Capital to host Premier League darts

Published on Wednesday 20 August 2008 14:18

EDINBURGH is to host the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts competition for the first time.

The 400,000 tournament will visit the Royal Highland Centre on February 12, 2009 for the second of 14 league nights around the UK, featuring the world's best eight players, led by Phil "The Power" Taylor.

Glasgow and Aberdeen have staged sell-out nights for the event in previous years, and Edinburgh's inclusion gives three venues in Scotland for next year's event. "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!"

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.

"It 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 event 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 on Monday, September 8, following a week of priority sales to Annual Subscribers to the Darts- TV service on the PDC's official website, www.planetdarts.tv.