PDC Chairman Barry Hearn reveals Grand Slam of Darts to feature return of amateur players in 2021

With the demise of the BDO over the past year, only Wayne Warren and Mikuru Suzuki as the reigning champions from 2020 were picked at the Grand Slam of Darts potentially spelling the end of amateur players getting a spot in the cross code tournament.

But PDC Chairman, Barry Hearn has revealed that plans are afoot to see leading amateur players return for 2021 as well as supporting one of the amateur bodies e.g WDF with future spots in the tournament.

"The Grand Slam was always supposed to be the two codes - the amateur code and the professional codes together," PDC chairman Barry Hearn told The Darts Show Podcast.

"And I think it worked. I think it created a unique tournament. Clearly and unfortunately the amateur game has virtually folded.

"There are plans ahead to reinvent through the WDF and other organisations the amateur game. And we would support that if they acknowledge that they are the amateur game.

"We hope that we'll see a Grand Slam with the leading amateurs in it as we did before, but selected on a different criteria. And we will be working with whoever decides that they want to put the time in to make the amateur game strong. We will be working with them and I hope we'll be helpful with them as well."

"This year's version I'm sure will feature some top amateurs," he added. "It's a question of how they're selected. We need to know who the top amateurs are. And to achieve that, we need to see results or some sort of criteria for selection.

"But the principle of the pick of the amateurs against the world's best, I think it works."