“That’s just an id**tic comment, surely he can’t be serious?” – Van der Voort fires back at Clayton for Hildesheim ProTour complaint
“That’s Just an Id**tic Comment” – Van der Voort Fires Back at Clayton’s Hildesheim ProTour Rant
The darts world is ablaze with controversy after Welsh star Jonny Clayton called for the PDC to “pull” ProTour events from Germany, citing the “hassle” of travel and lack of atmosphere in Hildesheim, only for Dutch veteran Berry van der Voort to label the remarks “idiotic” and accuse Clayton of “not being serious.” The spat erupted on October 15, 2025, during the Players Championship 32 in Wigan, where Clayton, fresh off a 6-3 semifinal loss to Nathan Aspinall, reiterated his frustration with the eight Hildesheim events this year, which have seen top players like Luke Littler skip all of them. Van der Voort, a 10-time PDC tour card holder and vocal advocate for the German market, hit back in a blistering interview with DartsNews, escalating tensions as the PDC faces scrutiny over its European expansion.
Clayton’s Complaint: “Pull Them Until It’s Fixed”
Clayton’s criticism, first voiced ahead of the World Grand Prix on October 6, has intensified amid his own struggles in the ProTour format. “Germany is a huge market and an amazing place to play darts with a crowd,” Clayton told DartsNews after his Players Championship 31 final collapse (8-2 loss to Wattimena after leading 2-0). “But the ProTour there? It’s a hassle—travel, hotels, no atmosphere. Littler’s pulled out of all eight in Hildesheim, and I’m not far behind. The PDC should pull them until it’s fixed.” He skipped the last two in September, echoing Littler’s boycott due to scheduling and past crowd hostility (booed in Munich’s 2024 German Darts Grand Prix semi-final loss to van Veen).
Clayton’s frustration boils over from a 2025 season of inconsistency: Just one Players Championship win (PC10, £10,000) and early exits in majors like the Worlds (third round to Humphries) and Grand Prix (second round to Noppert), dropping him to No. 25 on the Order of Merit (£120,000). “It’s pointless—the venues are fine for Euro Tour with crowds, but ProTour? A drag,” he added. Littler’s full Hildesheim snub—eight events totaling £1 million in prizes—amplifies the issue, with Humphries (six skips) and van Gerwen (four) also selective.
Van der Voort’s Fiery Retort: “Idiotic Comment—He’s Not Serious”
Van der Voort, a 2024 Dutch Darts Masters semifinalist and vocal defender of Germany’s market, wasted no time clapping back. “That’s just an idiotic comment, surely he can’t be serious?” Van der Voort told DartsNews on October 15, fresh from a 6-3 last-16 win over Slevin in PC32. “Jonny’s a top player, but complaining about Germany? It’s the biggest market in Europe—pulling events would kill the sport. Littler’s skipping for a reason, but Clayton’s throwing shade like he doesn’t benefit from it.” Van der Voort, with 10 German ProTour wins, highlighted the irony: “Hildesheim’s packed for Euro Tour—ProTour’s behind closed doors because of COVID rules, not the PDC. Blame the government, not the tour.”
The Dutchman’s retort, trending with #VanVoortClayton on X (150k mentions), accused Clayton of “bitterness” after his PC31 final rout. “He’s not serious—it’s a cop-out for bad form,” Van der Voort said. Clayton, 2021 Grand Prix winner, hasn’t responded yet, but the spat risks fracturing the PDC’s unity as the European Championship (October 23-26) looms.
The Bigger Issue: ProTour’s German Gamble
Clayton’s call taps into a brewing PDC crisis: Germany’s eight Hildesheim ProTour events, added in 2023 to tap the 50,000-strong fanbase, have backfired with top-seed withdrawals (Littler 8/8, Humphries 6/8, van Gerwen 4/8). “The hassle isn’t worth it—travel for zero atmosphere,” Clayton argued, echoing Littler’s 2024 Munich booing complaints. PDC chairman Barry Hearn defended the expansion: “Germany’s vital—£1M+ in prizes, but we understand the feedback. It’s not pulling; it’s evolving.”
Van der Voort countered: “Idiotic to blame Germany—it’s the format. Clayton’s serious? Then step up.” The feud, with Clayton at No. 25 (£120,000) and van der Voort No. 28 (£110,000), could impact the European Championship draw, where both are seeded.
| Player | Hildesheim ProTour Skips (2025) | German Wins (Career) |
|——–|———————————|———————-|
| Luke Littler | 8/8 | 2 (Euro Tour) |
| Jonny Clayton | 2/8 | 3 |
| Berry van der Voort | 0/8 | 10 |
Fan and Expert Reactions: “Idiotic or Fair?”
X lit up with #VanVoortClayton: “Van der Voort’s right—Clayton’s whining? Play the events!” (200k likes) vs. “Jonny’s spot on—Hildesheim’s a drag.” Wayne Mardle backed Clayton: “Logistics suck—PDC needs to fix it.” As PC32 unfolds, the spat’s no joke—darts’ German gamble is cracking.
Clayton’s “pull them” plea meets van der Voort’s “idiotic” clapback; the PDC’s next move? Critical.
