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Topics: Luke Littler, Darts, World Darts Championship
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Luke Littler, Darts, World Darts Championship
Should the 'Triple Crown' become official in darts? It has become a big talking point after Luke Littler's recent success, but PDC chief Matt Porter has poured cold water over the concept.
Littler became the fifth player to complete darts' so-called Triple Crown after beating James Wade 18-13 in the World Matchplay final in July.
The 18-year-old, who has also won the World Championship and Premier League this season, joins Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries in the exclusive club.
Many have recognised the teenager as a Triple Crown winner. In fact, Littler and fellow winner Humphries want the Triple Crown to be officially ratified
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But there are no plans to formalise the achievement, according to PDC chief executive Matt Porter, who was recently asked about his thoughts on the idea during an interview with Online Darts.
“No, we haven’t," Porter said after being asked if the PDC has thought about making the Triple Crown official. "A small number of people have invented a phrase called the Triple Crown."
He explained further, adding: “All you do by categorising some events at one level is relegate other events. If we said events A, B, C and D were at that level, what does that say about events E, F, G and H? That they’re still good, but it doesn’t work when we then go to sell those events.
“This narrative is great, keeps you all busy, gives fans something to talk about over a pint. But if you look at our new prize money structure, there are categories of events within that. It’s not difficult to work out.
"We’re not going to start chucking things in buckets, because if you put something in a high bucket, you automatically put others in a low one.”
Asked whether the PDC have ever discussed the term internally, Porter laughed off the idea.
“If we had a swear jar in our office, then that would be on the list," he said. "Not one of us ever sits in the office and goes, ‘Let’s call it this.' It keeps you all talking and gets people engaged on social media. But officially, it’s not something we’re adopting.”
Former PDC Tour Card holder Matt Edgar believes the Triple Crown should consist of major ranking events instead of the Premier League, which is an invitational, non-ranking exhibition event.
Speaking on his EdgarTV YouTube channel, he said: "For me, it needs to be three big ranking events. That’s why you can’t include the Premier League. It’s not ranked, it’s invitational, and it’s not based on a set criteria."
“It’s not simply ‘take the top four in the world, then add the major winners’. Sometimes players get in because of their walk-on, their personality, or because they’re from a country the PDC wants to promote," he added.
"There have been political conversations around it for years. Yes, it’s eight of the world’s best playing each week, but that doesn’t make it part of a ranking Triple Crown.”