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It’s been a few years since I have been in New Orleans, so I was delighted to learn that the first ADA Professional Darts Championship was being staged in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. I have fond memories of stays there over the years and I knew that this prestigious Big Easy Landmark would be the perfect venue for this historic contest.
I arrived early on Friday afternoon and settled in my room. The French provincial style of the room furnishings evoked a sense of old New Orleans - and what a view of the Mississippi River! I had brought an event flyer with me, printed off from the ADA website and took it with me to Kabby’s, the hotel’s sports bar, for a drink.
This was going to be an impressive event. The purpose of the competition was to determine the first four Certified Professional Darts Champions in the USA. I would not be among that elite group, but I looked forward to competing in the two draw doubles that were scheduled at which I might be partnered up with one of the Pros.
This would truly be a professional event. The Pro entrants were seeded, unheard of in the amateur darts organizations in this country, and the winners would receive Championship Rings, just as in most other Major League Sports. And, although my PPDA is “farm team” level, I appreciate and enjoy being a member of an organization that holds its top players up to true Major League status.
Downstairs at Kabby’s, a classy sports pub with 34” plasma TV screens and comfortable seating arrangements, I ran into Karl and Glenn Remick. With them was New Orleans Rep & Pro Darts Championship Director, Larry Bordlee. They were finalizing details for the Championship events. Between the three of them they have over 70 years of experience in promoting our sport of darts. Larry has assembled a capable crew to manage the weekend events so Glenn & Karl could concentrate on playing as Pros.
I asked Larry about the ADA seeded playoff program. I had noted that there were 7 Pro’s entered in the Men’s Soft Tip. The number of women Pro’s entered in the Women’s Steel Tip event was an uneven number, too. How is that going to work? With an uneven number, how do you pair them up? Larry explained that the top seed player would have a “Bye” and advance to the second round. The second seed would play the seventh; the third playing the sixth & the fourth playing the fifth.
Larry & Karl excused themselves to check on the “playing field” located on the third floor of the Hotel (well, not including the indoor swimming pool). There was the “Control and Registration Center”, The Competition Room and the Championship Room.
A lot of work went in to just set up for this event, I commented. Glenn nodded, as the founder and President of the ADA, he is no stranger to organizing darts contests but this one he noted is special.
As we talked, it occurred to me, as it inevitably does when I spend time with him, what Glenn’s visionary philosophy and approach to our sport has accomplished. Needless to say without the American Dart League this first Pro Darts Championship would not be possible. The Pros certified by competing in weekly league play throughout the calendar year, no different from the franchised networks of major leagues. Every dart is counted to qualify the Pros & to establish the seeded ranking. A lot of work indeed & certainly not possible without the ADA’s customized software program.
It was time for Glenn to go so I took the opportunity to head outside and walk along side the mighty Mississippi. Upon my return I went to the third floor to register for the draw doubles. The entry fee was $20 but all the entry fees for both the steel & soft tip draws that weekend were returned as prize money. We weren’t there for the prize money (but it didn’t hurt to have it).
After registering I toured the 5000 square foot grand ballroom. At the far wall was tiered, stadium style seating where we would sit for the opening ceremonies each day & to watch the Pro finals on Sunday. On the left side, against the wall was the portable standards supporting the World Pro Unicorn steel tip dart boards. On the right side the Shelti Eye2 dart machines for the soft tip Pros. Beverages from the bar were served on the remaining wall.
Before the draw doubles began, Breana Mansfield from “The Louisiana Kids” sang the National Anthem unaccompanied by any musical instruments. It was a breath taking performance and you could have heard a pin drop when she finished. Louisiana Kids is a division of American Kids a non-profit organization using performing arts as a vehicle to develop self-esteem & character in youths ages three to seniors in high school. They would return on Saturday morning to repeat the performance.
This truly was one of the classiest darts events I had ever attended.
Then Glenn addressed the crowd, several had just become members of the ADA (which was required to enter the draw). “It’s nice that you came for the blind draw however the purpose of this weekend is to establish the top four dart Pros in the USA. This is an historic event,” he said. “You’ve qualified to compete in it, that is an accomplishment that should be recognized. Please stand.” The crowd then gave the Pro’s a well deserved round of applause.
The blind draw immediately followed. Format was best of three, double elimination. The first game is 501 followed by Cricket with 501 serving as the tie breaker. Most of the Pros attended with the remaining participants coming from greater New Orleans. Unfortunately I was out in the first round but stayed to watch our opponents win several games.
Saturday morning’s at darting event is usually not my finest hour & the Pro Darts Championship was no exception. After the draw doubles I invested time & money at Harrah’s Casino located next door to the Hilton. I was a tad groggy as I made my way to the 9 am Pro Darters Clinic scheduled in the Championship area. The Clinic was open to Pros, members & guests and when I got there, it was clear from the bleary eyes and listing heads that many of the fellow attendees had engaged in activities similar to mine the night before. But we knew how important it was to learn about being a Pro.
I took notes and drank coffee with equal fervor. We learned how to profile and market ourselves as darts professionals. How to put together a portfolio, including a passport sized head-shot (I would never have thought of that); how to conduct yourself as a pro; what the ADA is doing to support professional players (the 2008 Pro Tour, introducing the Pro’s to sponsors and so on). It was time well spent even for those of us who may not achieve professional status for a while.
The excitement of the noon start of the Pro matches swept the last of the cobwebs from my head. I was ready to witness the genesis of professional darts in America, it was exciting.
At 11:30 Glenn welcomed the assembled Pros & turned the Championship room over to Director Larry Bordlee then headed for his scheduled match against #3 seed Virginia member Mark Youngblood. Promptly at noon the ADA’s first Pro Darts Championship was underway! For the next four hours I swapped back & forth between soft & steel tip matches witnessing the Pros tossing great darts (check out the results & highlights in Glenn’s article on home page).
After an early dinner I returned to the Championship & found the Pros seated in a long row of tables for the Championship Program autograph session. It was like being at a PGA event! Everything was set up for them; stacked programs opened to the autographed page with pens for each Pro ready for the passing of programs down the table Immediately following the autograph session the Pros had a group photo taken over at the sponsor’s area.
One note about the Pro’s photo sessions: You know how in Major League and big-time college sports you see the alternating pattern of the League Logo and the sponsor’s logo in little squares behind the photo subjects? That was the background at the Pro Darts Championship, the ADA logo and the sponsor’s logos (Jim Beam Black on one, Budweiser on the other) provided a colorful and professional backdrop for the Professional Darters photo’s.
In addition to the ADA sending these photo’s to Darts World & Bull’s Eye News magazines they will also go out to the media (newspaper, television & radio) in each Pro’s home region. This may seem like a small detail, but that is just the point. The ADA is making sure that our sport looks like all the other Major League sports.
Once the autograph & photo sessions were complete the second draw doubles followed.
There was tremendous excitement on Sunday morning at 11 a.m., the starting time for the ADA Professional Darts Championship Finals. Glenn had assembled the professionals earlier in the morning.
“This is it”, he told them. “By mid-afternoon, 4 of you will hold the title & rings as the first Professional Darts Champions!
You would have thought that that would have been the end of the weekend. But wait, there was more – the first Pro-Am doubles was to follow. This 501/ Cricket event was a race to four, single elimination. Even with a $50 entry fee for the amateurs, I looked forward with great anticipation to enter. After all, the entry fees went to prize money and since we all were going to partner up with a Pro, it was a good investment. To my surprise the field was full! There were no Pro’s left to partner with. I was not the only one left out. In fact a couple of amateurs even offered to pay if someone would give up their Pro partner, but there were no takers. Oh Well.
I passed Glenn on his way to his match. He stopped to introduce his Amateur partner, Kelly Crownover. I recognized Kelly; he was the Jim Beam exec presenting the awards at the Championship ceremony. I asked, “How in the world did you get Kelly to play?” His reply surprised me, “Easy, Kelly’s is a New Orleans ADA member.” How could it get any better than this!
I took an early evening flight home as I had to get back to the grind on Monday. During the flight I couldn’t stop thinking about how exciting and exhilarating the ADA Pro Darts Championship had been. So much so that, except for the visit to the casino & a short stroll on the famous New Orleans Riverfront, I had not left the Hotel the entire weekend. If the ADA returns to New Orleans I vowed to allow an extra day to visit my favorite Big Easy Restaurant, Pascal’s Manale Restaurant over on Napoleon and THEN wander through the French Quarter and along the River Walk.
But only on that extra day, the rest of the time, I know I’ll be engrossed with the competition and comradship of the second ADA Pro Darts Championship.
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