Barry Hearn has warned leading darts players that regularly skipping tournaments could eventually cost them their position among the sport’s elite.
Reigning world champion Luke Littler currently sits at the top of the PDC Order of Merit, which is determined by prize money won. The two-time Alexandra Palace champion has already made history by becoming the first player to surpass £3 million in career prize money.
However, Littler has recently missed several events, including a number of European and Players Championship tournaments, leading to criticism from some figures within the sport.
Vincent van der Voort recently discussed the issue on his Darts Draait Door podcast, also pointing to the limited participation of players such as Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall and Gerwyn Price.
PDC chairman and Matchroom Sport president Barry Hearn has now addressed the issue and believes the current ranking system naturally punishes players who miss too many tournaments.
Speaking to Online Darts, Hearn defended the system, explaining that rankings based on prize money mean players risk sliding down the table if they fail to compete regularly.
Hearn says prize money will create more pressure
Hearn believes the recent increases in prize money will make the rankings even more competitive and unpredictable.
He pointed to players such as Peter Wright and Michael Smith, who have seen their positions affected by periods of injury or missed opportunities.
According to Hearn, the system is designed to encourage top players to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible rather than sitting out too many events.
He admitted that while losing big names from tournaments is not ideal, he is actually pleased when established players miss Pro Tour events because it creates opportunities for others.
European Tour withdrawals remain a concern
Hearn was also questioned about the European Tour, where fans often purchase tickets expecting to see some of the biggest names in darts.
He acknowledged that late withdrawals from headline players are a genuine problem and suggested that increasing prize money could be part of the solution.
Hearn explained that top-seeded invited players already receive prize money if they lose their opening match, although that payment does not count towards the rankings.
He believes offering greater financial rewards could provide an even stronger incentive for players to compete.
Top players could risk major tournaments
Hearn issued a blunt warning to players who repeatedly pull out of events.
Missing tournaments could eventually see a player fall far enough down the rankings to lose automatic qualification for major competitions such as the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix and Grand Slam.
In the worst-case scenario, Hearn warned that continued absences could even put a player’s PDC Tour Card at risk.
He also suggested that players who regularly skip tournaments should not expect to receive invitations to World Series events.
His message was clear: if a player wants to be treated as one of the sport’s biggest stars, they also have responsibilities to the game.
Littler facing race against time
Littler’s situation is particularly interesting.
The 2026 world champion has enjoyed a remarkable season, winning the World Championship, UK Open, Premier League, Masters and World Matchplay.
However, he has yet to compete in a Players Championship event this year.
With further Players Championship tournaments still to come before the finals in Minehead in November, Littler currently has no prize money on the relevant Order of Merit.
That leaves him roughly £25,000 behind the current qualification mark held by Martin Schindler, meaning the teenager could face a race against time if he wants to qualify for the 64-player finals.
Hearn’s warning suggests that even the biggest stars cannot afford to take too many tournaments for granted as the PDC continues to increase the financial rewards on offer.
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