Matt Porter on difficult Premier League selection: "We aren't going to please everybody... But as long as people are talking about it, we've made the right decision"

On Monday, January 6th, the lineup for the 2025 Premier League Darts is revealed and it's fair to say that this is one of the hardest years in history to predict the eight lucky players who'll join up with the travelling darts roadshow.

The current top four players in the world (Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen and Rob Cross) traditionally seem certain of a place in the Premier League Darts lineup. The number five and winner of the Masters, Stephen Bunting, also does not seem to have to worry. Behind that, however, it is completely open. Many top players had a particularly shaky year and must hope that the PDC still selects them for the Premier League Darts mainly on past merits.

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"It's a tricky one this year," admits PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter in conversation with Sky Sports. "A lot of so-called top players have been out of form. But we always have to look the star quality and the people that can perform on the big stage, so it's going to be an interesting announcement."

"We are probably not going to please everybody. But we have to make the decision that we feel is right for the millions who'll watch on TV and the hundred-plus thousand who'll join us in the arenas," he adds. "Whatever decision we make, as long as people are talking about it, we've made the right decision."

Premier League Darts trophy

In the past, it was assumed that anyone who won a TV title in the past year would be there in the Premier League Darts anyway. But Porter throws that illusion off the table. As Porter previously explained to Darts Now though, that's not always the case.

"We look at it over the course of what you've achieved over the 12 months and we say are you ready for the Premier League? Is your game ready for the Premier League? Is your temperament ready for the Premier League? Is your brand ready for the Premier League?" he explained. "Remember the fuss there was when we left Luke Humphries out the previous year? Well actually, I think that was probably the one of the best decisions that's ever been made for Luke Humphries' career, if you look at what he's gone on to achieve since then! We left Rob Cross out, he's back strongly. Players in the past like James Wade have been left out and come back strongly, so I think there's more to it than just saying who won a TV tournament."

The PDC have already tweeted a teaser and in the shadows of eight players a lot of darts fans saw the world's top four at the top. Most are also certain the shadows of Dimitri Van den Bergh, Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey appear. The eighth and final silhouette has a bit more debate though. Is it Gary Anderson? Is it Nathan Aspinall? Or even Gerwyn Price? We will find out this Monday.

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