Van Barneveld and Van der Voort call for new format in Premier League Darts

Since the new, adjusted format of the Premier League Darts was introduced last year the big question that has been posed is 'are the best players playing each other too often?' Raymond van Barneveld and Vincent Van der Voort think yes.

"You used to look forward to Van Barneveld against Taylor, or Van Barneveld against Van Gerwen. Now it's very simple, they meet every week on a Premier League evening. It's a bit much," said van Barneveld, speaking to NOS. "You have to keep it a little bit special."

An example of what Barney is talking about is the fact that in the last two months, arguably the most anticipated clash in modern-day darts, Gerwyn Price versus Michael van Gerwen, has taken place five times in just the Premier League alone.

"It's too much of the same. It's becoming ordinary," says Van der Voort. "I think the system will be adjusted next year. Then they will have done it for two years, which was just about possible."

Van der Voort believes the league should return to it's roots with a system that has two players relegated after a certain number of weeks. "Then you keep pressure at the top and bottom. I think that works well. Wright threw the hat at the beginning. If he could have been relegated, I think he would have found a set earlier to stay in it."

"That they all just throw each other once and the top eight then play a knockout phase," van Barneveld agrees. "More names, more people who have a chance. Maybe with a promotion-relegation scheme. Is that a good idea?"