'None of us know actually know what they do' - Florian Hempel heavily scolds PDPA

Florian Hempel didn't mince words during his recent appearance on Elmar Paulke’s Game On podcast. The German Tour Card holder spoke candidly about the Professional Darts Players Association (PDPA), offering sharp criticism of the organisation’s current role and visibility—prompted in part by Joe Cullen’s recent public questioning of the PDPA’s purpose.

“None of us 128 Tour Card holders actually know what they do,” Hempel said. The 33-year-old, currently ranked 52nd in the world, added bluntly: “If Joe Cullen, who’s been in the game for 15 years, doesn’t know what they do—then I certainly don’t either.”

Mandatory Contributions, But to What End?

As of 2026, the PDPA is set to receive £750,000 annually, funded by a compulsory levy of two percent from every player’s prize money. This amount is deducted automatically before payments are issued. For many, including Hempel, the benefits of this contribution remain unclear.

“There are always a few guys from the PDPA around—like Peter Manley or Jamie Caven,” he remarked. “Former players who seem to have landed a post-career role, just so they don’t need to find other work. At least, that’s how it feels.”

Vague Responsibilities, Limited Contact

Hempel also questioned the specific duties of PDPA representatives. “They each seem to have some small job, but none of them appear to have any real responsibilities,” he said. “Jamie Caven just sits behind a laptop typing things in. He comes around once a year to talk to us, but it’s never clear what it's about—and it’s never much.”

The former handball player recalled one instance involving Manley: “Peter Manley once scolded me for posting something on Twitter that he thought was inappropriate. It was about a situation involving Mike de Decker. And I thought to myself—Peter Manley, the biggest bully darts has ever seen, is telling me what I can and can’t post online. The irony was rich,” Hempel added with a laugh.

Paulke: “Time for Modernization”

Podcast host Elmar Paulke echoed Hempel’s concerns. “There used to be meaningful initiatives—mental coaches, sports psychologists. Now, I find myself asking: what exactly do they do?”

Paulke shared a specific example: “Andy [Scott] sends me an Excel file with the updated Order of Merit after every Pro Tour and Development Tour event. But I’ve already seen the live rankings two days earlier. Why are we still doing this in 2025?”

From Hempel’s perspective, communication is another weak spot. “Sometimes I get emails from the PDC, sometimes I don’t. I never get consistent updates after every event. Maybe I’m not even on all the mailing lists. Perhaps a portion of that £750,000 should go into modernising operations,” he suggested. “Even the website is a mess—I click on it, and I close it straight away.”

No Comparison to Tennis

Paulke pointed to the ATP in tennis as a more transparent model. There, players’ union contributions fund services like a retirement plan—structured in a way where benefits are proportional to what each player pays in. “At least in tennis, you know exactly what your money is going toward,” Paulke noted. “In darts, we don’t have that clarity.”

“Like Church Tax” – A Call for Change

The PDPA levy was compared to a church tax in the podcast—mandatory and largely opaque in its purpose. Hempel closed with a pointed reflection: “The players who run the PDPA are also the ones who helped found the PDC. That leaves a bit of a bad taste. I don’t know what the bylaws are, but I hope that Joe Cullen’s criticism triggers a much-needed fresh start for the PDPA.”