"Players need to go into that night with an open mind": No plans to move Premier League in Rotterdam despite Price and Van Gerwen complaints

The PDC will return to Rotterdam next year despite the vociferous complaints of Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen after the issue of wind continued at the venue. PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter said that while they are working to improve this, players also need to play a part.

Porter said that players need to not be beaten before they get onto that stage and that a myriad of factors mean that it is not conducive to producing the best darts for some. But that they continue to work on that end.

"After last year, I had a good chat with Matt Porter about it because, in my opinion, I think it took too long," Michael van Gerwen said to Live Darts last month.

"But they (PDC) couldn't put their finger on why it's like this.

"You can feel the draft. At least they're doing something about it. Sometimes you can't put your finger on it. It's tough, but at least they're working on it."

Gerwyn Price also weighed in with a swiftly deleted Instagram story. "Gutted for myself, gutted for everyone that supports me, I'm so sorry but this week was pointless and we move to next week, darts were blowing everywhere and after leg one which was lucky I knew it's pointless," Price said.

"And where I was in the league after vital points it's not what I wanted, hopefully @officialpdc will now stop coming here and look for alternative venues, not good for the players, not good for the fans, and not good for people that like a bet.

But Porter referenced the chat with Michael van Gerwen and said that he had spoke to him and they did try different tweaks this year to improve it.

"I spoke to Michael (van Gerwen) after his game and Michael was very professional. He said it was better and said for a number of legs there was no wind and then he felt some. It's really awkward, it's unfathomable why it happens in Rotterdam and nowhere else. We draped the middle concourses this year which probably didn't come across on TV but Rotterdam is the only venue we play that has an open concourse on the middle section between the lower and upper tiers to stop any sort of wind tunnel.

"I think it did have some sort of an impact. I think some players need to go into that night with an open mind and not write themselves off before the night has started. Some players make changes, Luke Littler played with heavier darts. That said we obviously don't want to create an environment that means players can't play their best game. So we will continue to work with the venue. We are determined we will get it right there. The venue have got a very positive approach towards it as well. We'll keep working hard to eliminate any condition changes."

"The challenge is that because we're going to the Ahoy for 36 hours once a year we don't have the opportunity to turn up in November put our stage up, create the environment. The venue is different when it is empty or full."