mix in its tournaments, or would you like to see more variety? 

Are we asking ourselves who is the real number 1 player in the world and could a time-limit match help us decide?

Would a snooker shoot-out style Darts tournament work, add more excitement to the calendar and throw up surprises?

If you think so, send me a comment, or even let the PDC know their thoughts.

My twitter tag is @thesportsdean and you can get the PDC on @officialPDC

By the way, it was 18th century poet William Cowper who wrote that "variety is the spice of life, that gives it all its flavour" in The Timepiece, The Task II, 1785, lines 606-7.