Premier League Darts 2023 line-up | Chris Dobey handed debut appearance
Masters champion Chris Dobey has been handed a Premier League Darts debut in 2023, while Dimitri van den Bergh and Nathan Aspinall return to the line-up.
Having lifted his first televised title at the Masters on Sunday night, Dobey will take his place in this year’s elite, eight-man Premier League field.
Dobey previously featured in the Premier League as a Challenger in 2019 and 2020, but will now compete full-time in the event over the next four months.
World Champion and world number one Michael Smith will headline this year’s prestigious invitational following his historic exploits at Alexandra Palace, with 2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price also returning for a fifth campaign.
Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen will be chasing a record-breaking seventh Premier League title in 2023, with 2017 runner-up Peter Wright set to make his tenth consecutive Premier League appearance.
2021 champion Jonny Clayton, last year’s league phase winner, will be aiming to regain the trophy, while Aspinall and Van den Bergh both return following a year’s absence.
Aspinall, the 2020 runner-up, will make his third Premier League appearance after featuring in TV finals at the World Grand Prix and Grand Slam of Darts over recent months.
Van den Bergh also returns to the fold following a terrific 2022 season which saw him win two World Series titles and reach World Matchplay and World Championship Semi-Finals.
Last year’s beaten finalist Joe Cullen, who missed a dart to win the title in an epic final, misses out on a place in this year’s event, as do reigning European Champion Ross Smith, UK Open champion Danny Noppert and four-time European Tour event winner Luke Humphries.
The new season will begin at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Thursday February 2, the first of 17 venues to host the event.
The tournament will be held on consecutive Thursday nights from February to May and will retain the same format as 2022, with eight players competing each night in a knockout format before the top four players from the final league table progress to the Play-Offs.
The Play-Offs will return to The O2 in London – the venue which crowned the champion from 2012 to 2019.
As well as the opening night in Belfast, February will also feature league nights in Cardiff, Glasgow and Dublin in a high-profile opening month.
March sees the visits to Exeter, Liverpool, Nottingham, Newcastle and Berlin, while April will feature events in Birmingham, Brighton, Rotterdam and Leeds.
The season’s finale will come in May, with the final three league nights in Manchester, Sheffield and Aberdeen ahead of the Play-Offs in London.
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Premier League Darts 2023 line-up
Michael Smith
Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen
Gerwyn Price
Jonny Clayton
Nathan Aspinall
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Chris Dobey
Premier League Darts 2023 Dates
Night 1 – The SSE Arena, Belfast – Thursday February 2
Night 2 – Cardiff International Arena – Thursday February 9
Night 3 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow – Thursday February 16
Night 4 – 3Arena, Dublin – Thursday February 23
Night 5 – Westpoint Exeter – Thursday March 2
Night 6 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday March 9
Night 7 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 16
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 23
Night 9 – Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin – Thursday March 30
Night 10 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham – Thursday April 6
Night 11 – The Brighton Centre – Thursday April 13
Night 12 – Rotterdam Ahoy – Thursday April 20
Night 13 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday April 27
Night 14 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday May 4
Night 15 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 11
Night 16 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 18
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 25
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