Formation:

The Professional Darts Players Association ‘PDPA’ initially formed in the early 1980’s and reconstituted under the auspices of the Sports Industries Federation in 2001.

In these early days the main protagonists being John Lowe, Cliff Lazarenko, Dave Whitcombe and Tony Brown. As the sport was in the early moments of a decline the players from ‘The PDPA’ eventually set up the World Darts Council ‘WDC’ which is now known as the ‘PDC’ to set up and run their own tournaments. The PDPA remained effectively a players union.

Other former board members include, Bob Anderson, Rod Harrington, Dennis Priestley, Andrew Tweedale, Mick Manning, Kevin Spiolek, Chris Sargeant, Steve Beaton, Chris Mason, Jon Archer and David Pomfret.

Initially the provision was for the board to meet on an ad-hoc basis but from 2012 due to the increased progression of the sport, the association moved into full time status. In 2011 the offices moved from the BSAIF in Stoneleigh Park, Leamington Spa to the Enterprise Centre in Carlisle.

The PDPA work in full partnership with The Professional Darts Council ‘PDC’ and the governing body The Darts Regulatory Authority ‘DRA’ The PDPA also joined the ‘Professional Players Federation ‘PPF’ in 2014, which is the national organisation for the professional player associations in the United Kingdom and covers every sport.

Current:

The PDPA is set up to look after the interests of professional players through an annually elected Board, which is headed by Chairman Peter Manley and Chief Executive Alan Warriner-Little . Other board members are: Jacques Nieuwlaat and Andy Scott. The PDPA Secretary Zoe Banks, is based at the PDPA Office in Carlisle.

Its status has changed from a players union to an association working in partnership with the sports promoter ‘PDC’ and its governing body ‘DRA’

Membership of the PDPA is open to all players of the appropriate standard, who now need to first earn a PDC Pro-Tour card at the UK Qualifying School and from 2018 the addition of the European Qualifying School to play full-time on the PDC circuit, with players who fail to win a Tour Card earning Associate Member status and are then eligible to play on the PDC Challenge Tour along with other Qualifying events.

For players aged 16-23 there is also the Development Tour and World Youth Championship:

PDPA Members Tour Card Holders the right to qualify and play in PDC Premier televised tournaments as well as on the PDC Pro-Tour. Some PDC Premier events – including the World Darts Championship, the Grand Slam and World Series have qualifying places which are exclusive to PDC Tour Card Holders.

All PDPA members who play on the Challenge Tour are able to enter Players Championship events on the PDC Pro Tour, these are exclusively for Tour Card Holders but any shortfall in entries can be made up of Associate Members who enter prior to the deadline in order of presedence from the CTOoM Table.

These events are a series of 30 tournaments carrying £75,000 prize money each which are staged throughout the year which work towards qualification for the Players Championship Televised Finals in Minehead.

The 13 European Tour events are open to all Tour Card Holders and the top 32 + Ties on the CTOoM Table as at the time of the entry deadlines for those events.

NOTE: For 2019 with the addition of the European Q-School eligibility to play in European Qualifiers is for anyone who played at the European Q-School.

Membership Fees:

Membership is annual and from 1st January-31st December

• Full Membership: £500 + £50 DRA Fee
• Q-School Membership: £400 + £50 DRA Fee
• Honorary & Directors Membership: FREE
• Day Membership: (For European Qualifiers only, as a supplement to their entry fee with a maximum of 2 in one season, any further entries will be subject to the European Tour Membership criteria)
• 2% levy (From January 2019): As per rules and constitution, all players are subject to a 2% levy on all prize money won at all PDC events.

PDC Events:

• All TV Events: World Championship, World Grand Prix, World Matchplay, Premier League, UK Open, World Series, Champions League, World Cup, Players Championship Finals, Grand Slam of Darts, European Championship, The Masters.
• UK & European Q-School: For any player by virtue of their entry fee
• Players Championship: PDPA Members Only with CTOoM Top Ups
• European Tour: PDPA Members, eligible Associate Members, Day Members.
• Challenge Tour: PDPA Members who didn’t win a Tour Card.

Qualifiers:

• World Championship PDPA Qualifier: Is for PDC Tour Card Holders only
• Grand Slam Qualifier: Is for PDC Tour Card Holders only
• World Series Qualifier: Is for PDC Tour Card Holders only.
• UK Open: Any none Tour Card Holder who does not qualify via the CTOoM is eligible to play in the Rileys Amateur Qualifiers.

Other Events:

• Development Tour: You need to be a PDPA/PDC member, once you have completed 5 events in a season: You have to be aged between 16 – 23 on the 1st of January of that year.
• JDC Academy: You do not need to be a member of the PDPA/PDC: This is for any players under the age of 18, they are the only darts academies endorsed by the PDPA & the PDC.

What we do:

Our aim is to provide true benefits to our members, whilst helping them achieve their ambitions within the professional darts arena, We work fully in partnership with the PDC and the DRA. We provide all the information needed, meet regularly with all networks associated with darts and make sure the rules, regulations and events are fair to every member including:

• Provide a fully functioning website which is both mobile & tablet compatible.
• Provide a fully functioning PDPA Darts APP to help with entry deadlines via notifications, entries and up to date news, race tables and rankings.
• Regular email information on upcoming issues, events and related darts issues.
• Text service to Tour Card Holders for deadlines and news
• A PDPA representative at every PDC floor event, and TV events where applicable.
• Information notices at all PDC Pro-Tour events.
• DRA Advice & Representation. ‘This still needs the players consent to the DRA’
• FREE BUPA Health scan to all Tour Card Holders.
• FREE Sporting Chance availability for any member.
• FREE Sports Wellbeing THRIVE APP.
• LAPS Life After Professional Sport
• PDPA Official Accountant ‘Griffiths & Pegg’
• PDPA Official Solicitor ‘GHW Solicitors’
• PDPA Official Travel Partner ‘Travel Counsellors’
• PDPA Car/Home Insurance ‘Certis Insurance’
• PDPA Hotel Corporate Rates, for the UK.
• PDPA Shuttle Bus to/from events to/from Airports and Hotels in UK.
• FREE Contract advice.
• FREE Professional Markers at Pro-Tour events via the Markers Scheme.
• An event review after every PDC event circulated.
• 24/7 Contact
• Regular PDPA Board Meetings ‘Quarterly’
• PDPA Social Media ‘Twitter & FB’
• Wellbeing Leaflet.
• PDPA Benevolent Fund.
• Signatory for the Mental Health Charter.
• Invest £200,000 back into event prize money.
• Sports Integrity E-Learning Module
• Darts Statistics.
• FREE Dart Connect for Tour Card Holders
• Race Tables for all events.
• Check your medications online.
• Player Education.
• Representation at the PPF ‘Professional Players Federation’ 

Along with these benefits, we meet on a regular basis and communicate daily with the PDC to plan events and prize money, go through all the rules and regulations, players contracts, issues, scenarios, proposals, reviews and everything darts related.

Networking:

• The PDC
• The DRA
• The PPF
• World Snooker
• Sports Minister
• LAPD
• PDC Europe

The PDPA Board

Mr Peter Manley / Chairman

Peter is currently the longest serving PDPA Board member, he started on the PDPA Board in December 2000, and as Chairman from September 2003. Undoubtedly one of the characters of the game, he won The Las Vegas Desert Classic in 2003, and is a former World No1.

• Email: [email protected]
• Mobile: 07932 714229

Mr Alan Warriner-Little / Full Time CEO

Alan joined The PDPA Board in March 2003, and was Vice Chairman from January 2007 until December 2008. He took over the post of CEO in January 2009. Alan has been a professional darts player for over 20 years and his CV speaks for itself.

He is a former World Grand Prix Champion and World No1 and although he did play in the Australian Open in 2010 he no longer plays on the ProTour. He is currently also working for ITV and BBC as a studio pundit and co-commentator. Alan is also currently the acting company secretary.

• Email: [email protected]
• Mobile: 07798 693998

Mr Andy Scott / Director, Tables and Statistics

Andy has been on the board of The PDPA since 04th November 2004, he attends events as a non-player, and looks after the PDC ranking tables.

• Email: [email protected]

Mr Jacques Nieuwlaat / Director / European Delegate

Jacques joined the PDPA Board in September 2011 as our European Delegate and contact for European members for issues related to or important to European Players.

• Email: [email protected]

Mrs Zoe Banks PDPA Secretary / Admin Support

• Email: [email protected]
• Tel: +44 (0) 1228 594273

Membership Enquiries

• PDPA Office: The PDPA, Unit 34, Carlisle Enterprise Centre, James Street, Carlise, Cumbria, CA2 5BB, UK:
• Tel: +44 (0) 1228 594273
• Mobile: +44 (0) 79464 78718
• Email: [email protected]
  
• Twitter @Pdpa_darts
  
• Facebook @PDPA.darts
• Office hours Monday to Friday 10.00 to 16.00
• Out of office hours via email, mobile and DM on Social Media.

PDPA Photographer

Chris Sargeant
Email: [email protected]