PDC Hit the Bullseye With Schools, Asian and Viaplay News
The Professional Darts Corporation’s Bullseye Maths initiative, which was introduced at the start of the year, has been included in the 2022 Maths Week England scheme that began on Monday. Maths Week England was founded in 2019 to raise the profile of the subject across the country and encourage positive participation in mathematics.
This year’s learning resources being made available for schools include a Bullseye Maths activity pack to introduce schoolchildren to the fun and complete darts-based scheme. Bullseye Maths was launched with support from the family maths charity Maths on Toast.
World Champion Peter Wright during an in-school visit to help improve numeracy in the classroom via ‘Bullseye Maths’. ©PDC
In-school sessions and worksheets provided by the Room 180 Academy at Nottingham College are accompanied by an online Mathlete game provided by GoDartsPro at the specially-designed Bullseye Maths portal.
“It’s great that the Bullseye Maths activity pack will be part of the Maths Week England resources and we hope that this is a popular and fun addition to the scheme,” said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter.
“Bullseye Maths has been received incredibly well this year by both the pupils who have enjoyed our in-school sessions and by people participating online. To be part of Maths Week England will be another chance for people to experience Bullseye Maths and to engage further in mathematics.”
Asian Tour Is Back With 24 Events
The PDC – currently staging one of its premier televised events, the Grand Slam of Darts – has made several exciting news announcements during the past week. The organization recently declared the PDC Asian Tour will return to a full calendar of events for the first time in four years. 24 tournaments are scheduled to take place across Asia in 2023.
Following its introduction in 2018, the Asian Tour enjoyed a successful first two years. However, the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted the 2020 campaign. Subsequent restrictions prohibited a return in 2021 and 2022. This year saw the PDC Asian Championship introduced – with Christian Perez taking the title and the four semi-finalists qualifying for the World Darts Championship.
Christian Perez won this season’s Asian Championship and has gained entry into televised PDC majors as a consequence. ©GettyImages
Each Asian tour event offers $10,000 in prize money. Money won by individual players will count towards the PDC Asian Tour Order of Merit. It will be used as a means of qualification for PDC televised events: The World Darts Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and World Cup of Darts – as well as the Asian Darts Championship.
Viaplay Gets Five Years of European Tour
In other news, Viaplay Group and the Professional Darts Corporation have agreed on a five-year deal that makes Viaplay’s streaming service the exclusive home of the PDC European Tour in the UK, the Netherlands, Poland, and all Nordic and Baltic countries.
Starting in February 2023, the European Tour will offer regular top-level events showcasing the superstars of darts. The move represents a significant addition to Viaplay’s fast-growing sports portfolio in the UK – the world’s biggest darts market.
The PDC European Tour brings darts fans 13 live events across the season. Each event spans three days with eight hours of competition per day, delivering a total of 312 live hours of world-class action on Viaplay every year up to and including 2027.
The Country With Darts at Its Heart
Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group Chief Sports Officer, said: “The PDC European Tour shows darts’ ongoing global growth. Becoming the home of this exciting series in the birthplace of the sport is a further sign of Viaplay’s UK ambitions.”
“The UK has darts at heart and this deal will make our service even more attractive to local viewers. At the same time, we can bring additional thrilling events to fans across our European footprint, where we have worked successfully with the PDC for many years.”
PDC Chief Executive Matthew Porter added: “Viaplay has become a major broadcaster of PDC events over recent years and this is a natural extension of their coverage. The European Tour, which in 2023 will pay out over £2.2m in prize money, is a much-loved series amongst darts fans. We’re delighted to be able to bring it to a new and wider audience through Viaplay’s numerous territories.”
Darts Compliments an Already Attractive Viaplay Menu
Viaplay launched in the UK on November 1 with a unique offering of Viaplay Originals, curated third-party content, and live sports. In total, Viaplay holds UK rights to over 1,000 UEFA international matches from across Europe.
The football line-up includes all European Qualifiers for the UEFA EURO and FIFA World Cup played by the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland men’s national football teams, along with the UEFA Nations League and friendlies, until 2028.
In the UK, Viaplay also shows LaLiga, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and Coppa Italia football. Additionally, there is BKT United Rugby Championship, Rugby Football League and TOP 14 rugby.
NHL, IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Champions Hockey League and Elite Ice Hockey League; CEV volleyball; KSW mixed martial arts; EHF handball; ISU figure skating and speed skating; World Athletics Continental Tour Gold and Indoor Tour are other sports found on the service.
2023 PDC European Tour Dates
Baltic Sea Darts Open February 24-26, Wunderino Arena, Kiel, Germany
European Darts Open March 24-26, Ostermann Arena, Leverkusen, Germany
International Darts Open March 31-April 2, Sachsenarena, Riesa, Germany
German Darts Grand Prix April 8-10, Zenith, Munich, Germany
Austrian Darts Open April 21-23, Steiermarkhalle, Graz, Austria
Dutch Darts Championship April 28-30, WTC Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Belgian Darts Open May 5-7, Oktoberhallen, Wieze, Belgium
Czech Darts Open May 12-14, Hala Kralovka, Prague, Czech Republic
European Darts Grand Prix May 26-28, Glaspalast, Sindelfingen, Germany
European Darts Matchplay June 30-July 2, Arena Trier, Germany
German Darts Open September 8-10, Sparkassen-Arena, Jena, Germany
Hungarian Darts Trophy September 22-24, BOK Sportcsarnok, Budapest, Hungary
German Darts Championship October 13-15, Halle 39, Hildesheim, Germany
