List of darts players who have switched organisation

Between 1993 and 2020 professional darts had two rival bodies which staged tournaments and had separate pools of players, the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Both staged its own world championship. In practice, players had to choose which organisation to represent, but many switched between the two, which often caused controversy.

This situation arose following an acrimonious split in the early 1990s between the leading players and the BDO. Darts had boomed in popularity during the 1980s, with as many as 23 televised events in 1983. However, by the end of the decade this had fallen to just one. This, combined with general disillusionment at the BDO's management of the sport, prompted 16 top players to break away and form their own body. Four years of legal action followed, culminating in the 1997 Tomlin order, which confirmed the existence of both bodies, and established that players were free choose which one to play for.

This list documents the players who made the decision to switch from one organisation to the other. In general more players switched from the BDO to the PDC than vice versa, attracted by the greater prize money and better competition offered by the PDC. The BDO folded in 2020, but many of their events were subsequently revived by the World Darts Federation, so the split in darts remains.

World Darts Council foundation

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The sixteen darts defectors who formed the WDC were as follows:

Player Time with BDO Notes
  Phil Taylor 1988–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2018.
  Dennis Priestley 1989–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2014.
  Rod Harrington 1987–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007.
  Alan Warriner 1985–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2009.
  Peter Evison 1986–1993 Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin the BDO. Returned to the PDC in 2011 and retired from darts in 2018.
  Ritchie Gardner 1984–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2006.
  Jocky Wilson 1979–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 1996.
  Eric Bristow 1979–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007.
  Keith Deller 1983–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007.
  John Lowe 1975–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007.
  Bob Anderson 1979–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2008.
  Cliff Lazarenko 1977–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007.
  Kevin Spiolek 1987–1993 Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007.
  Jamie Harvey 1988–1993 Quit the PDC in 2009 due to ill-health but returned to the BDO in 2011. Retired in 2013.
  Mike Gregory 1983–1992 Quit the PDC in 1993 to return to the BDO. Retired from darts in 2005.
  Chris Johns 1986–1993 Quit the PDC in 1993 and retired from professional darts the same year.

Since then, many darts players have left the BDO to join the PDC, although some players rejoined the BDO either from finding it difficult on the PDC circuit or lack of sponsorship. The PDC had new talent of their own. However some players left them to join the BDO.

Players who transferred from the BDO to the PDC

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Year of transfer Player Time with BDO Notes
1993   Tom Kirby 1992 Quit the PDC in 2007. Died in 2008
1994   Mick Manning 1988–1994 Quit the PDC in 2005
1994   Larry Butler 1992–1993 Quit the PDC in 1997 but rejoined them in 2007. Quit in 2011 and is now with the BDO
1994    Paul Lim 1980–1994
1994   Dennis Smith 1993–1994
1994   Graeme Stoddart 1990 Quit the PDC in 2009
1994   Dennis Hickling 1980–1994 Quit the PDC in 1996
1994   Tony Payne 1985–1994 Quit the PDC in 1995 but rejoined them in 2003. Quit in 2007
1994   Jerry Umberger 1981–1993 Quit the PDC in 1997
1994   Gerald Verrier 1987–1993 Quit the PDC in 2000
1994   Sean Downs 1993 Quit the PDC in 2010
1994   Whit Whitley 1993 Quit the PDC in 1995
1994   Damien Tonge 1993–1994 Quit the PDC in 1995
1994   Gary Stevens 1993 Quit the PDC in 2009
1994   Jim Watkins 1993 Quit the PDC in 1995
1994   Jim Widmayer 1993 Quit the PDC in 2007 to rejoin BDO in 2008
1994   Dave Kelly 1991–1993 Quit the PDC in 1996 but rejoined them in 2006. Quit in 2008
1994   Kevin Burrows 1989–1994 Quit the PDC in 2004
1994   Shayne Burgess 1989–1994 Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin BDO in 2012. Quit in 2014
1994   Steve Raw 1993 Quit the PDC in 2001
1995   Gary Mawson 1994 Quit the PDC in 2001 but rejoined them in 2004.
1995   John Russell 1994 Quit the PDC in 1996
1995   Reg Harding 1988–1993 Quit the PDC in 2006
1995   Nigel Justice 1991 Quit the PDC in 2003
1995   Kevin Kenny 1987–1994 Quit the PDC in 2001
1995   Jef Scheyltjens 1994 Quit the PDC in 1995
1996   Tony Holyoake 1983 Quit the PDC in 1997
1996   Phil Gilman 1992 Quit the PDC in 2006
1996   Bruce Robbins 1995 Quit the PDC in 2008
1996   Peter Manley 1995–1996 Quit the PDC in 2017
1996   Harry Robinson 1990–1996
1996   Johnny Deley 1987–1990 Quit the PDC in 1996
1996   Paul Cook 1990 Quit the PDC in 2017
1996   Avtar Gill 1981–1987 Quit the PDC in 1997
1996   Frans Harmsen 1995 Quit the PDC in 2000 to rejoin BDO in 2002. Quit the 2017
1996   Jack North 1975–1976 Quit the PDC in 2004
1996   Fran Lynch 1994–1996 Quit the PDC in 1997
1996   Jason Lucas 1995–1996 Quit the PDC in 1997
1997   John Part 1991–1997 Also a pundit for Sky Sports Darts
1997   Drew O'Neill 1986 Quit the PDC in 1998
1997   Dean Allsop 1995–1997 Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin the BDO in 2011
1997   Chris Whiting 1986–1994 Quit the PDC in 1997
1997   Mark Robinson 1995–1997 Quit the PDC in 2015
1997   Carl Mercer 1993–1997 Quit the PDC in 2004 to rejoin the BDO in 2006. Quit the 2009
1997   Anthony Ridler 1977–1983 Quit the PDC in 2006. Died in 2014
1998   John Ferrell 1994–1997 Quit the PDC in 2017
1998   Dan Lauby 1996–1998
1998   Scott Cummings 1997–1998 Quit the PDC in 2001
1998   Alex Roy 1998 Quit the PDC in 2018
1999   Richie Burnett 1987–1999 Quit the PDC in 2014 but rejoined them in 2016
1999   Roland Scholten 1989–1999 Quit the PDC in 2014 and is now a pundit for RTL7 Darts
1999   Colin Lloyd 1998 Quit the PDC in 2015 but rejoined them in 2018. Quit in 2018
1999   Darin Young 1998 Quit the PDC in 2014 to rejoin BDO in 2014
2000   Braulio Roncero 1994–1998 Quit the PDC in 2010. Died in 2018
2000   Dave Askew 1988–2000 Quit the PDC in 2011
2000   Roger Carter 1996–1999 Quit the PDC in 2012
2000   Denis Ovens 1986–2000 Quit the PDC in 2015
2000   Les Fitton 1998–2000 Quit the PDC in 2004
2001   Norman Fletcher 1999–2001 Quit the PDC in 2013
2001   Ronnie Baxter 1988–2001
2001   Steve Beaton 1990–2001
2001   Andy Jenkins 1994–2001
2001   Kevin Painter 1994–2001
2001   Chris Mason 1990–2001 Quit the PDC in 2014 and is now a commentator for ITV Sports Darts rejoined the BDO in 2015. Quit in 2016
2001   Paul Williams 1993–2001 Quit the PDC in 2007
2001   Robbie Widdows 1987–2001 Quit the PDC in 2006
2001   Lionel Sams 1994–2001 Quit the PDC in 2011 but rejoined them in 2013. Quit in 2015
2002   Matt Chapman 1999–2001 Quit the PDC in 2006
2002   Mark Holden 1990–2001 Quit the PDC in 2007
2002   Paul Whitworth 1990–2001
2002   Ian Brand 1994–1997 Quit the PDC in 2007
2002   Barrie Bates 2001
2002   Mark Dudbridge 2002
2002   Arjan Moen 2000–2002 Quit the PDC in 2003 the rejoin BDO in 2005. Quit in 2010
2002   Aaron Turner 2000-2002 Quit the PDC in 2015 to rejoin BDO in 2016.
2002   Al Hedman 1995–2001 Quit the PDC in 2005
2002   Mick Savvery 1985–2002 Quit the PDC in 2016
2002   Lee Palfreyman 1995–2001
2002   Wayne Jones 1988–2002
2002   Jack McKenna 1974–2002 Quit the PDC in 2005 the rejoin BDO in 2006. Quit in 2007
2002   John MaGowan 1994–2001 Quit the PDC in 2012 to rejoin BDO in 2012. Quit in 2016
2002   Brian Roach 1998 Quit the PDC in 2017
2002   Wayne Mardle 1993–2002 Quit the PDC in 2012 and is now a commentator for Sky Sports Darts
2002   Les Hodkinson 1997–2002 Quit the PDC in 2004
2002   Crissy Manley 1997–2002 Quit the PDC in 2004 to rejoin BDO in 2005. Quit the 2011.
2002   Dave Smith 2001 Quit the PDC in 2012 to rejoin BDO in 2013. Quit the 2015
2003   Dave Jowett 1996–1997 Quit the PDC in 2008
2003   David Platt 2002 Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin BDO in 2011
2003   Ray Carver 2002 Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin BDO in 2011. Quit in 2015. but rejoined them in 2018
2003   Ray Farrell 1985–1993 Quit the PDC in 2009 to rejoin BDO in 2012. Quit in 2014
2003   Vic Hubbard 1985–1986 Quit the PDC in 2006
2003   Marshall James 1991–1999 Quit the PDC in 2003
2003   Andy Smith 1997–2002
2003   Simon Whatley 2002 Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin BDO in 2010. Quit in 2011
2003   Gerry Convery 2001–2003 Quit the PDC in 2011
2003   Colin McGarry 1995 Quit the PDC in 2014 to rejoin BDO in 2014. Quit in 2017
2003   Vijay Kumar 1989–2002 Quit the PDC in 2004
2003   Geoff Wylie 1991–2003 Quit the PDC in 2009 to rejoin BDO in 2013. Quit the 2015
2004   Matt Clark 1996–2004
2004   Erik Clarys 1989–2004 Quit the PDC in 2006
2004   Bruce Cottrell 2003 Quit the PDC in 2017
2004   Norm Tremblay 2002–2003 Quit the PDC in 2007 to rejoin BDO in 2010. Quit in 2017
2004   Ricky Villanueva 2004 Quit the PDC in 2011
2004   Colin Monk 1993–2004 Quit the PDC in 2011
2004   James Wade 2001–2004
2004   Ron Miller 2004 Quit the PDC in 2013
2004   Dave Whitcombe 1979–1992 Quit the PDC in 2007.
2004   Peter Wright 1995–2004
2004   George Walls 2003 Quit the PDC in 2007
2004   Ed de Behnke 2004 Quit the PDC in 2017
2005   Mark Frost 2004
2005   Steve Gittins 1985–1990 Quit the PDC in 2005
2005   Tomas Seyler 1998–2004
2005   Russell Stewart 1983–2005 Quit the PDC in 2016
2005   Alan Tabern 2004
2006   Raymond van Barneveld 1987–2006
2006   David DePriest 2006 Quit the PDC in 2017
2006   John Kuczynski 2000–2005 Quit the PDC in 2012
2006   Bill Davis 2001–2004 Quit the PDC in 2012
2006   Brad Wethington 1998 Quit the PDC in 2015
2006   Jann Hoffmann 1989–2004 Quit the PDC in 2016
2006   Peter Locke 1983–1992 Quit the PDC in 2006
2006   Charles Losper 2003–2006 Quit the PDC in 2015
2006   Shane O'Connor 2006
2006   Brian Cyr 1998–2006 Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin BDO in 2011
2006   Michael Rosenauer 1991–2006 Quit the PDC in 2016 to rejoin BDO in 2017
2006   Kirk Shepherd 2003–2006
2007   Jamie Caven 1992–2007
2007   Michael van Gerwen 2003–2007
2007   Stuart Holden 1983 Quit the PDC in 2015
2007   Mervyn King 1994–2007
2007   Jelle Klaasen 2003–2007
2007   Dave Ladley 1992–2005
2007   Per Laursen 1987–2007
2007   Carlos Rodriguez 2006–2007
2007   Mensur Suljović 1999–2005
2007   Vincent van der Voort 2001–2007
2007   Rory Orvis 1998–2007 Quit the PDC in 2013
2007   Dan Olson 1990–2007 Quit the PDC in 2011
2008   Rizal Barellano 2006 Quit the PDC in 2009
2008   Sammy Cruz 1990–1992 Quit the PDC in 2017
2008   Nándor Bezzeg 2000–2008
2008   Dietmar Burger 2002–2007
2008   Marko Kantele 1996–2008
2008   Ken MacNeil 2005–2008
2008   Miloslav Navrátil 2005–2007 Quit the PDC in 2008
2008   Aodhagan O'Neill 2003–2008 Quit the PDC in 2012
2008   Ashfaque Sayed 2005–2006 Quit the PDC in 2015
2008   Bob Sinnaeve 1980–1992 Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin BDO in 2010
2008   Robert Thornton 2002–2008
2009   Gary Anderson 2000–2009
2009   Magnus Caris 1987–2009
2009   Andy Fordham 1994–2009 Quit the PDC in 2011 to rejoin the BDO in 2013
2009   Jarkko Komula 1998–2009 Quit the PDC in 2015
2009   Mark Webster 2006–2009
2010   Antonio Alcinas 2005–2009
2010   Stacy Bromberg 1995–2010 Quit the PDC in 2012. Died in 2017
2010   Steve Farmer 2004–2010 Quit the PDC in 2013
2010   Mareno Michels 2004–2010
2010   Krzysztof Ratajski 2007–2010
2010   Tricia Wright 2000–2010 Joined the PDC in 2005 Still plays in the BDO since 2013
2010   Ian White 2005–2010
2011   Dave Chisnall 2004–2011
2011   Brian Woods 2003–2011
2011   Kurt van de Rijck 2002–2011 Quit the PDC in 2014 to rejoin BDO in 2014
2012   Tony West 2002–2012 Quit the PDC in 2016
2012   Steve West 2004–2012
2012   Stuart Kellett 2006–2012
2012   Ted Hankey 1994–2012 Quit the PDC in 2013 to rejoin the BDO in 2014
2012   Dean Winstanley 2008–2012 Quit the PDC in 2016 but rejoined them in 2018
2012   Les Wallace 1995–2003 Quit the PDC in 2013
2013   Wayne Weening 1988–2012 Quit the PDC in 2015
2014   Christian Kist 2009–2014
2014   Stephen Bunting 2002–2014
2015   Alan Norris 2006–2015
2015   James Wilson 2007–2015
2015   Jan Dekker 2008–2015
2016   Jeffrey de Graaf 2010–2016
2017   Madars Razma 2009–2017
2017   Jimmy Hendriks 2010–2017
2017   Krzysztof Ratajski 2007–2017
2018   Cameron Menzies 2006–2018
2018   Danny Noppert 2012–2018
2018   Davy Van Baelen 2016–2018
2018   Darryl Fitton 2002–2018 Quit the PDC in 2018
2018   Dennis Nilsson 2006–2018
2018   Tony O'Shea 1995–2018 Quit the PDC in 2018
2018   Martin Atkins 2002–2018 Quit the PDC in 2018
2018   Jamie Hughes 2013–2018
2018   Ryan Joyce 2007–2018
2018   Eddy Sims 2005–2018
2019   Geert De Vos 2004–2019
2019   Andy Baetens 2010–2019
2019   Darius Labanauskas 2006–2019
2019   Glen Durrant 2004–2019
2019   Mark McGeeney 2010–2019
2019   Scott Waites 2004–2019
2019   Jim Williams 2012–2019
2019   Daniel Day 2016–2019
2019   Kyle McKinstry 2014–2019
2019   Conan Whitehead 2016–2019
2019   Dean Reynolds 2015–2019
2019   Scott Baker 2016–2019
2019   Ronald L. Briones 2006–2019 Quit the PDC in 2020

BDO darts players who joined the PDC before returning

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Year of transfer Player Time with BDO Time with PDC Notes
2004   Steve Brown 1976–1991 1993–2004
2007   Steve Alker 1998–2005 2005–2007
2007   Steve Coote 1994–2004 2004–2007
2007   Mark Salmon 1994–2005 2005–2006 Quit the BDO in 2017
2008   Peter Evison 1986–1993 1993–2008 Was one of the 16 WDC defectors. Quit in 2018.
2009   Deta Hedman 1990–1997 2002–2005
2009   Anton Pein 2003–2007 2007–2009
2010   Remco van Eijden 2004–2008 2008–2010
2010   Chris Loudon 1998–2009 2009–2010 Quit the BDO in 2018 rejoined the PDC in 2018.
2010   Jan van der Rassel 2002–2003 2004–2009 Quit the PDC in 2010.
2011   Anastasia Dobromyslova 2004–2008 2008–2011
2012   Tony Eccles 2002–2007 2007–2011 Quit the PDC in 2011 rejoined the BDO in 2012. Quit in 2014.
2013   Andy Fordham 1990–2008 2009–2011 Rejoined the BDO in 2013.
2014   Co Stompé 1994–2008 2008–2013 Rejoined the PDC in 2018.
2014   Ted Hankey 1995–2012 2012–2014 Rejoined the BDO in 2014.
2014   Jeff Smith 2008–2011 2011–2013 Rejoined the PDC in 2018.

PDC darts players who joined the BDO before returning

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Year of transfer Player Time with PDC Time with BDO Ref
2009   Simon Whitlock 2002–2003 2004–2009 [1]
2011   John Henderson 2002–2003 2004–2011 [2]
2012   Toon Greebe 2008–2010 2006–2008, 2010–2012
2015   Robbie Green 2003–2007 2008–2015 [3]
2018   Jeff Smith 2011–2013 2002–2011, 2014–2017
2020   Andy Hamilton 2004–2018 2018–2020
2020   Wes Newton 2002–2018 2018–2020

References

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  1. ^ "Simon Whitlocks World Championship Results". Darts database. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. ^ "John Henderson BDO results". Darts Database. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Robbie Green BDO results". Darts Database. Retrieved 24 January 2017.