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Editor’s Note:
Beyond basic questions surrounding items like the official “Dress Code”
for PDC Pro Tour events (which we’ve addressed here  online), we’ve also received numerous inquiries regarding the PDPA (Professional Dart Player’s
Association), which is the governing body for PDC events, and the inherent membership requirements for continued player participation in PDC Pro Tour
events here in the US this year.
To briefly, but succinctly, clarify these important questions, here’s what North
American player’s need to know about the PDPA and membership:
For North American players, the question is, ‘When must a player become a
member of the Professional Dart Player’s Association (PDPA) before he/she may continue competing in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) dart
tournament events?’
The answer is simply this: After the player has played on stage in his/her first
televised tournament, and before he/she plays in their second televised tournament.
A televised tournament is one where all matches are played on stage and
filmed for television. The Las Vegas Desert Classic (LVDC) is the only tournament in North America that meets this qualification at this time.
Simply entering the LVDC does not mean the player has played in a televised
tournament either. That player must reach the final 32 before televised, stage matches become a factor. The qualifiers, themselves, do not count as having
played in a televised tournament.
Additionally, the PDPA Championship in Las Vegas, and the Atlanta,
Chicago, and US Open Pro Tour events are not considered televised tournaments, and are —thereby— not relevant for the purposes of
determining who must join the PDPA. In other words, playing in them does not require PDPA membership prior to competing in them or other non
-televised PDC events.
Joining the PDPA, however, does provide numerous benefits to the dart
player. First and foremost, they are considered to be a professional dart player and are entitled to all the benefits of membership in the PDPA.
As a member, they may now participate in all the PDPA Championship
events around the world, as well as all PDC televised tournaments —should they qualify. They are also included on the PDC “Order of Merit Ranking” for
Professional players and have the opportunity to advance to levels where they are invited to participate in spectacular tournaments with enormous prize money.
PDPA member player bios are also held on file in the PDC office so that the
PDC Media Coordinator can provide press information about them to national and hometown news outlets in conjunction with major PDC events .
The initial, first year membership fee to join the PDPA is £400, followed by
annual membership dues of £200 per year. A member must remain current with the PDPA year to year, or their membership will expire. Should they
wish to rejoin the PDPA thereafter, they would then be required to pay the initial £400 membership fee again. In the past, many players have decided to
join the PDPA after competing in their very first PDC televised tournament, having their initial membership fee deducted directly from prize money won
during the competition (making it a bit easier on the pocketbook).
Testing your metal against the best players in the world is what professional
sports is all about. And that’s where the big purses —the truly big money— begins. So, until such time as you reach your first televised stage match, the
PDC welcomes and encourages all North American darts players to enter all of the remaining 2007 PDC events scheduled here in the US:
- July 01: Las Vegas PDPA Championship
- July 02 - 08: Las Vegas Desert Classic VI
- August 26: Atlanta - PDC Pro Tour 501 Singles Event
- September 16: Chicago - PDC Pro Tour 501 Singles Event
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