Van Veen: Rock Expects Hostile Belfast Welcome | Premier League Darts 2024
Belfast is bracing for a potentially hostile reception for Dutch dartist Niels Zaine Van Veen when the leg of the Premier League Darts arrives in the city. Veteran player Gary Anderson, known as ‘The Flying Scotsman’, anticipates a challenging atmosphere for the 23-year-old, who is making his debut in the competition.
Van Veen’s rapid ascent in the sport has been remarkable. He reached the World Championship final in January and secured the European Championship title in , building on back-to-back World Youth Championship victories. However, Anderson believes this success won’t shield him from the passionate, and potentially partisan, Northern Irish crowd.
“It happened to me when we played in Holland last year,” Anderson said, recalling a similar experience with a hostile audience. “I would be surprised if he didn’t get booed, but I think he will get booed the whole game. Van Veen has coped with the crowds and I think he will be OK. It will be very, very loud. We haven’t had a Northern Irish player since [Daryl Gurney] so hopefully it’ll all come good.”
The Premier League Darts has already delivered an unpredictable start to its season, with three different players claiming victory in the opening three nights. Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, and Jonny Clayton have each secured a win during the league phase’s initial stages. This early variety in winners contrasts with the dominance seen in major tournaments, where Luke Littler and Luke Humphries have recently emerged as frontrunners.
Anderson highlighted the distinction between the Premier League format and the larger, more prestigious major championships. “It’s good to see different winners, but the Premier League is a lot different to majors,” he explained. “The first major of the year Luke Littler won it, shock. Who was in the final? Luke Humphries. When it comes to the ranking majors, it is hard to look past the two Lukes then everyone else when in the Premier League.”
The current landscape of professional darts is increasingly defined by the emergence of young talent, exemplified by Littler’s breakthrough success. His victory in a major tournament earlier this year signaled a shift in the competitive dynamic, challenging the established order of players like van Gerwen and Price. However, Anderson suggests that the consistency and resilience required to excel in the weekly grind of the Premier League present a different set of challenges.
The Premier League Darts format itself contributes to this unique dynamic. Each night features a knockout bracket, with players guaranteed to face each other in the quarter-finals throughout the first seven weeks, and again in weeks 9-15. Weeks 8 and 16 utilize a draw based on league standings. Players accumulate points based on their performance – two points for reaching the semi-finals, three for finishing as runner-up, and five for winning the night. This points-based system, culminating in a play-off for the top four players, demands sustained performance over the 16-week league phase.
The play-offs are scheduled for at the O2 Arena, promising a thrilling conclusion to the season. The competition has already seen notable moments, including nine-dart finishes from both Gerwyn Price and Luke Littler. Littler’s achievement was particularly significant, marking his first major title and making him the youngest player to accomplish such a feat in a Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tournament.
The 2024 edition of the Premier League Darts, sponsored by BetMGM, saw Luke Littler ultimately triumph, defeating Luke Humphries 11-7 in the final. This victory followed Humphries’ semi-final win over defending champion Michael van Gerwen, who had previously defeated Gerwyn Price in the 2023 final. The tournament, which began on , and concluded on , at the O2 Arena in London, showcased the growing depth of talent within the PDC.
As the Premier League Darts heads to Belfast, the focus will be not only on the competition itself but also on the atmosphere created by the passionate Northern Irish fans. Van Veen will need to draw on his experience and composure to navigate the potentially hostile environment and establish himself as a contender in this highly competitive league.