"Earned the right to be one of the elite, should be treated accordingly" - PDC Chief Matt Porter rejects European Tour rule criticism

Since this year, rules qualification rules for European Tour tournaments have been changed. Although there is regular criticism, especially from lower-ranked players, Matt Porter - CEO of the PDC - remains convinced that this was the right decision. Porter also emphasizes that he does not want a closed system and wants to continue to provide opportunities for lower-ranked players.

Since this year, the top 16 players on the PDC Order of Merit are automatically placed in the second round of European Tour tournaments, a spot previously reserved for the top 16 on the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

The Top 16 of the Pro Tour Order of Merit are automatically seeded for the first round. In addition, there are 16 more places for qualifiers, who will then face the Top 16 of the Pro Tour Order of Merit in the first round.

Several players recently criticized the modified rules, feeling that it is becoming increasingly difficult for lower-ranked players to still climb up the world rankings. "It's one of those things where it's been easy for people to jump on and say they don't like. I think if we're honest and say if that would have been the situation since Day One of the European Tour no-one would've complained about it."

"It ultimately does make logical sense. But we believe when you're in the top 16, you've earned the right to be considered one of the elite players in the world. You should be treated accordingly. We have to grow these events, we're taking these events to countries where there's not been professional darts staged before."

"We've got another country coming onto the schedule for next year and it's important that the events appeal enough to local people in those areas. Taking them players who they recognise from TV is an important part of that."

"We obviously don't want to close the door on players from further down the rankings. We've run the numbers there's still a lot of transition and a lot of turnover in players in the different brackets. We don't subscribe to the theory that it is a closed shop, we've just made tweaks that we feel enhance the events."