'He takes it really seriously, like he's auditioning for American Idol' - Van der Voort laughs at singing Van Barneveld in America

In the latest episode of Sportnieuws.nl’s podcast Darts Draait Door, Damian Vlottes and Vincent van der Voort delved into a wide range of topics – from the sudden demise of the World Seniors Darts Tour to Michael van Gerwen’s defining six months ahead. They also touched on Raymond van Barneveld’s recent trip to the United States and the current state of the Pro Tour.

The End of the World Seniors Tour

The biggest headline of the week came with confirmation that the World Seniors Darts Tour has ceased operations with immediate effect. For Van der Voort, the news was no surprise.

“I knew for a while that it wasn’t producing enough,” said the Dutchman. “It was a lot of work, with no TV station behind it and not enough sponsorship. It just didn’t catch on enough.”

The tour gave legends such as Bob Anderson, Phil Taylor and Robert Thornton a chance to shine again, though it often led to uneven competition. As Vlottes pointed out, Anderson could hardly compete with players like Thornton, who remained active on the Challenge Tour.

Van der Voort believes that was a fundamental flaw. “I think this concept would work better in ten, fifteen years. Then you’ll have a generation that is closer together in terms of level. Now you still saw players like Anderson and Taylor who actually couldn’t compete anymore, while names like Thornton and maybe soon Wrig ht and Anderson (Gary) could still compete at the highest level.”

With the age limit set at 45, even Johnny Clayton was already eligible. “Clayton has passed 50 by now,” Van der Voort remarked. “Gerwyn Price didn’t have to wait long either.”

The Seniors Tour did provide memorable stories, with players such as Ritchie Howson making their mark. But the closure leaves a bitter taste. “For those guys, it sours. Howson really broke through on that tour. And of course Ross Montgomery, who still cynically said that the wrong people became champions – referring to himself. But yes, then you do draw it very much to yourself.”

Michael van Gerwen: Six Months to Define a Career

Attention then turned to Michael van Gerwen, who Van der Voort believes faces the most crucial six months of his career following a difficult spell of injuries and personal setbacks.

“He’s had his vacations, attended festivals with Martin Garrix and Nicky Romero, but now it’s done. He is already back in full training and knows that a crucial six months is coming,” Van der Voort explained.

But the three-time world champion still has a big question to answer. “You can train and throw all you want, but playing a game is totally different. Now we have to see if he still has that hunger. Do you really want to smash everyone again, or are you just saying you want to? We’re going to see that over the next few months.”

Scheduling is also a challenge. Having skipped many Players Championship events, Van Gerwen is at risk of falling behind on the Pro Tour rankings.

“Michael has only played nine tournaments and has not performed well there ei ther,” Van der Voort noted. “For him it is now really important to get good results, especially in weeks when other top players skip.”

Barney and Wattimena Bring Darts to Orlando

Meanwhile, Raymond van Barneveld and Jermaine Wattimena travelled to Orlando for a series of exhibition matches. Away from the oche, it offered another glimpse of Van Barneveld’s personality.

“You only see Raymond the darter,” said Van der Voort. “Outside of that, though, he’s someone who loves going on trips. Then he’ll complain about it afterwards, but he really enjoys going somewhere.”

On social media, the Dutch duo were seen trying out different formats, from cricket to pairs, with regular referee Owen Binks capturing everything on his phone. “He filmed pretty much everything they did. At a certain point you get sick to death of that when someone is with his phone all the time...,” Van der Voort joked.

Barney even embraced his musical side, belting out his walk-on song, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. “It’s actually meant to be funny, but he takes it SO seriously. It’s like he’s doing an audition for Idols,” Van der Voort said with a grin. “That’s how it comes across. I think that’s kind of funny to see.”