THE Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts, Britain's biggest indoor sporting event, will make its debut at The O2 arena in London for the 2010 tournament in one of 15 thrilling nights of darts staged across the UK.
Over 75,000 fans saw the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts, completing the event's progression into the country's largest indoor sporting event in just five seasons.
That number is set to increase next year, with over 10,000 tickets going on sale for The O2 arena kick-off on February 11 - which would be the biggest crowd in the sport's modern era.
The Liverpool Echo Arena, Belfast's Odyssey Arena and the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester all hold up to 8,000 fans to see the world's best darts players.
"To be able to stage the opening league night of the 2010 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts at the world-famous O2 arena in London shows not only the popularity of the tournament but also the appetite for PDC darts," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.
"This tournament has grown each year since 2005, when only 600 fans attended the first league night in Stoke.
"To now be able to host over 10,000 fans at The O2 arena as well as crowds of up to 8,000 at the UK's other top indoor venues is a massive statement for the sport.
"No other indoor sport is able to match the excitement and value for money offered by the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts, which will travel to all four corners of the UK over three months."
This year, the £400,000 tournament also returns to the BIC in Bournemouth, which previously hosted sold-out Premier League Darts in 2006 and 2007.
Following the visits to The O2 arena and BIC in Bournemouth, the tournament moves on to the Odyssey Arena in Belfast and then to Exeter's Westpoint Arena.
Visits to the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, Brighton Centre and the NIA in Birmingham complete the first half of the 14-week league phase.
Cardiff's CIA, the SECC in Glasgow and Sheffield Arena continue the UK-wide tour, before the Liverpool Echo Arena, AECC in Aberdeen, Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle and Trent FM Arena in Nottingham host the remaining league nights.
The top four players from the eight-man league table will then progress to the play-offs, which will be held at the Wembley Arena on Sunday May 23.
All nights are screened live on Sky Sports and will start at 7pm, and feature the world's top six players, following the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, alongside two Wildcard selections.
Reigning champion James Wade, who overcame Mervyn King to lift the title at Wembley in May, will defend his title in the tournament, while four-time winner Phil "The Power" Taylor and Holland's Raymond van Barneveld will also compete.
King and Terry Jenkins, the 2007 runner-up, are also likely to maintain their position within the top six of the PDC's Order of Merit, but players such as Dennis Priestley, Ronnie Baxter and UK Open finalist Colin Osborne are all fighting for a spot going into the autumn's major tournaments.
The 2010 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts will again boast £400,000 prize money, including £125,000 to the eventual champion.
Tickets, priced at £30 for floor seats and £20 for tiered seats, will go on sale at 11am on Tuesday September 1 to Annual Subscribers to the PDCtv service at the PDC's official website, www.pdc.tv (open to all annual subscribers as at midnight on Thursday August 27).
Tickets will then go on general sale from Monday September 7.
Tickets for all venues in the priority sales period will only be available via SeeTickets, and can be purchased from 11am on Tuesday September 1 on 0871 220 0260 or via www.seetickets.com/premierleaguedarts.
Tickets are limited to six per person. A family enclosure and disabled tickets are also available at each venue.
2010 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts - Dates & Box Office Numbers
| Feb 11 | The O2, London | 0844 856 0202 www.theo2.co.uk |
| Feb 18 | BIC, Bournemouth | 0844 576 3000 www.bic.co.uk |
| Feb 25 | Odyssey Arena, Belfast | 02890 739 074 0844 277 4455 (Ticketmaster) www.odysseyarena.com |
| Mar 4 | Westpoint Arena, Exeter | 08444 99 99 55 www.ticketzone.co.uk |
| Mar 11 | M.E.N. Arena | 0844 847 8000 www.men-arena.com |
| Mar 18 | Brighton Centre | 0844 847 1515 www.brightoncentre.co.uk |
| Mar 25 | NIA, Birmingham | 0844 338 8000 www.theticketfactory.com |
| Apr 1 | CIA, Cardiff | 02920 22 44 88 www.livenation.co.uk |
| Apr 8 | SECC, Glasgow | 0844 395 4000 www.ticketSOUP.com |
| Apr 15 | Sheffield Arena | 0114 256 5656 www.sheffieldarena.co.uk |
| Apr 22 | Liverpool Echo Arena | 0844 8000 400 www.echoarena.com |
| Apr 29 | AECC, Aberdeen | 08444 77 9000 www.aecc.co.uk |
| May 6 | Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle | 0844 493 6666 www.metroradioarena.co.uk |
| May 13 | Trent FM Arena, Nottingham | 08444 124 624 www.trentfmarenanottingham.com |
| Play-Offs | ||
| May 23 | Wembley Arena | 0844 815 0 815 www.wembleyarena.co.uk |
Tickets for venues where the Box Office is operated by Ticketmaster can also be booked via this link
2010 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Terms & Conditions of Ticket Sales
* For the pre-sale period, Annual Subscribers must have an active subscription at midnight on Thursday August 27 to qualify for this offer.
* Please note that all tickets may be subject to a booking fee and/or service charge.
* No football colours will be allowed into the venue.
* The PDC reserves the right of admission.
* Customers are respectfully requested to behave in an orderly manner at all times.
* Drunkenness will not be tolerated & perpetrators will be asked to leave the premises.
* Please do not shout out whilst the players are throwing.
* Session times are subject to change and the PDC will make every effort to give as much notice as possible should this be unavoidable. Please check with the Box Office or visit www.pdc.tv for any changes.
* Ticket holders are requested to take their seats at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the event. The PDC reserves the right to fill any seat after this time.
* The Broadcast may contain strobe lighting and smoke effects. Any person who may be adversely affected by such effects should take notice and take appropriate action.
*No tickets are to be re-sold at a greater price than the face value on the ticket. Any persons attempting to do so will have those tickets made void.
* Any spectators are reminded that the writing of any message deemed offensive or inflammatory on 180 cards or similar will lead to perpetrators being asked to leave the premises.
* Please note the use of flash photography is expressly barred as is any filming of the event for any purpose.
* Mobile phones should be switched off by all customers when in the main auditorium.