Barry Hearn questions the BDO role and reveals Grand Slam selection up for review

Barry Hearn says the Grand Slam of Darts of selection process will be up for review at the next PDC board meeting as doubts continue about the future of the BDO.

The tournament, which was first established in 2007 has become an instant hit with a mixture of PDC and BDO players and more recently the very best from the women's game.

Three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant reached the semi-final this year but has spent the year as a PDC player having earned his Tour card in January and Scott Waites is the only man to have won the tournament as a representative of the organisation.

However with doubts about the BDO's future gathering pace, alongside an increasing gulf between the two organisations on the oche as well as off it, Hearn issued a stinging reality check that included a review of the Grand Slam selection process.

"It won't surprise you to know its on our next board meeting; to review the Grand Slam selection process," Hearn exclusively told the Darts Show podcast.

"The problems that the BDO have got have been well monitored, they are inevitably having a tough time but I think there is still a way forward for them but they have to alter their attitude and make it clear that they're concentrating on amateur darts.

"If you're going to try and compare like with like then they're always going to come out second best and that's not going to do them any good with TV, sponsors, and players.

"You can't be stuck in yesterday because the world moves on."

In a wide-ranging interview Hearn also praised the impact of Grand Slam winner Gerwyn Price as well as the whole event, which has grown from strength to strength.

Price produced the performance of his life to defeat Michael van Gerwen and then Peter Wright to retain the Grand Slam title in incredible fashion on a special Sunday.

Having defeated Gary Anderson in a controversial final 12 months ago, Price turned jeers to cheers on his way to retaining the Eric Bristow Trophy.

"I think Gerwyn Price has stamped his authority as one of the world's leading players," Hearn added.

"He's got a very professional approach and he even got some cheers the other night from the crowd so he's cracking it on all fronts. He's earning a fortune, which is what sport is about.

"He's looking like he's number two in the world. He's really making an impression and the standard throughout the tournament was amazing. The TV ratings were also up so it ticked all my boxes. Great crowd, great show, great ratings, great winner."

The structure of the PDC is all about developing players - men, women, fat, thin, christian, muslim, whatever you are, it doesn't make any difference. You're all level in the eyes of the god of the oche and that is the darts board.

Hearn believes the modern darts player has given the public a message, saying they are personalities you can warm to.

"You can give people an opportunity in sport but you can't make them win; that's up to them. If they've got the ability to play and they've got the application to sacrifice their life then you've got to give them the reward," said the PDC chief.

"So Gerwyn Price, Welsh Rugby player, comes out of the Valleys, tough kid with some ability, but there's another story to tell isn't there? Other kids around the world are looking at darts players in a different way. They're able to identify with them because they're ordinary people who have extraordinary ability, so they motivate, encourage and inspire.

"Other players, men and women are thinking 'if I put that work in do you think I can make it?' 'Have I got the gift in me to come out?' And Gerwyn Price is a great example of that."

Hearn also revealed that the Grand Slam selection process will be reviewed, but said opportunities in the game now go beyond the tournament.

"The structure of the PDC is all about developing players - men, women, fat, thin, Christian, Muslim, whatever you are, it doesn't make any difference. You're all level in the eyes of the god of the oche and that is the darts board."

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts - the action is back on your Sky Sports screens in December with the World Championship from Alexandra Palace. It all gets underway on Friday, December 13.