HEARN BRUSHES OFF CALLS TO CHANGE PREMIER LEAGUE FORMAT
08/06/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
BARRY HEARN has backed the current Premier League format after another season of packed arenas.
Under the existing structure, the competition’s eight stars face each other repeatedly across 16 weeks, with nightly knockout tournaments deciding a winner every Thursday.
While some fans have grown frustrated by the recurring match-ups, the PDC chairman believes the tournament’s continued popularity shows there is little reason for change.
He told HLN: “Every year we carry out a review, and we’ll do that now as well.
“But if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
The major event once again attracted huge crowds across Europe in 2026, with the roadshow continuing to sell out stadiums wherever it went.
According to Hearn, 98.2 per cent of all available tickets were sold during this year’s competition.
He added: “That’s incredible. Of course you see an empty seat here and there, but virtually everywhere the arenas were full.
“That shows that fans are still turning out in force to watch these players.
“Darts keeps growing, and that’s why we always look at how we can improve our events.
“The Premier League may change one day, but first we’re going to assess everything calmly.”
The sport’s continued growth was on display earlier this year when the weekly roadshow visited Belgium for the first time.
Over 10,000 fans packed out the AFAS Dome to create one of the loudest atmospheres of the season.
Hearn continued: “I’m absolutely delighted we came to Antwerp.
“It had been a dream for years to bring the Premier League there, and the crowd made that night unforgettable.”
The veteran promoter believes producing stars from more nations will be key to darts’ future success.
He said: “People want to see players from their own country succeed.
“That’s what makes sport special.
“I hope that in the future we’ll have major winners from all the countries where darts is popular, including from the Netherlands and Belgium.”
