THE PDC are delighted to announce that the success of the Youth Tour over the past two years has led to the expansion of the circuit into the Challenge Tour for players aged 25 and under.
The PDC introduced the Youth Tour in 2011, with the initial series of events which had been held alongside ProTour weekends expanded last year to include three tournaments on stand-alone weekends.
Following the huge success of the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour, the concept will be renamed as the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour from 2013, with the age limit amended to allow players aged from 14-25 to compete.
Players will be able to play from the day they turn 14, with an upper age limit of being 25 on January 1 2013. Players aged 25 at this time are eligible to compete in all 2013 events. Players aged from 14-16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at events.
However, players who are inside the top 64 of the PDC Order of Merit will not be eligible to compete in Challenge Tour events, meaning that more established players who have progressed onto the PDC ProTour continue their emergence on the full PDC circuit.
Five weekends have currently been confirmed for the 2013 Challenge Tour, with each weekend to feature three events, with two being played on Saturday and one on the Sunday.
Entry will cost £30 per event, with £3,000 prize money per event paid out, including £500 to the winner.
"We've been delighted with the success of the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour and the World Youth Championship in the last couple of years and feel this is a natural progression," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.
"The PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour is intended to provide a pathway for ambitious young players onto the PDC ProTour as they challenge to reach the very top of our sport.
"With £5 million prize money available annually on the PDC circuit, this is the place to be for any player who has the talent and hunger to be the next Phil Taylor."
The Challenge Tour, along with the World Youth Championship, will continue to be sponsored by Unicorn Products Ltd in 2013.
"We're delighted to see the PDC broadening the appeal and pathway for younger players by expanding the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour to include players up to 25 years of age," said Edward Lowy, the Managing Director of Unicorn Products Ltd.
"This is quite the right thing to do to give younger players a professional environment for honing their skills and matchplay abilities before graduating to the full blown PDC Pro Tour.
"We're proud to support the stars of the future through the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour and PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship."
The PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship will continue as a stand-alone event for players aged 21 and under, with this year's Last 64 to be held on Friday March 22 in Barnsley before the final takes place during the McCoy's Premier League Darts Play-Offs on Thursday May 16 at The O2 in London.
PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour
Weekend One
March 23-24
Barnsley Metrodome
Plus World Youth Championship Last 64 on Friday March 22
Weekend Two
April 20-21
Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan
Weekend Three
May 11-12
Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan
Weekend Four
July 13-14
Barnsley Metrodome
Weekend Five
September 28-29
K2 Centre, Crawley
Dates & venue for one further weekend TBC.
Prize Money Breakdown
Winner £500
Runner-Up £300
Semi-Finalists £200
Quarter-Finalists £100
Last 16 £75
Last 32 £50
Total: £3,000