Premier League Darts 2016: Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Prize Money
Reigning champion Gary Anderson and a host of familiar names will return to compete in the Premier League Darts 2016 season when it kicks off on February 4.
Anderson will begin his title defence on Thursday against Adrian Lewis, while the field also sees the entrance of newcomer Michael Smith—a former World Youth Champion who sees his final-four finish at the Grand Slam of Darts and top-eight finish at the World Championship rewarded with a place in the competition.
Masters champion Michael van Gerwen will also be in the hunt having lost in two successive Premier League finals, and excitement is building for the "biggest tour yet," according to PDC Darts:
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An impressive £700,000 in prize money will be split between the 10 players, with £200,000 of that reserved for the winner, per Darts.tv.
Sky Sports will be televising every round of the competition, which can also be streamed live at PDC.tv. Here is the schedule for the tournament, and continue for a closer look at what's set to be a thrilling season:
| February 4 | Night One | Leeds | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| February 11 | Night Two | Newcastle | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| February 18 | Night Three | Dublin | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| February 25 | Night Four | Aberdeen | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| March 3 | Night Five | Exeter | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| March 10 | Night Six | Nottingham | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| March 17 | Night Seven | Glasgow | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| March 24 | Night Eight | Liverpool | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| March 31 | Judgement Night | Cardiff | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| April 7 | Night 10 | Sheffield | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| April 14 | Night 11 | Belfast | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| April 21 | Night 12 | Bournemouth | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| April 28 | Night 13 | Birmingham | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| May 5 | Night 14 | Manchester | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| May 12 | Night 15 | Rotterdam | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
| May 19 | Play-Offs | London | Sky Sports | PDC.tv |
Van Gerwen Looking For Second Premier League Title
The Dutchman had a simply phenomenal 2015, and his astounding haul of 18 trophies saw him earn the joint-title of PDC Player of the Year alongside Anderson, who claimed the Premier League and the World Championship.
Mighty Mike's triumph at the Masters in Milton Keynes on Sunday—his second successive title in the competition—saw him warm-up perfectly for the long Premier League season.
The 26-year-old has reached the final three years running having topped the league standings on each occasion, but he lost 10-6 to Raymond van Barneveld in 2014 and 11-7 to Anderson last year.
Van Gerwen begins his campaign against James Wade and is aiming to get off to a strong start. Per PDC.tv, he said:
"It's very tough but I won the league table for the last three years and I'm going for four years in a row.
I need to make sure I'm ready for Thursday because it's going to be a tough game and I'm looking forward to it.
James had a fantastic result [in Milton Keynes by reaching] the semi-finals but I need to make sure I'm going to play really well against him. My confidence is sky high.
"
He also identified Phil Taylor as a big threat for the title.
The Englishman had mixed success in 2015 with three wins in the World Series of Darts and a World Cup of Darts triumph counter-balanced by a quarter-final exit at the UK Open, failure to make the Premier League play-offs for the first time and a third-round defeat to Jelle Klaasen in the World Darts Championship.
After facing Taylor at the Masters and narrowly edging him out 11-10 in a dramatic semi-final encounter, Van Gerwen believes the Power remains a dangerous opponent. He said:
"Phil had a good break and it was good for him, and I think he's going to have a really good year. He's going to win tournaments again, trust me.
He had a fantastic tournament and it's not only about averages but also his confidence. People write him off so many times but I never do.
"
Also set to rival Van Gerwen is world and Premier League champion Anderson, who has been enjoying an exceptional run of form.
The Scot commented on the need for consistency in order to come out on top in the Premier League, per PDC Darts:
Of course, Van Gerwen's consistency in topping the table has not always produced the win in the end—as is the nature of play-offs.
The Flying Scotsman showed great composure to win his the World Championship in January, which has shown he can get over one of the biggest hurdles in sport—retaining a title after winning it.
Along with Van Gerwen and Taylor—not to mention the likes of 2009 champion Wade and 2011 runner-up Lewis—Anderson is set to make the 2016 Premier League season one of the most exciting yet.
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