Gerwyn Price has proposed a bold new idea for the future of Premier League Darts — and it could completely change the way the competition is played.
The former world champion believes the tournament needs a fresh twist to keep fans fully engaged, and his solution involves introducing what he described as a “royal rumble-style game” into the Premier League format. The Welshman’s comments have quickly sparked debate among darts fans, with many already discussing whether the sport should move towards more entertainment-driven concepts.
Premier League Darts has become one of the biggest events on the calendar over the last decade. Packed arenas, huge television audiences and the rise of social media have helped turn the weekly competition into a travelling spectacle. Every Thursday night, thousands of supporters fill arenas across the UK and Europe to watch the sport’s biggest names compete in high-pressure matches.
But despite its success, criticism of the format has continued to grow.
Many fans feel the current structure has become repetitive, especially since the introduction of the nightly knockout system. Under the present format, eight players compete every week in quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final, with points awarded depending on how far they progress each night.
The setup has created plenty of drama and produced some memorable moments, but it has also led to repeated matchups throughout the season. Supporters often see the same rivalries over and over again, and some believe the tournament no longer feels as fresh as it once did.
Price appears to agree.
Speaking openly about the issue, the 2021 world champion suggested that the Premier League should consider introducing a more unpredictable and entertaining format. His idea would reportedly involve elements similar to WWE’s famous Royal Rumble matches, where competitors enter at different stages and battle to remain in the contest.
Price explained that he would love to see “a royal rumble-style game” included as part of the Premier League schedule, believing it would create excitement and unpredictability unlike anything darts fans have experienced before.
The Welshman also hinted that he would like to see a return to the older 10-player league structure that existed before the current format was introduced. In previous years, players competed in a traditional league table setup, facing each other across a long campaign before the top stars progressed to the play-offs.
That version of the tournament lasted several months and gave fans the chance to follow storylines developing over time. However, the PDC eventually replaced it with the current weekly knockout model in an attempt to increase intensity and make every night more meaningful.
While the modern system initially received praise for its fast-paced nature, some players and pundits now believe it may be time for another evolution.
Price’s proposal has arrived during a period when debate around the Premier League format is becoming louder than ever. Former players, commentators and fans have all questioned whether the competition risks becoming too predictable.
Some critics have pointed out that supporters are now seeing identical fixtures several times in the space of a few months. Others feel the weekly knockout structure places too much pressure on players while reducing the uniqueness of certain rivalries.
The conversation intensified further after several high-profile figures within the sport admitted they preferred older versions of the tournament.
Price’s idea would certainly move the Premier League in a dramatically different direction.
Although he did not reveal every detail of how the format would work, the “royal rumble-style” concept would likely involve players entering at different stages and fighting to avoid elimination, creating a far less predictable event than the current straight knockout structure.
Fans immediately began imagining how chaotic and entertaining such a format could become, especially with some of darts’ biggest personalities involved.
The Premier League already thrives on atmosphere and entertainment. Walk-on songs, crowd interaction and emotional celebrations are a huge part of the event’s identity. Adding a more dramatic format could potentially take those elements to another level.
Price himself is one of the sport’s biggest entertainers, so it is perhaps no surprise that he is pushing for change.
Nicknamed “The Iceman,” the Welsh star has built a reputation for his fiery personality and intense stage presence. He has often divided opinion among fans throughout his career, but even his critics admit he brings energy and emotion to every event he enters.
Over the years, Price has embraced the role of being one of darts’ most outspoken figures. Whether celebrating loudly after big finishes or responding to criticism from crowds, he rarely avoids controversy.
That personality has helped make him one of the most recognisable players in world darts.
His latest comments also reflect the broader direction the sport appears to be heading. Darts has experienced a massive surge in popularity over recent years, especially following the emergence of teenage sensation Luke Littler. Younger audiences are tuning into events in huge numbers, while clips from matches regularly go viral across social media platforms.
The PDC has leaned heavily into entertainment and personality-driven marketing during that growth period. Players are now promoted almost like sporting celebrities, with rivalries and dramatic moments often becoming just as important as the matches themselves.
Introducing a WWE-inspired concept would fit perfectly into that modern approach.
Price is not the only figure to suggest ideas like this could work in darts. Earlier this year, discussions about creating a WWE-style event involving darts stars also surfaced, with several players expressing excitement about the possibility.
Some believe fans would fully embrace the crossover-style entertainment because darts crowds already thrive on loud atmospheres, costumes and dramatic moments.
Others, however, remain more cautious.
Traditionalists argue that darts should focus primarily on sporting integrity rather than gimmicks. They fear that adding heavily entertainment-based formats could distract from the quality of the competition itself.
But supporters of change believe evolution is necessary if the sport wants to continue attracting new audiences around the world.
Price clearly falls into that category.
He believes the Premier League can remain elite while also becoming more creative and unpredictable. His proposal is designed to make every night feel different instead of following the same pattern week after week.
That unpredictability could also create major storylines throughout the season. Shock eliminations, surprise winners and dramatic comebacks would likely become far more common under a “royal rumble-style” format.
It would also place even greater emphasis on mentality and adaptability, as players would need to handle unfamiliar situations under intense pressure.
Whether the PDC seriously considers Price’s idea remains to be seen. The organisation has shown a willingness to experiment in recent years, but a concept this radical would represent one of the biggest changes in Premier League history.
Still, the fact that conversations like this are happening highlights just how much darts is evolving.
The sport is no longer viewed simply as a traditional pub game. It has become a global entertainment product with superstar players, sold-out arenas and millions of viewers following every major event.
As darts continues growing, the pressure to keep competitions exciting will only increase.
And if the Premier League eventually decides to reinvent itself once again, Gerwyn Price may have already planted the seed for its most dramatic transformation yet.
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