VAN GERWEN & ANDERSON TO OPEN 2017 BETWAY PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON
REIGNING CHAMPION Michael van Gerwen and 2015 winner Gary Anderson will clash on the opening night of the 2017 Betway Premier League season at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena on Thursday February 2, with the opening nine weeks' fixtures now confirmed. BThe Betway Premier League begins its four-month tour of the UK, Ireland and Netherlands next month, with all 16 nights being screened live on Sky Sports and worldwide through the PDC's international broadcast partners. The opening nine weeks see the players meet once in the league phase before the bottom two players are eliminated following Judgement Night in Cardiff. The remaining eight players then face each other once more in the remaining six league nights in April and May before the top four players progress to compete in the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 18. The season will begin in Newcastle on Thursday February 2, with the opening night featuring the rematch of the recent World Championship final between Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson, which the Dutchman won in a thrilling contest. Former World Champions Raymond van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis will also meet at the Metro Radio Arena, with 2009 Premier League champion James Wade meeting Kim Huybrechts on the Belgian's return to the event. Another player making his second Premier League appearance, Jelle Klaasen, opens against world number three Peter Wright, and the legendary 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor plays Dave Chisnall. Night Two at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena will include reigning Premier League champion Van Gerwen's meeting with Wright and Taylor's meeting with Wade in a repeat of two previous Premier League finals, including the historic 2010 decider which saw the Stoke star hit two nine-dart finishes. Anderson plays Klaasen in Nottingham, while Lewis opens up against Chisnall and 2014 Premier League champion Van Barneveld meets Huybrechts. The Premier League's visit to the First Direct Arena in Leeds for Night Three on February 16 includes the meeting of Taylor and Van Barneveld, who took victory when the great rivals met recently in the World Championship. Scottish rivals Anderson and Wright open a night which also features the all-Dutch clash between Van Gerwen and Klaasen, the meeting between Lewis and Wade and Chisnall's clash with Huybrechts. Week Four sees the tournament return to The Brighton Centre, where Van Gerwen will take on Lewis, Anderson plays Wade, Van Barneveld meets Wright, Chisnall lines up against Klaasen and Taylor faces Huybrechts. The visit to Exeter's Westpoint Arena on Thursday March 2 for Night Five will include the repeat of the 2015 World Championship final between Anderson and Taylor, while Van Gerwen plays Wade in a rematch of last year's Grand Slam of Darts decider. Lewis takes on Wright, Chisnall opens against Van Barneveld and Klaasen meets Huybrechts in the other clash at the Westpoint Arena. The first of two league nights in Scotland sees the Betway Premier League at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on Thursday March 9, where Scottish duo Anderson and Wright take on Chisnall and Wade respectively. An all-Dutch clash sees Klaasen play Van Barneveld, Van Gerwen comes up against Huybrechts and Lewis takes on Taylor in their all-Stoke battle. Night Seven then sees the tournament return to a sold-out Rotterdam Ahoy arena, where Van Gerwen and Taylor meet in a repeat of last year's Premier League final, which the Dutch hero won 11-3. Van Barneveld plays world number two Anderson, while Klaasen will make his Rotterdam debut against Wade, with Huybrechts up against Lewis and Wright set to meet Chisnall. The penultimate league night before Judgement Night sees the ten stars in action at the Manchester Arena on Thursday March 23, where Dutch rivals Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld will face off. Taylor meets Wright, Anderson plays Huybrechts, Wade takes on Chisnall and Lewis faces Klaasen in Manchester before the stars head to Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena a week later for Judgement Night. The decisive final league night before the bottom two players are eliminated sees Van Gerwen playing Chisnall, Anderson meet Lewis in a repeat of the 2011 Premier League final, Wright meeting Huybrechts, Wade taking on Van Barneveld and Taylor up against Klaasen. The fixtures for the remaining league nights will be confirmed following Judgement Night as the remaining players then jostle for Play-Off places.
2017 Betway Premier League n Night One - Thursday February 2 Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Kim Huybrechts v James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld v Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Jelle Klaasen
Night Two - Thursday February 9 Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
James Wade v Phil Taylor
Jelle Klaasen v Gary Anderson
Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen
Kim Huybrechts v Raymond van Barneveld
Night Three - Thursday February 16 First Direct Arena, Leeds
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis v James Wade
Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen v Jelle Klaasen
Dave Chisnall v Kim Huybrechts
Night Four - Thursday February 23 The Brighton Centre
Dave Chisnall v Jelle Klaasen
Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis
Gary Anderson v James Wade
Phil Taylor v Kim Huybrechts
Raymond van Barneveld v Peter Wright
Night Five - Thursday March 2
Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld
Jelle Klaasen v Kim Huybrechts
Gary Anderson v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
Adrian Lewis v Peter Wright
Night Six - Thursday March 9
The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor
James Wade v Peter Wright
Kim Huybrechts v Michael van Gerwen
Jelle Klaasen v Raymond van Barneveld
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson
Night Seven - Thursday March 16
Rotterdam Ahoy
James Wade v Jelle Klaasen
Peter Wright v Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
Kim Huybrechts v Adrian Lewis
Night Eight - Thursday March 23
The Manchester Arena
Kim Huybrechts v Gary Anderson
James Wade v Dave Chisnall
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor
Jelle Klaasen v Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
Judgement Night - Thursday March 30
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Raymond van Barneveld v James Wade
Phil Taylor v Jelle Klaasen
Gary Anderson v Adrian Lewis
Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall
Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts
Fixtures for Night Ten-Night 15 to be confirmed following Judgement Night.
By Carter Guiney