The PDC has unveiled a major overhaul to next year’s darts calendar, including six new ranking events.
All 128 PDC Tour Card holders will be eligible to compete in 34 Players Championship events, up from the previous 30.
The European Tour has also seen an additional event, taking the total up to 14.
The biggest news is the introduction of a new ranking major.
The Masters was introduced in 2013 and was seen as the curtain raiser to the PDC season.
It has been unranked since its inception, but that will change from 2025, and the field will be expanded to 32 players.
How do players qualify for the newly ranked PDC Masters?
It remains unclear what the qualification criteria will be.
Previously, the top 24 players in the world rankings would book their place in Milton Keynes.
It’s possible next year will be similar, with the world’s top 32 battling it out for the season’s first major.
This, however, will likely face criticism as it creates a further divide between the game’s elite and those lower ranked.
Another option is to offer a number of spots for PDPA Qualifiers, similar to the Grand Slam of Darts and World Championship.
This would give tour card holders a chance to compete for big prize money if they fail to qualify through their world ranking.
Expanded events highlight the darts boom
Darts has steadily grown more popular year on year since the turn of the century.
This has been accelerated with the arrival of Luke Littler who captivated the nation with his historic run to the World Championship final.
Sky Sports commentator Dan Dawson speculates that the addition of five ranked events and the expansion of the Masters will likely contribute an additional £1 million in prize money.
This figure will likely increase in the coming years as the sport grows and attracts new players to darts.
The future is bright.