“I’d rather see some tension and a bit of hostility on stage than everyone being overly friendly all the time.” – Vincent van der Voort entertained by Smith-Mansell antics on stage

The darts world in Wieze was treated not only to a sporting spectacle last weekend, but also to a rare moment of visible tension on stage. The encounter between Michael Smith and Mickey Mansell raised eyebrows after the traditional pre-match handshake failed to materialise.

According to Vincent van der Voort, that didn’t come out of the blue. “They don’t really get along,” said the former professional darter on the Darts Draait Door podcast. “The last time on the Pro Tour, things went a bit wrong—Smith said something about Mansell, Mansell responded, and then Smith’s wife got involved, which always adds fuel to the fire.”

The most striking moment came before the first dart was thrown. Mansell refused to shake his opponent’s hand, a rarity in professional darts. Van der Voort understands the choice, though he adds a caveat. “At the end of the day, a handshake is a sign of respect. If you don’t have that respect, then don’t shake hands. It did look a bit strange though. It’s such a normal thing to shake hands before a match, or at least give a fist bump.”

Remarkably, there was a brief handshake afterwards, though there was no real reconciliation. That moment, in particular, raises questions for Van der Voort. “Then you should stick to your decision and not do it at all. It definitely wasn’t a warm handshake. Then just say no again—it looked a bit petty.”

While some are irritated by such incidents, Van der Voort actually sees a positive side. He believes a bit more emotion and rivalry on stage is no bad thing. “I’d rather see some tension and a bit of hostility on stage than everyone being overly friendly all the time. They don’t need to be sitting on each other’s laps.”

At the same time, he stresses that the backstage atmosphere is often completely different. "Even in the practice room, it’s just one big friendly group. But you’re about to play that guy—you should want to beat him.”

Beyond the on-stage tensions, the further professionalisation of the Euro Tour stood out most. Where this series of tournaments had a modest character a few years ago, that image has now completely changed.

“It’s basically become like a compact TV tournament throughout the year. When I won one, it was just on a stream—it was much harder to follow back then.”

The growth is clearly visible in the international coverage, he says. “Now, for example, in Göttingen it was on free-to-air TV. This weekend in Wieze it was on VTM. In Poland you can watch it on free TV as well. In the Netherlands, you can watch it on Viaplay with Dutch commentary. So you can follow everything live now. They’ve basically become mini TV tournaments."

That development makes the Euro Tour more attractive than ever in Van der Voort’s view, though he feels the prize money still lags behind the tournaments’ status. “It’s around £35,000 for the winner now. Compared to something like the World Series Finals, where you can win close to £100,000, it’s quite a difference.”

As the circuit grows, the importance of national players increases as well, especially for viewing figures. That is often underestimated, according to Van der Voort. “It’s very important for a broadcaster to have local players. I know with Viaplay—when the Dutch players are out, viewing figures drop quickly. So it’s really important that a home player does well."

With the new TV deal that will see the Euro Tour fully broadcast on VTM, that is a point of attention. Belgium currently has only a limited number of players competing consistently at the highest level. “Mike De Decker is just about inside the rankings, but that’s it. He’s not in top form either."

Another theme that crops up more and more is the logistical burden on players. Especially after Brexit, many darters experience problems traveling across Europe. “Traveling is a nightmare,” said Van der Voort. “Sometimes you’re standing at customs for two hours."

It’s not only British players who are affected. “They only have to leave the country occasionally—we always have to go their way. You can’t just fly into England anymore. You have to arrange things in advance, like visa applications. It’s not ideal,” said Van der Voort.