Darts @ CIA May 2009
THE 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts - which includes the Cardiff International Arena on Thurs 7 May - will begin in Liverpool next February and also visit new arenas in Edinburgh and Exeter before culminating in the play-offs at the Wembley Arena.
The £400,000 tournament will kick off at the Liverpool Echo Arena - which hosted the biggest ever crowd for a PDC event of almost 8,000 this year.
The tournament, screened live on Sky Sports, will come to a conclusion with the play-offs on Mon 25 May at the Wembley Arena - coinciding with the Football League play-offs at the neighbouring Wembley Stadium over the same weekend.
The visit to Edinburgh means that three venues will stage the event in Scotland next year, alongside the SECC in Glasgow and the AECC in Aberdeen, with Cardiff’s CIA hosting the Welsh leg of the tournament on the final league night.
"The Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts has grown to become the biggest indoor sporting event in the UK over the past four years," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn. "Its development into a major arena spectacle has been nothing short of sensational - it's the ticket every sports fan in the UK wants!"
Phil Taylor claimed a fourth successive title in Cardiff in May 2008, and will be one of the eight competitors battling for the £125,000 first prize next year. "The Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts is a massive tournament now and I love competing in it," said Taylor. "It was amazing this year to play in front of such massive crowds every week - it was like a Cup Final wherever we went and I'm sure it will be brilliant again next year."
The eight competitors for the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts will be confirmed in January, with the top six players from the PDC Order of Merit, following the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship joined by two Wildcard selections.
Tickets will go on general sale from Mon 8 Sept HERE and will be priced at £30 on the floor and £20 for tiered seating. *Please note that all tickets may be subject to a booking fee and/or service charge.
The 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts will also see the introduction of a family enclosure at each venue. Fans wishing to purchase tickets in this area should specify when booking.
More information HERE. TheSprout's Sport & Leisure Directory is HERE.
