Van Gerwen prefers online Pro Tour tournament: 'I don't care about prize money, I want to play for a title'

Michael van Gerwen is not competing in the PDC Home Tour these weeks. The world number one declined to participate, partly because he was unable to meet the requirements.

Players must play their matches in a room with no background noise. That was not possible for Van Gerwen. "I have a young child, a baby and three dogs. I can hardly tell everyone that they have to get out of the house or that they have to keep their mouth shut for three hours, '' Van Gerwen told DartsNews.

Was playing at his local pub (Café Den Braai) in his hometown Vlijmen an option, since he practices there regularly? "I don't know if that is allowed, because it is not called a Home Tour for nothing. If they had agreed with that, maybe it would have been possible. An hour at home might have been possible too, but not an entire afternoon or evening.''

The 31-year-old Dutchman would have preferred an online Pro Tour tournament as an alternative to the period without ranking tournaments. "If you win, you are still in and otherwise you are out. You can then spread that tournament over two weeks. Then you end up with about the same amount as with the PDC Home Tour (players get £500 per appearance per session).''

''The chance that I had participated was bigger in that case. But it remains difficult to get a good view of everything for the players. It is difficult to see what your opponent throws, but you cannot blame them for that. Neither the PDC, but I would have liked that idea more. I am a winner and don't want to play two evenings for peanuts. I don't care about the prize money, but I want it to have a title on it.''

More about Michael van Gerwen in an interview, which will be published on our website in the coming week.