Weekender: Bullseye for Grand Slam of Darts

Tickets for the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton are flying out the door, with organisers saying that there’s already been a 10% increase on the number sold this year than last.

The event, usually held at the Civic Hall, has been moved to Aldersley Leisure Village this year as the hall undergoes a £38m revamp.

The event, held from November 9-17, is reportedly watched by people in more than 130 countries across the globe.

32 players from both the PDC and BDO systems will compete across nine days at the tournament. Last year it was won in 2018 by Gerwyn Price, a former rugby player from Wales who has made his mark in a new sport.

Televised by Sky Sports, it sees the 32 players split into eight groups to whittle down the players over the opening four days.

The top two players from each group then progress to the knockout stages before the tournament concludes with the semi-finals and final on Sunday, November 17.

PDC World Champion Michael van Gerwen, new UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall, Players Championship Finals winner Daryl Gurney and World Youth Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh have all qualified for November’s event.

City of Wolverhampton Council Visitor Economy Manager, Crissie Rushton, said: “With the Civic Hall closed for renovation, we were determined to keep high-profile events in the city.

“Both the council and PDC were delighted with how well the tournament took to its new venue at Aldersley last year. The customer feedback from the fans was great, with people enjoying the bigger venue and the atmosphere.

“The Grand Slam of Darts makes a big contribution to the local economy and puts City of Wolverhampton on the map, as it is watched in over 130 countries across every continent.

“The initial sales figures for this year’s tournament are hugely encouraging and I would urge everyone to snap up a ticket to enjoy one of the best global sporting events in the calendar.”