Scott Mitchell says British Darts Organisation collapse was 'devastating for players'

Former world champion Scott Mitchell has described the collapse of the British Darts Organisation as "devastating for the players".

The BDO went into liquidation last year after a failed decision to move its world championship from the Lakeside Country Club to The O2 in London.

This year there is no BDO World Championship taking place for the first time since 1977.

"It's really sad," said Mitchell, who won the tournament in 2015.

"The BDO World Championship was an iconic tournament," he told BBC South Today. "It usually took place around the same weekend as the FA Cup third round and had become an institution for the British public to watch.

"When you tell people you play darts professionally and you say you've played at Lakeside, it's the same to darts as Wembley is to football.

"The place is still sat there and I hope one day darts and fans can return there on one of the tours."

The world championship left the Lakeside in Frimley Green, Surrey, for Indigo at The O2 last January.

But sparse crowds and failed promises to players about prize money and sponsorship led to eventual 2020 champion Wayne Warren receiving winnings of just £23,000.

"It was pretty devastating as some of the players couldn't cover their bills with the small amounts they ended up receiving," Mitchell said.

"Towards the end, a couple of television deals were lost and they became difficult to renegotiate.

"Without those and not being on mainstream television, it became very difficult to secure sponsorship to cover your expenses.

"We were very much the amateur side of things with how it ended up. It was very much hand-to-mouth and unfortunately, the hands eventually were empty."

The BDO went into liquidation in September with the United Kingdom Darts Association taking responsibility for the counties who used to play under it.

After its demise was confirmed, 'Scotty Dog' Mitchell went back to the day job on his family's New Forest farm in Bransgore, Hampshire.

A third national Covid-19 lockdown has kept the 50-year-old occupied between hours spent on the practice board, while he prepares to make another bid at making it through the Professional Darts Corporation's (PDC) Qualifying School later this month.

"Last year I had only just come off the back of losing in the BDO world championship semi-final, so for the first two days, my head wasn't really with it," said Mitchell.

"Hopefully this year, I can try again this year as it was all very new last time."

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