Should Premier League Darts Introduce a Reserve Player to Replace Withdrawn Competitors?

The recent withdrawal of Gian van Veen from a Premier League Darts event due to health issues has sparked debate about introducing a reserve player to replace absent competitors. Van Veen's absence allowed his opponent, Michael van Gerwen, to receive a bye to the semi-finals and earn two league points, highlighting the potential unfairness of the current system. Van Veen, a World Championship finalist, had been struggling with fatigue and low energy levels after undergoing surgery to remove kidney stones. Despite his condition, he participated in the following event in Berlin, where he was defeated by Gerwyn Price. The discussion around the Premier League format has been reignited, with some arguing that a 'Contenders' and 'Challengers' concept, first introduced in 2019, should be reintroduced to maintain the structure of the evening. This concept allowed local players to participate in a one-night event, providing memorable moments in Premier League history. However, Welshman Gerwyn Price believes that introducing a reserve player would be unfair to the competing players. 'Every player is a different standard, and one person could play Fallon Sherrock, someone could play Chris Dobey, someone could play Luke Humphries, like I did,' he said. Former Lakeside champion Mark Webster described the idea as 'tricky' but acknowledged that a shoulder injury cost Michael van Gerwen a Play-Off spot last year. 'I get the idea, but I just don't know how you do it,' he said. 'Who you get and obviously the players are going to be of a different level to say Gian [when he pulled out in Dublin]. It's not an equal contest anyway, so it's tricky.' Laura Turner added that the introduction of a reserve player raises questions about fairness and balance. 'We used to have 'Challengers' and 'Contenders' so when you're playing someone different each week, is it fair? Is it balanced? If that player then beats you and goes on to win the night, does that then transfer into points or do they just play an exhibition-type match?' William O'Connor, who was selected as a 'Challenger' for an iconic 2020 Premier League night in Dublin, believes that having a local reserve player would be a good idea. 'It makes sense not to have a bye. Whether there's points on the line or not, at least fill the void for the crowd and have a home player to give everyone something to cheer about. Makes sense to me.' The BetMGM Premier League season continues with Night Nine in Manchester next Thursday, with world No 1 Luke Littler pursuing his fourth nightly crown against Van Veen. The top four players will progress to Finals Night at The O2 in London on Thursday, May 28.