DARTS^ TOP TWO TO OPEN UP PREMIER LEAGUE DARTS SEASON IN LIVERPOOL
THE opening night of the 2014 Premier League Darts will feature a rematch of last year^s final between Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Thursday February 6, with the fixtures for the opening nine weeks of the event confirmed.
The first nine league nights in this year^s Premier League Darts season will see the ten players face each other once each before the bottom two players are eliminated following "Judgement Night" in Cardiff.
The remaining eight players will then meet once more in the final six weeks, before the top four progress to compete in the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 22.
Liverpool^s Echo Arena will host the opening league night on Thursday February 6, with the rematch of last year^s final between Dutch star van Gerwen - the new World Champion - and Stoke legend Phil Taylor, a six-time Premier League winner, headlining the five fixtures.
Debutant Dave Chisnall, the world number five from nearby St Helens, plays former UK Open champion Robert Thornton to kick off the season, before the Premier League^s other newcomer, World Championship finalist Peter Wright, takes on Wes Newton.
2011 Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson plays Raymond van Barneveld before van Gerwen^s title defence begins against Taylor, while the meeting of former finalists Simon Whitlock and Adrian Lewis concludes the opening night.
The Premier League then moves to Bournemouth^s BIC for Week Two, with Taylor meeting Lewis in an all-Stoke battle, while van Gerwen plays Thornton, Anderson takes on Whitlock, Newton challenges van Barneveld and newcomers Chisnall and Wright face off.
Week Three sees the Premier League return to the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, with the night opening with an all-Scottish clash between Thornton and Anderson, before van Gerwen plays Chisnall, Taylor meets Wright, Newton faces Lewis and van Barneveld takes on Whitlock.
Glasgow^s new venue, The Hydro, hosts Premier League Darts for the first time in Week Four, with the three Scots in action on home soil as Wright opens against Lewis, Thornton plays Newton and Anderson takes on Chisnall.
The night also sees Taylor and Whitlock meet in a repeat of the 2012 Premier League Darts final, while van Gerwen takes on van Barneveld in an all-Dutch battle which is a repeat of their 2012 Grand Slam of Darts decider.
The Premier League Darts returns to Exeter^s Westpoint Arena for Week Five, with Taylor facing Somerset-based Anderson, while van Gerwen and Lewis meet in a rematch of their recent World Championship semi-final, which was won 6-0 by the Dutch ace.
The other games in Exeter see Van Barneveld take on Chisnall, Wright play Thornton and Newton face Whitlock, who won the 2012 European Championship final between the pair.
Nottingham^s Capital FM Arena hosts the Week Six action, which is headlined by the repeat of the 2013 World Grand Prix final between Taylor and Chisnall and Anderson^s clash with Lewis in a repeat of the 2011 Premier League Darts final.
Wright will meet Whitlock, less than three months after winning the World Championship semi-final against the Australian, while van Gerwen plays Newton and van Barneveld clashes with Thornton.
Week Seven sees Premier League Darts makes its debut in Leeds at the new First Direct Arena, with the five games including van Gerwen^s clash with Anderson - with the pair having enjoyed a classic contest in the World Championship last month.
Taylor plays Newton, Lewis meets Thornton and Whitlock plays Chisnall, while Wright faces Dutch ace van Barneveld in the night^s final contest.
Premier League Darts then heads back across the Irish Sea for Week Eight as the action returns to The O2 in Dublin, where van Gerwen and Wright will meet in a rematch of the World Championship final.
Great rivals Taylor and van Barneveld - who drew in Dublin during last year^s Premier League - will also meet at The O2, where Anderson faces Newton, Whitlock plays Thornton and Lewis takes on Chisnall.
Survival will be on the line in Judgement Night on Week Nine in Cardiff, which sees van Gerwen taking on Whitlock, Taylor playing Thornton, Lewis meeting van Barneveld, Newton facing Chisnall and Anderson^s all-Scottish clash with Wright.
The fixtures for Weeks Ten-15 will be confirmed following Judgement Night, when the bottom two players in the Premier League Darts table are eliminated.
Tickets for the 2014 Premier League Darts are available from the Box Offices listed below, and can also be purchased through www.viagogo.co.uk, the official ticket marketplace, and through Thomas Cook Sport as part of hotel & ticket packages at www.thomascooksport.com.
2014 Premier League Darts
Week One
February 6, Echo Arena, Liverpool
Dave Chisnall v Robert Thornton
Peter Wright v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
Simon Whitlock v Adrian Lewis
Tickets: 0844 8000 400 or www.echoarena.com
Week Two
February 13, BIC, Bournemouth
Wes Newton v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Peter Wright
Gary Anderson v Simon Whitlock
Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor
Robert Thornton v Michael van Gerwen
Tickets: 0844 576 3000 or www.bhlivetickets.co.uk
Week Three
February 20, Odyssey Arena, Belfast
Robert Thornton v Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor
Wes Newton v Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: 028 9073 9074 or www.odysseyarena.com
Week Four
February 27, The Hydro, Glasgow
Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis
Robert Thornton v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson
Tickets: 0844 395 4000 or www.thehydro.com
Week Five
March 6, Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Peter Wright v Robert Thornton
Raymond van Barneveld v Dave Chisnall
Adrian Lewis v Michael van Gerwen
Phil Taylor v Gary Anderson
Wes Newton v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: 08444 99 99 55 or www.ticketzone.co.uk
Week Six
March 13, Capital FM Arena, Nottingham
Simon Whitlock v Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Robert Thornton
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Tickets: 0843 373 3000 or www.capitalfmarena.com
Week Seven
March 20, First Direct Arena, Leeds
Dave Chisnall v Simon Whitlock
Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
Wes Newton v Phil Taylor
Peter Wright v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: 0844 248 1585 or www.firstdirectarena.com
Week Eight
March 27, The O2, Dublin
Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock v Robert Thornton
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: (Ire) 0818 719 377 or (UK) 0844 847 2455 or www.theo2.ie
Week Nine - Judgement Night
April 3, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor v Robert Thornton
Wes Newton v Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Following Week Nine, the bottom two players from the league table are eliminated. Revised fixtures for Weeks Ten-15 will be announced following Week Nine.
Week Ten
April 10, Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield
Tickets: 0114 256 5656 or www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk
Week 11
April 17, GE Gas & Oil Arena, Aberdeen
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Week 12
April 24, Phones 4u Arena, Manchester
Tickets: 0844 847 8000 or www.eventim.co.uk
Week 13
May 1, NIA, Birmingham
Tickets: 0844 338 8000 or www.theticketfactory.com
Week 14
May 8, Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Tickets: 0844 493 6666 or www.eventim.co.uk
Week 15
May 15, The Brighton Centre
Tickets: 0844 847 1515 or www.brightoncentre.co.uk
Play-Offs
May 22, The O2, London
Tickets: 0844 856 0202 or www.axs.com
Tournament Format
The ten players will face each other once during the opening nine weeks. Following Week Nine, the bottom two players from the league table will be eliminated. From Weeks Ten-15, the remaining eight players will play each other once again. Following Week 15, the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs.
All league fixtures will be the best of 12 legs of 501. Once a player reaches seven legs, they have won the game and no further legs will be played.
Two points will be awarded for a win, one point will be awarded for a six-all draw and no points will be awarded for a defeat.
The player named on the left in the fixture will throw first in the opening leg of each game. This will be reversed in the second meeting (where applicable).
Should players be tied on points in the league table, Leg Difference will be the first deciding factor. If this is also a tie, then Legs Won Against Throw will be the next deciding factor, and any further tie would be split by a comparison of the relevant players^ three-dart tournament average at that stage.
The semi-finals will be played over the best of 15 legs (first to eight) and the final will be the best of 19 legs (first to ten).
All nights will begin at 7pm and be screened live on Sky Sports HD.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased from each venue^s Box Office - see www.pdc.tv/tickets for full contact information and T&Cs.
Tickets can also be purchased from viagogo, the official ticket exchange of the Premier League Darts, at www.viagogo.co.uk.
Packages to include accommodation and tickets can be purchased from Thomas Cook Sport at www.thomascooksport.com.
The first nine league nights in this year^s Premier League Darts season will see the ten players face each other once each before the bottom two players are eliminated following "Judgement Night" in Cardiff.
The remaining eight players will then meet once more in the final six weeks, before the top four progress to compete in the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 22.
Liverpool^s Echo Arena will host the opening league night on Thursday February 6, with the rematch of last year^s final between Dutch star van Gerwen - the new World Champion - and Stoke legend Phil Taylor, a six-time Premier League winner, headlining the five fixtures.
Debutant Dave Chisnall, the world number five from nearby St Helens, plays former UK Open champion Robert Thornton to kick off the season, before the Premier League^s other newcomer, World Championship finalist Peter Wright, takes on Wes Newton.
2011 Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson plays Raymond van Barneveld before van Gerwen^s title defence begins against Taylor, while the meeting of former finalists Simon Whitlock and Adrian Lewis concludes the opening night.
The Premier League then moves to Bournemouth^s BIC for Week Two, with Taylor meeting Lewis in an all-Stoke battle, while van Gerwen plays Thornton, Anderson takes on Whitlock, Newton challenges van Barneveld and newcomers Chisnall and Wright face off.
Week Three sees the Premier League return to the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, with the night opening with an all-Scottish clash between Thornton and Anderson, before van Gerwen plays Chisnall, Taylor meets Wright, Newton faces Lewis and van Barneveld takes on Whitlock.
Glasgow^s new venue, The Hydro, hosts Premier League Darts for the first time in Week Four, with the three Scots in action on home soil as Wright opens against Lewis, Thornton plays Newton and Anderson takes on Chisnall.
The night also sees Taylor and Whitlock meet in a repeat of the 2012 Premier League Darts final, while van Gerwen takes on van Barneveld in an all-Dutch battle which is a repeat of their 2012 Grand Slam of Darts decider.
The Premier League Darts returns to Exeter^s Westpoint Arena for Week Five, with Taylor facing Somerset-based Anderson, while van Gerwen and Lewis meet in a rematch of their recent World Championship semi-final, which was won 6-0 by the Dutch ace.
The other games in Exeter see Van Barneveld take on Chisnall, Wright play Thornton and Newton face Whitlock, who won the 2012 European Championship final between the pair.
Nottingham^s Capital FM Arena hosts the Week Six action, which is headlined by the repeat of the 2013 World Grand Prix final between Taylor and Chisnall and Anderson^s clash with Lewis in a repeat of the 2011 Premier League Darts final.
Wright will meet Whitlock, less than three months after winning the World Championship semi-final against the Australian, while van Gerwen plays Newton and van Barneveld clashes with Thornton.
Week Seven sees Premier League Darts makes its debut in Leeds at the new First Direct Arena, with the five games including van Gerwen^s clash with Anderson - with the pair having enjoyed a classic contest in the World Championship last month.
Taylor plays Newton, Lewis meets Thornton and Whitlock plays Chisnall, while Wright faces Dutch ace van Barneveld in the night^s final contest.
Premier League Darts then heads back across the Irish Sea for Week Eight as the action returns to The O2 in Dublin, where van Gerwen and Wright will meet in a rematch of the World Championship final.
Great rivals Taylor and van Barneveld - who drew in Dublin during last year^s Premier League - will also meet at The O2, where Anderson faces Newton, Whitlock plays Thornton and Lewis takes on Chisnall.
Survival will be on the line in Judgement Night on Week Nine in Cardiff, which sees van Gerwen taking on Whitlock, Taylor playing Thornton, Lewis meeting van Barneveld, Newton facing Chisnall and Anderson^s all-Scottish clash with Wright.
The fixtures for Weeks Ten-15 will be confirmed following Judgement Night, when the bottom two players in the Premier League Darts table are eliminated.
Tickets for the 2014 Premier League Darts are available from the Box Offices listed below, and can also be purchased through www.viagogo.co.uk, the official ticket marketplace, and through Thomas Cook Sport as part of hotel & ticket packages at www.thomascooksport.com.
2014 Premier League Darts
Week One
February 6, Echo Arena, Liverpool
Dave Chisnall v Robert Thornton
Peter Wright v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
Simon Whitlock v Adrian Lewis
Tickets: 0844 8000 400 or www.echoarena.com
Week Two
February 13, BIC, Bournemouth
Wes Newton v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Peter Wright
Gary Anderson v Simon Whitlock
Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor
Robert Thornton v Michael van Gerwen
Tickets: 0844 576 3000 or www.bhlivetickets.co.uk
Week Three
February 20, Odyssey Arena, Belfast
Robert Thornton v Gary Anderson
Dave Chisnall v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor
Wes Newton v Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: 028 9073 9074 or www.odysseyarena.com
Week Four
February 27, The Hydro, Glasgow
Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis
Robert Thornton v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson
Tickets: 0844 395 4000 or www.thehydro.com
Week Five
March 6, Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Peter Wright v Robert Thornton
Raymond van Barneveld v Dave Chisnall
Adrian Lewis v Michael van Gerwen
Phil Taylor v Gary Anderson
Wes Newton v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: 08444 99 99 55 or www.ticketzone.co.uk
Week Six
March 13, Capital FM Arena, Nottingham
Simon Whitlock v Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Robert Thornton
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Tickets: 0843 373 3000 or www.capitalfmarena.com
Week Seven
March 20, First Direct Arena, Leeds
Dave Chisnall v Simon Whitlock
Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
Wes Newton v Phil Taylor
Peter Wright v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: 0844 248 1585 or www.firstdirectarena.com
Week Eight
March 27, The O2, Dublin
Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
Simon Whitlock v Robert Thornton
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: (Ire) 0818 719 377 or (UK) 0844 847 2455 or www.theo2.ie
Week Nine - Judgement Night
April 3, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor v Robert Thornton
Wes Newton v Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Following Week Nine, the bottom two players from the league table are eliminated. Revised fixtures for Weeks Ten-15 will be announced following Week Nine.
Week Ten
April 10, Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield
Tickets: 0114 256 5656 or www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk
Week 11
April 17, GE Gas & Oil Arena, Aberdeen
Tickets: SOLD OUT
Week 12
April 24, Phones 4u Arena, Manchester
Tickets: 0844 847 8000 or www.eventim.co.uk
Week 13
May 1, NIA, Birmingham
Tickets: 0844 338 8000 or www.theticketfactory.com
Week 14
May 8, Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Tickets: 0844 493 6666 or www.eventim.co.uk
Week 15
May 15, The Brighton Centre
Tickets: 0844 847 1515 or www.brightoncentre.co.uk
Play-Offs
May 22, The O2, London
Tickets: 0844 856 0202 or www.axs.com
Tournament Format
The ten players will face each other once during the opening nine weeks. Following Week Nine, the bottom two players from the league table will be eliminated. From Weeks Ten-15, the remaining eight players will play each other once again. Following Week 15, the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs.
All league fixtures will be the best of 12 legs of 501. Once a player reaches seven legs, they have won the game and no further legs will be played.
Two points will be awarded for a win, one point will be awarded for a six-all draw and no points will be awarded for a defeat.
The player named on the left in the fixture will throw first in the opening leg of each game. This will be reversed in the second meeting (where applicable).
Should players be tied on points in the league table, Leg Difference will be the first deciding factor. If this is also a tie, then Legs Won Against Throw will be the next deciding factor, and any further tie would be split by a comparison of the relevant players^ three-dart tournament average at that stage.
The semi-finals will be played over the best of 15 legs (first to eight) and the final will be the best of 19 legs (first to ten).
All nights will begin at 7pm and be screened live on Sky Sports HD.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased from each venue^s Box Office - see www.pdc.tv/tickets for full contact information and T&Cs.
Tickets can also be purchased from viagogo, the official ticket exchange of the Premier League Darts, at www.viagogo.co.uk.
Packages to include accommodation and tickets can be purchased from Thomas Cook Sport at www.thomascooksport.com.