Mickey Mansell has voiced his frustration regarding the PDC’s decision to schedule non-televised events on weekdays. The seasoned 51-year-old darts player from Northern Ireland, who recently reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts—a first major final four appearance in his career—was stopped by Martin Lukeman.
Lukeman himself lost in Sunday’s final to young star Luke Littler. Despite a 16-12 defeat, Mansell earned £53,500, a substantial amount that helps offset the earnings he lost after resigning from his day job as a joiner.
Mansell criticized PDC head Barry Hearn’s decision to shift all floor events from weekends to weekdays, which disrupted his previous balance between work and sport. Speaking to Sportsboom, Mansell stated, “I work during the week; I’m a joiner. Barry threw a spanner in the works by moving everything into the middle of the week.
I used to work during the week, but now I’m trying to cover my costs when I have to play midweek. There was always an income coming in when I could work, but now on those Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, if I don’t win, there’s no income. I’m playing to try to cover what I’m missing out on.”
His performances have allowed him to climb into the top ranks, with earnings reaching £145,750 over the past two years, positioning him 43rd in the PDC Order of Merit. However, he remains over £100,000 short of breaking into the elite top 32.