PDC confirms changes to structure of Players Championship tournaments

February sees the start of the new Pro Tour season. On 11 and 12 February, Barnsley will host the first two of a total of 30 Players Championship tournaments.

The PDC has decided to make some adjustments for the upcoming season. These include giving players an extra hour to sleep. Tournaments will start at 13:00 local time, an hour later than has been customary in recent years. Players must then register no later than 11:00, after which the draw will be available to players and followers a moment later.

Another notable change is the order of matches in the first rounds. Normally, the highest-placed player on the board plays the first match, and the lower-placed player in the third game. This remains the case only in Players Championship tournaments with an odd number.

In a Players Championship tournament with an even number, this order is reversed. For example; at Players Championship 2, the number 32 on the seeding list plays the first game on board 1. The top seed will then play the third game.