Chief Executive Officer of PDC Matt Porter with Mark Webster and Emma Paton on Sky Sports presented Dart Premier League 2025 lineup on Monday night.
Some picks fared better than others, as usual, and Nathan Aspinall in particular faced criticism on social media for being chosen solely for the role of Mr. Brightside.
Players like Damon Heta, Mike de Decker and even Dave Chisnall were not selected, even though they may have had a strong case in the minds of others. But what matters to Porter is the players who create the wow effect, who can bring arenas to their feet.
“Price, Dobey and Aspinall. Above them in the rankings are players who were not selected. But we looked at it in terms of being present on the big stage. We looked at it in terms of popularity in a way that they can get 10,000 viewers every week,” Porter said.
“We want people to be on the edge of their seats and enjoy playing darts. This doesn’t mean other players can’t do it. You have to decide what you think is right at that moment. The board has selected players that we feel will provide this level of entertainment and excellence in darts every week. People will disagree with us and that’s the nature of sports. Every decision will be analyzed, we may make wrong decisions or make the right decisions. But ultimately the proof will be in the numbers every week.”
He was also asked about Mike de Decker and, as has been the case with a number of major winners before, he tried to dispel the preconceived notion that winning a major ensures advancement.
“Mike (De Decker) is an exceptional talent and we will undoubtedly see him in the Premier League Darts in the future. We didn’t feel like it was quite ready. There are many tournaments throughout the year and we win one of them. I’ve seen players in the past who I don’t want to embarrass by mentioning their names, but people like Danny Noppert, Ross Smith and Andrew Gilding, win televised tournaments. However, you need to show that you can compete in the later stages of televised tournaments. Doing it regularly once is fantastic and you will always do it, but to truly be part of the elite you need to do it regularly for many years.
