"He's not backed it up": Mike de Decker can't complain about Premier League Darts snub admits Chris Mason
PDC
Mike de Decker was the first ever Sky major winner to miss out on Premier League Darts selection but in the view of Chris Mason, he has no right to complain.
De Decker was pretty vociferous in the media after the picks were made calling it scandalous that he was left out but Mason's message as an ex-player, pundit and commentator as opposed to working in the PDC is to back it up.
"He's the first one ever to win a Sky major that's never been in the Premier League in it's history. Does he have a point to moan not really. I'm a huge De Decker fan and chuffed to bits to see him win a big tournament. He's not backed it up. You've got to back it up or you've got to be highly ranked," said Mason to Online Darts.
"Unfortunately his ranking despite winning the World Grand Prix isn't even high enough to be considered. I'm gutted for him because if other things may have not worked out the way they did he may have had a sniff. Noppert's never got a sniff, won the UK Open. Gilding, Ross Smith, it's not a new thing. I get the gripes. If I would've won a major. Even if he'd have sort of been a top 16 player and won a major, I think he would've been in. Tough for him but there you go."
Another player to hit out was Dave Chisnall who said that players like Nathan Aspinall were picked solely for their walk-on. He said the players that get picked do so for a reason and that it is a commercial exercise in selling the game.
"Sort of get Chizzy's gripe. 6th at the time. But again he showed a bit of form at the World's, certainly better. You look at some players and you sort of forget them throughout the year. But he must of had a great year or we've gone through that transition period. The selection committee probably look at those things deeper than maybe we do."
"That one (Aspinall being picked) was a surprise for me. I thought they may have given him a year just to get somewhere back. I'm pretty sure if he didn't think he could manage or the arm wouldn't hold up I don't think he would've taken it. It's a good indication that Nathan's in a great place."
"The popular players are popular for a reason. Their personalities come through on stage. The Premier League is a party, they're selling the game to the casuals. They've got to provide that entertainment. Look at Peter Wright, his ranking was down he finished bottom and still got in the following year."
"Unfortunately for Chizzy, he's not going to get the same credit as a Peter Wright will. He's a personality, although it's already sold out it's commercially. If you're putting on an exhibition, it could be anybody right. Dave Chisnall or Peter Wright, who would you think would sell the most tickets."
I think it boils down to whether the PL is for darts fans or the public at large. For darts fans though, I think the PL line-up was a disappointment, and seen as a missed opportunity. For players like de Decker and Edhouse (and Heta and Chizzy so some degree), who had a breakthrough year, you would want the PDC to offer them more encouragment rather than platitudes. But, as Barry Hearn has explained in his candid interview with Phil Barr, ultimately the PDC is a commercial organisation, and income is the driver. So, in terms of the heart and soul of the sport, the PL is a commercial side-show and I suppose darts fans will pay less and less attention to it. Somehow it is a shame though. Hopefully in 2026 we will see a revamped PL with a larger field of players, then giving public exposure and commercial opportunities to the up and coming talents., allowing them some bigger crumbs from the high table.
The PDC increasingly seem to be following a similar pattern to football where it’s all about the elite at the expense of the grass roots. If for example the MODUS series really took off and got a major sponsor and a major streaming deal players could potentially start switching if they could make a better living. I can quite easily see another split in darts at the higher end of the game.
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- I've commented before,Phil should let us all remember how great he was,and leave your darts in the drawer. Another humiliation will tarnish everything,you couldn't even beat old blokes who you would have beaten before the game started !!rick6712-03-2025
- Aspinall was a no-show: Carl Sneyd steps in from the Challenge Tour.Scoobedybop11-03-2025
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