"There is no competition in darts" - World Seniors boss says legal action could be used to challenge PDC monopoly

The 2025 World Seniors Darts Champion of Champions took place this past weekend, with Ross Montgomery lifting the title after an 8-5 win over Richie Howson in the final. But it was the presence of Raymond van Barneveld that sparked just as many headlines as the eventual result.

The five-time world champion, who currently holds a PDC Tour Card, was a surprise inclusion in the World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT) event, eventually bowing out in the semi-finals to the tournament winner, Montgomery.

Under normal circumstances, PDC Tour Card holders are only permitted to compete in PDC-sanctioned events — and only non-televised or non-streamed events outside the organisation are usually tolerated. The Champion of Champions, however, was broadcast live on PlutoTV, making Van Barneveld’s participation all the more unexpected.

WSDT promoter Jason Francis shed light on the situation in a recent interview with the Weekly Dartscast: "The PDC have a monopoly on broadcast darts," he admits. "And if Raymond van Barneveld wants to be a professional player, he has to sign a PDC contract. There's no negotiation, there's no option, and because of their dominant position, what other choice do players have?"

"If you have more than one person competing for the services of a professional sportsman, who wins? Ultimately, the player wins and the darts fan wins," Francis continues. "Why is that? Because as promoters, we have to put enough prize money up to attract Raynond van Barneveld, Luke Littler or Luke Humphries to our event. If someone else is doing that, we then have to fight over price. Then, the ticket prices come down."

"It's no different to when supermarkets compete over a loaf of break. Competition is good because the customer gets the best deal," he adds. "But there is no competition in darts. The PDC have a complete monopoly on darts, and it is something that, in snooker we are legally challenging. If that is successful, I would expect that to follow on in darts as well."