JAMES WADE slammed two picks for the Premier League as “about something bigger than darts”.
And he also hit out as “idiots” in the crowd at the UK Open.
AFPThe 2024 Premier League line-up caused a stir[/caption]
X @DartsNow_James Wade hit out at two of the picks[/caption]
Wade, 41, beat Cameron Menzies and Rob Owen on Saturday to set up a quarter-final with Luke Humphries at Butlin’s Minehead.
But despite his victories, he was not in the best mood as he hit out the eight-man selection for the 2024 Premier League.
Last year’s line-up consists of Michael van Gerwen, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall, Michael Smith, Peter Wright, then-world champ Humphries and Ally Pally runner-up Luke Littler.
Littler won the event on his debut, beating fellow newbie Humphries in the final.
For 2025, Chris Dobey and Stephen Bunting came in for Michael Smith and Peter Wright while Jonny Clayton, Damon Heta and Dave Chisnall all missed out – despite being ranked in the top ten.
Wade won the event in 2009, one of his 12 appearances between 2008 and 2022.
And the world No14 has his theories as to why certain individuals make the cut and others don’t.
Wade said: “I want to be back in the Premier League and I think I will be back in the Premier League in the next 12 months.
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“But I’ve got to do something drastic to earn that and justify that.
“I’m not going to get what some players get by a dust-off and an invitation. I’ve got to stamp my rights down. I am capable of it, 100 per cent.
“I screwed up last year, I think the Premier League was open for a lot of players.
“I think two players that got in were probably because they are part of something that’s bigger than darts.
“But I think if I’d had a good World Championships, which I haven’t had for three years, I would have had a real good chance of getting in.
“No one gave the PDC or Sky any other reason than to put two guys who controversially should or shouldn’t have been in it.”
Wade also took a pop at some members of the Butlin’s crowd – cheekily suggesting they may have had one too many fizzy drinks.
He added: “Idiots in my opinion. It’s not about darts then, it’s about people in the crowd being a little bit silly and a bit over-ostentatious.
“Too many lemonades, probably too many bubbles in the lemonades. Just a bit silly.
“That’s the way it is. It tends to be that kind of person and those kinds of people who cheer on those players. A bit silly, a bit selfish, bit stupid.”
GettyLuke Littler won the event on his debut[/caption]
Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues
Night 1 – Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 – Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 – Dublin: Price beat Aspinall 6-3
Night 4 – Exeter: Humphries beat Littler 6-4
Night 5 – The Brighton Centre – Thursday March 6
Night 6 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 13
Night 7 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff – Thursday March 20
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29
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