Jacob Womack Victorious in Indianapolis

The much anticipated start of the 2023 Championship Darts Corporation main event season began on Friday night with Main Event 1, the 2023 Galaxy Barrel Bash in Indianapolis, Indiana. Emerging victorious from a star-studded field of North America’s finest players was Jake Womack, the 2019 Evolution Tour champion who earned his first title on the main tour.

 

Womack opened his season with a hard fought 5-4 victory over Ryan Vander Weit, and followed that with a 5-0 victory over Hossey Hicks. He then rattled off three consecutive victories over top-10 ranked players, defeating 2022 top Canadian, David Cameron (6-3), American legend Larry Butler (6-4), and Jacob Taylor 7-6 in the semifinals, where both players played outstanding.

 

In the finals, Womack came out on fire and took advantage of a slow start by Stowe Buntz to create a 6-0 lead. Buntz found his form and tried to mount a comeback, but he could not overcome the lead and Jake Womack earned the 7-2 victory.

 

Prior to the finals, Stowe Buntz was perhaps the on-form player of the day. Last year’s two-time finalist event earned a victory over John Steinhofer in the last 64 before dismantling Sylvain Bourdeau with a 95.94 average. He then defeated the reigning North American champion, Leonard Gates, in the last 16, the reigning Continental Cup champion, Alex Spellman, in the last 8, and the 2022 points leader, Danny Baggish, in the semifinals.

 

Danny Lauby, after taking time off from the tourn last season, had a nice return to CDC action, defeating Chuck Puleo, Chris Lawson, and Elliot Milk, before succumbing to Jacob Taylor in the quarterfinals.

 

It was a strong showing for many players today. Alex Spellman, despite his defeat in the last 8, led the way with a 97.68 average on the day, with a staggering 51% checkout success. Stowe Buntz led the way with 14x 180.

 

Play continues on Saturday, May 20, with Main Event #2, the A-Z Darts Duel, which will be followed by the first qualifier for a spot in the 2023 US Darts Masters.

 

Article by Brian Fraser

May 19, 2023

Championship Darts Corporation Signs with Buchwald Agency

Partnership Aims to Secure Traditional Broadcast and New Media Opportunities

CHICAGO, May 18, 2023: Championship Darts Corporation (CDC), owner and operator of the Championship Darts Circuit, North America’s Professional Darts Tour, today announces it has signed an 18-month representation agreement with Buchwald, the premier talent agency for broadcast communications, to explore opportunities to expand the reach of North American professional darts into both traditional broadcast and new media platforms.

Buchwald, formerly known as Don Buchwald and Associates, is perhaps best known for its representation of legendary radio icon, Howard Stern, though the firm now boasts a client roster that includes hundreds of actors and creative talent across the country. CDC will be represented by Tony Burton, Co-Head of the firm’s Broadcast Department, based in the New York office.

“With more than 17 million players in the United States, darts has quickly gone from a pub game to one of the fastest-growing industries in professional sports. Television, digital streaming, social media and live events now provide passionate fans with more viewing opportunities than ever before. We are thrilled to partner with the CDC as they continue to provide their fans and players with the most exciting tournament experience in professional darts across the continent!”
– Tony Burton, Co-Head – Broadcast Department, Buchwald

CDC is the North American affiliate of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the leader in global professional darts. With 12 Main Tour events, two major tournaments (the Continental Cup and Cross Border Darts Challenge) and numerous other competitions, CDC is the only path to the international stage for top darting talent in the United States and Canada. The recent launch of Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC) – regional affiliate of the CDC – puts the company at the forefront of professional darts across half the globe. Its broadcasts can currently be found on PDCTV, the official streaming service of the Professional Darts Corporation, as well as on its YouTube channel and Facebook page under the handle @champdarts.

“We’re really excited about the opportunities this partnership can provide and the doors it will open. Darts is truly an electric sport filled with fast-paced action, a passionate fan base that loves to party and larger-than-life personalities. The growth of the game on this continent is approaching critical mass and the time is right to bring the game into mainstream sports consciousness in North America.”
– Peter Citera, CEO, Championship Darts Corporation

The 2023 Championship Darts Circuit kicks off this coming weekend in Indianapolis with Main Events on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Follow along with the stream on PDCTV or the CDC YouTube channel. Live scoring of all matches can be accessed via our scoring partner, DartConnect, at tv.dartconnect.com.

### 

About Buchwald

BUCHWALD was launched by Don Buchwald and five associates in 1977. Built on the cornerstone of our commercial and broadcast departments, our full-service agency offers representation in every area of the entertainment industry: commercial, broadcast, film, theatre, television, literary, feature film packaging, personal appearance, syndication (radio, television and digital), branding/digital, and emerging talent. More information available at www.buchwald.com

About Championship Darts Corporation

Championship Darts Corporation operates the Championship Darts Circuit, North America’s professional darts tour. Founded in 2014 by three individuals with a combined 80-plus years of experience promoting the game, its goal is to elevate the level of play, produce top-quality darts entertainment and cultivate the next North American World Champion.

For further information, email info@champdarts.com or see www.champdarts.com.

CDC Races to Indianapolis

The stars of the Championship Darts Circuit return to action for the launch of the 2023 campaign- May 19-21 in Indiana.

Kickoff Weekend on the 2023 Championship Darts Circuit will see Alex Spellman, the reigning CDC Continental Cup Champion, take his first step towards a title defense alongside the current PDC North American Champion Leonard Gates. The spectacular field also includes last season’s overall Tour Points leader, Danny Baggish, who is joined by the top 2022 Canadian player, David Cameron. CDC’s all time winningest player Larry Butler will also toe the oche along with rising star Gavin Nicoll.

These players will be joined by many others – including a significant number of Circuit debutants – as they clash in Brownsburg for their share of a $10,000 purse (per event) along with valuable tour points towards the rankings. All three events will be streamed live on PDC TV and simulcast on the CDC YouTube channel (@champdarts). Live coverage begins 30 minutes after each tournament commences.

Weekend #1- Indianapolis Event Schedule:

  • Event #1- May 19th @ 6:00 pm “Galaxy Barrel Bash”
  • Event #2- May 20th @ 12:00 pm “A-Z Darts Duel”
  • Event #3- May 21st @ 2:00 pm “HitKor Indianapolis 501”

Event Prize Money:

Champion: $2,000 / Runner-up: $1,000 / Top 4: $800 / Top 8: $600 / Top 16: $375

Event Format:

Best-of-9 Legs through the round of 32 / Last 16 and quarterfinals: Best-of-11 Legs / Semifinals and Final: Best-of-13 Legs

ENTRY LIST:

Ricky Allred
Matt Arpin
Danny Baggish
Joe Beecroft
Doug Boehm
Sylvain Bourdeau
Jason Brandon
Trevor Buboltz
Stowe Buntz
Larry Butler
Chris Caldwell
David Cameron
Harry Carter
Roger Carter
Joe Chaney
Darryl Christie
Anthony Cianciolo
Bradley Clause
James Damore
JT Davis
Keifer Durham
Michael Esquibel
Rob Ethington
David Fatum
Justin Fawcett
Brian Fenlon
Gino Florian
Paul Forauer
Chris Franklin
Ben Garner
Leonard Gates
Nick Georgeson
Joe Hedrick
Hossey Hicks
Jacob Johnson
Brandon Kessler
Patrick Kithi
John Kuczynski
Danny Lauby
Ed Laveck
Chris Lawson
Randall Lewis
John Liggett
Nick Linberg
Jim Long
Ron Looker
Joey Lynaugh
Jake Macmillan
Gary Mawson
Elliot Milk
Jeremiah Millar
Michael Nguyen
Gavin Nicoll
John Norman
Tim OBrien
Rory Orvis
John Part
Charles Puleo
Anthony Romero
Eugene Schmitt
Jimmy Solek
Alex Spellman
Jeff Springer Jr
Seth Steffano
John Steinhofer
Chris Swanson
Jacob Taylor
Matthew Thompson
Ryan Vander Weit
Steve Warnock
Jason Watt
Keith Way
Jake Womack
Darin Young

Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean Tour Launches

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, May 3, 2023: Championship Darts Corporation (CDC) and its Central American affiliate, Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC), today announce dates and locations for the 2023 CDLC Tour that will see a representative from the region qualify for the Professional Darts Corporation’s (PDC) World Darts Championship.

The tour kicks off in San José, Costa Rica with a return to the Radisson Hotel for two qualifying events held the weekend of August 4 – 6. Men’s and Ladies’ warmup events begin the weekend on Friday night at 6:00 PM, with CDLC Tour events held Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM each day.

We close the 2023 campaign October 13th – 15th as we bring the inaugural PDC-affiliated darts event to the country of Chile! The Hotel Torremayor in Santiago will host the event weekend, with warmup events on Friday the 13th at 6:30 PM followed by CDLC qualifying events on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 PM.

“This is a big step forward for the global game,” said Peter Citera, CEO of Championship Darts Corporation, “we know that the system we built in North America works and I’m excited to watch talent develop in an area of the world that has previously been a bit of an afterthought in darts. Thanks to CDLC President, Jeff Goode, for all the time and effort he’s put in to get us here and to Matt Porter and the PDC for their trust and support; this couldn’t have happened without them.”

All qualifying events will be 501 FI/DO, best-of-11 legs. Players will compete for a prize fund of $1,900 (USD) in each of the four events – with the winner receiving $825 – and will accrue points towards an Order of Merit. The player at the top of the OoM after the final event in Chile will qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship held at the Alexandra Palace, London starting in December. The entry fee is $90 (USD) per weekend, which covers both Tour events. Registration will be handled onsite and payment must be made in cash in either US Dollars or the equivalent in local currency.

Plans are already being made to further expand the Tour in 2024 with the addition of a third Tour weekend and a new country to the rotation. Announcements will be made in due course. Tour questions should be directed via email to CDLCinfo@champdarts.com and may be made in English or Spanish.

Smith Silences the Field in Jersey City

It was a magical weekend for Jeff Smith at the White Eagle Hall in Jersey City where he steamrolled everyone in his path on the way to victory in the inaugural Cross Border Darts Challenge in front of a lively crowd.

The event began with 16 players – eight Americans and eight Canadians – with each first round match featuring a player from each country. In addition to playing for the individual title, its $5,000 prize and a spot in the PDC US Darts Masters, players were also competing on a team level for The Nations Cup, with each match won worth one point for the winning player’s country. Canada proved dominant throughout this event, as they secured the requisite 8 points to claim the Cup – and eliminated the entire American side – before the conclusion of the quarterfinals.

“The Silencer” began his quest for the title against American legend, Larry Butler, getting out to a quick 2-0 lead before “The Eagle” righted the ship with a break of throw in leg three followed by a brilliant 110 checkout to level the match at two. However, it was not to be for the Ohio man as Smith closed the door by checking out 100 on-throw before claiming victory with a 56 checkout, stranding Butler on 99.

Those would be the only two legs that the New Brunswick man would drop in the event.

Smith whitewashed a hard-charging Jules Van Dongen 5-0 in the quarters, punishing him for a couple of missed doubles early in the match on his way to a 96 average. “The Dutch Dragon”, averaging 90 in his own right, was looking for opportunities that never came later in the match as Smith’s trademark clinical finishing was on full display.

Fellow Canadian Steve Warnock, who stunned Leonard Gates 4-1 in round one before dispatching John Norman, Jr. 5-3 in the quarterfinals, was next on the docket. “The Sniper” – whose finishing had been solid up until this point – missed some crucial darts at double in the first two legs and allowed Smith to sneak off to a 2-0 lead with a pair of 17-darters. Smith then checked 94 in leg three before punching out a spectacular 124 to seal the deal and book his appointment with “The Gentleman” in the final.

Jim Long’s path to the final wasn’t quite as smooth as his opponent’s as he faced Chuck Puleo, one of his closest friends on the CDC Tour, in a first round in a match that went the distance and saw three breaks of throw – including the critical decider where a pair of consecutive 140s put the Canadian in position to pin tops and claim victory in 15 darts to advance to quarterfinal matchup with Keith Way who had just dispatched Joey Lynaugh. Way got off to a great start in the quarters, going up 4-2 with 16, 17 and 18-dart finishes and appeared to be cruising to the semifinals, but it was not to be for “The Iron Rock” as Long put on a blistering display of scoring, winning three on the spin with a 16-dart leg sandwiched between two 15-darters and not giving his opponent another look at double in the match.

In the semis, Long once again found himself needing to mount a comeback, dropping the first two legs of the match against Jacob “The Truth” Taylor in 14 and 16 darts respectively. And come back he did (and in style), winning five straight and punishing missed doubles from the Newfoundland man in the 4th and 5th leg to book his pace in the final.

The event concluded with Smith’s third straight whitewash in a match where both players struggled at times to regain the form that landed them in that position in the first place. An opening 16-dart effort got Smith on the board early before a bit of the rot set-in with a forgettable 27-dart second leg that finally ended when Jeff checked 5 on his fourth trip to the oche with that number remaining. That leg seemed to be the catalyst needed for focus as Smith then fired in a 13-darter, immediately followed by an 86 checkout to strand his opponent on tops and pull within two legs of victory which he would claim just a short time later.

However, all was certainly not lost for Jim Long. In addition to the $2,000 second-place prize, Jim will be taking the stage at the US Darts Masters, claiming the event’s qualifying spot by virtue of the fact that Jeff Smith’s place is already booked as a North American PDC Tour Card holder.

RESULTS:

Quarterfinals

Steve Warnock 5-3 John Norman Jr
Jeff Smith 5-0 Jules Van Dongen
Jacob Taylor 5-3 Alex Spellman
Jim Long 5-4 Keith Way

Semifinals:
Jim Long 5-2 Jacob Taylor
Jeff Smith 5-0 Steve Warnock

Final:
Jeff Smith 5-0 Jim Long

The Nations Cup:
Canada wins 13-2

PDC and CDC Announce Extension to Affiliate Agreement

Professional Darts Corporation Reinforces Commitment to North America, Partnership with North America’s Professional Darts Tour

Chicago, IL, February 24, 2023– The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), the global professional leader in darts and Championship Darts Corporation (CDC), organizers of the Championship Darts Circuit (North America’s professional darts tour), today announce a three-year extension to the partnership agreement that recognizes CDC as the PDC’s Global Affiliate Tour in the United States and Canada. With this agreement comes renewed investment in CDC’s efforts to increase visibility of the sport and engage new audiences across the continent as well as a continued endorsement of the Tour’s process that has seen the quality of play skyrocket since the CDC’s founding in 2015. The Championship Darts Circuit will also continue to be a direct conduit to international competition, with the top American and Canadian players receiving a berth in the World Darts Championship at the Alexandra Palace, London in December, as well as other major opportunities.

“We’re thrilled to continue the partnership with the PDC to further the growth of darts across the continent. The quality of play keeps setting new standards in the US and Canada and we’re working hard to craft a true immersive fan experience at our major events. This sport deserves nothing less than that. With further support of the PDC, we’re working on plans to expand the tour, increase prize funds and provide more opportunities for more players to play more darts at a high level.”
~Peter Citera, CEO, Championship Darts Corporation

CDC will kick-off 2023 with the inaugural Cross-Border Darts Challenge, a new fan-focused event that sees eight Canadian and eight American stars face off against each other at the White Eagle Hall in Jersey City in April (tickets available at champdarts.com). Darts fans will also have the opportunity to see the PDC’s top stars take on North America’s best in New York City as the legendary Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden again plays host to the US Darts Masters and North American Darts Championship on June 2-3 (tickets at www.pdc.tv/world-series-darts-tickets). As in prior years, the winner of the North American Championship will also receive a berth in the World Darts Championship. Players will have the opportunity to compete for a minimum of three available spots in the US Darts Masters via a qualifying event staged by CDC in Indianapolis in May.

“We’re pleased to extend our commitment to the CDC with this new multi-year arrangement. The growth curve of professional steel-tip darts in North America over recent years has been steep and we look forward to watching that trend continue. With qualification places for some of our Premier events and the fantastic spectacle of the US Masters at Madison Square Garden on offer, the CDC is the place to be for serious US and Canadian player!”
~Matthew Porter, Chief Executive, Professional Darts Corporation

 

The 2023 Championship Darts Circuit proper will consist of 12 events staged over four weekends, culminating with the top-16 players on the Tour clashing in the Continental Cup Tour Finals Championship in October. Be sure to follow CDC on social media (@champdarts) and watch for ticket details as they become available.

2023 Championship Darts Circuit

Cross-Border Darts Challenge: April 21-22, White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, New Jersey
CDC Weekend #1: May 19-21, American Legion Post 331, Brownsburg, Indiana USA
CDC Weekend #2: July 14-16, Ramada Plaza Hotel North Shore, Wheeling, Illinois USA
CDC Weekend #3: August 11-13, Cambridge Newfoundland Club, Cambridge, Ontario Canada

CDC Weekend #4: September 8-10, American Legion Post 331, Brownsburg, Indiana USA
Continental Cup Tour Finals Championship: October 20-21, TBD

2023 CDC Summer Series (Open to all players)

The CDC Midwest Melee (301 DI/DO): Friday, May 5, Cleveland, Ohio
The CDC Cascades Classic (501 Set Play): Friday, June 9, Portland, Oregon
The CDC Shootout (501 DI/DO): Friday, June 30, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The CDC Matchplay (501 SI/DO, must win by two clear legs): Friday, July 21, Nashville, Tennessee
The CDC Congressional (501 SI/DO, UK Open-style re-draw): Friday, September 1, Washington DC