Talking Points is a regular area of the Darts World Website and involves important or smaller pieces of news or those stories which may need longer exposure than the 24hrs cycle usually allows. DWExtra 13 featured an especially interesting trio:

The Tinkermen

There is a somewhat annoying habit amongst darts fans to go all Claudio Ranieri when things are going well for our sport. Sometimes these ideas for tinkering may work, either short or long term, but often it’s simply messing with something that ain’t broke.

The whining about it being possible to draw a player from your Grand Slam group only two rounds later is one of those dancing on a pin head things that dart fans love to grouse about. But look at it the other way. It’s like a rematch on a grander scale, with possibly much more at stake. 

This year Stephen Bunting managed to overturn Stow Buntz’s earlier win and Luke Humphries and Gary Anderson produced a L16 classic. Careful what you wish for folks.

Fingers Crossed

Many darts’s fans eyes will soon turn toward Surrey to see whether the WDF can finally shrug off their troublesome years and settle Lakeside into their new calendar place. The shift has in effect caused a 6 month, or more, delay, and cost them Eurosport coverage to boot. 

The player withdrawal due to PDC qualification has also caused upheaval but is also an opportunity for many. Especially John Scott who leapt into a seeded position from failing to qualify! 

All hiccups aside, you can see from the interview with General Secretary Nick Rolls, within this volume, that there is a genuine wish to establish the history and prestige as well as to stage a modern and popular event. Sensible darts fans would wish them well.

Terminal Decline?

A member of the DW has been pointing out, for quite some time, that MVG has a ranking event problem. From his dizzying peak of c2016 the Dutchman has seen a fall off in major ranking wins. The Green Machine still picks up plenty of high value trophies but nowhere near as many of the ‘Big 5’ or even the ‘mini majors’ as he once did. If he is to return to the summit he must reverse this trend.

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Talking Points proved so popular that it is now the opening section of every issue of Darts World Extra

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