"There should be some give and take": WDF World Champion Neil Duff admits frustration in 'radio silence' on World Masters

Playing on the Seniors Tour and sealing a title, Neil Duff has played on the WSDT and gained opportunities since his WDF World Championship win last year and sees as well as the Seniors, other amateur tours being the way to go for his future.

"Obviously the Seniors is going to play a big part in it, I do want to get a MODUS (Super Series) win. Five finals I've competed in, ADC is coming to Northern Ireland as well. So that's going to pretty much take up all my time," he said to Online Darts.

"For TV, for my own exposure, this is the way to go and then we will see come up towards December for the Lakeside so busy time."

Defending his title in the new date of December, Duff says there is no issue regarding the date change and that it was only down to whether players had to be involved all year to protect what they'd already won.

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But that he wouldn't be doing the same volume of tournaments in 2023. "I didn't really have my say at the time, I think the date is a good idea. It'll work. I think ticket sales will be far better than what it will be in January.

"I did have my say on how the ranking system was handled, there wasn't a lot of clarity when it first come out. It didn't really affect me too much but the likes of Barry Copeland, my travel partner, he finished 16th so we didn't know, can he drop out of 16th. It could cost him a grand.

"We spoke to Nick (Rolls) and we got it sorted out. We're protected now until the Masters. I'm not really looking that far ahead, back to Australia end of July. Do a few WDF but I'm not going to be doing the same volume as I did last year."

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Tickets go on sale for Lakeside tomorrow but the World Masters is one that isn't fully confirmed yet with Nick Rolls initially pencilling in March as the date that he wanted to get it sorted.

Duff said that the only issue he does have with the WDF is the radio silence involved.

"Being totally honest, it's not a concern to me. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. I hope that it does, I'll always stand behind the WDF in everything they do.

"October I think is pencilled in for the Masters but I'm hoping the move to the Lakeside in December has given the opportunity to get the funds together to pay out. If it happens, I'll be there. If it doesn't, there will always be something else to do. It's the radio silence, there should be some give and take with the players."

"The WDF have got a lot more hands on with ticket sales this year, they will be better value for money. Make it value for money and fill the place."

But one tour he will not be joining is the PDC with the Northern Irishman toying with the idea last year but has now basically ruled it out.

"With MODUS, Seniors, I've got no interest in going to the PDC. If I did go, I'd play to do Challenge Tour. Maybe one day, I would go just to test myself. At the minute, I'm happy. It's keeping me off a building site."