BDO chief Jacklin confirms Lakeside women's prize fund to increase

Des Jacklin has all but confirmed that the BDO Women's World Championship prize pot will see an unprecedented rise in 2020.

The BDO supremo had previously suggested that the amount of money given to female players at the Lakeside would be assessed. A total pot of £8,000 for the first World Championship in 2001 rose to £10,000, before a sharp increase in 2014. The prize fund of £29,000, with £12,000 for the winner, has remained the same since. In comparison the two men's semi-finalists pick up more between them than every competing woman receives combined. That is set to change soon, according to Jacklin.

"It's going to happen"

"I'm not just thinking about it; it's going to happen," he told the Metro.
"I don’t have any worries in saying that the ladies’ prize money is going up, I know how much it’s going up by and I think that most people will be shocked by how much.
"That’s as much as I’m prepared to say, but every single one of the ladies that plays for that purse will be extremely happy."
Lakeside veterans such as Lisa Ashton, Lorraine Winstanley and Paula Jacklin have called for an increase in the prize fund for a number of years. They have been joined by a number of vocal darting luminaries including Paul Nicholson and Bobby George. BDO chairman Jacklin has recognised the calls made by his wife, and her fellow campaigners.
"The women’s World Championship has been criminally underpaid and I have no issue in saying it’s going to go up. It has to, it’s a no-brainer, it has to happen," he confirmed.

Format switch

The format of the Lakeside championships is also due a makeover. As it stands the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals are all best of three sets. This year, the two semi-finals were completed in 21 legs - four fewer than Conan Whitehead's first round win over Martin Phillips. Jacklin will also look into extending the women's format, though the first round may remain unchanged. "I’m not 100% sure about the format for the first round, it may go up," he explained. "But certainly the format after that has to go up. "If that means making the day an hour longer, if that means I have to get in my car and go and tell the head of Eurosport why that has to happen, then so be it."