Dutch commentator critical of poor attendance at Women's Series: "Ladies have let the PDC down"

The first four tournaments in the PDC Women's Series were set to take place this weekend in Niedernhausen but due to low entry numbers and the vast majority of those being UK based, it has been cancelled.

Only 22 women in all had registered and so these initial tournaments have been moved to September 25 and 26 with six tournaments instead of four that weekend, with the remaining six tournaments played in Barnsley on the weekend of October 23 and 24.

"The ladies have let the PDC down", darts commentator Jacques Nieuwlaat said on Darts podcast 'Double Trouble'. "The PDC made an effort to give the ladies a chance, in addition, there was good money to be made with a prize fund of 5000 pounds per tournament. In addition, you could also earn qualification for the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Championship."

Dramatic for women's darts

"The ladies have been complaining for years that they don't get enough opportunities," Nieuwlaat continued.

"I am very fond of women's darts and I think it is great that they now have a chance within the PDC with their own Women's Series. But this is dramatic news that there are so few registrations. The majority of the 22 players came from the UK, I fear that the PDC won't organize women's tournaments outside the UK in the future. Hopefully there will be more registrations next weekend for Milton Keynes"

Little understanding

Nieuwlaat also has little understanding for the low number of participants. "If women's darts want to continue as a sport, the players have to invest in themselves. The men had to do that in the past, only in this way can the sport grow."