Interview Steve Brown

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Darts1 interview
with Steve Brown

You've played the PDC as well but in the end decided for you the WDF would be the better way. What where the reasons for this decision and do you think it was the right decision?

Money - and time. Obviously, the rewards are now in the PDC, but so too are the expenses, particularly if you don't live in Europe. I know that's where the majority of the players are, but I feel that the PDC Rankings are too heavily weighted toward the Europeans. That's where the time also comes into it. If North Americans have any designs on a place in the rankings, they have play a bunch of European events. As most Americans have to work for a living, that's a problem, as many only get 10-15 days vacation a year.

Some others - for example Larry Butler - decided to try a come back after the PDC offered more opportunities in the USA. Do you think those American PDC tournaments really are a chance?

It is a chance, but not a great one. We do have the North American Order of Merit, which is by far the best opportunity. However, that will never be enough to keep a player in the PDC Rankings. Look at Gary Mawson last year; he did well in the North American events (not well enough though), he played in several European events, and he made the final of the UK Open. That was a fantastic achievement, but I'm very disillusioned at the fact that, despite all that, Gary couldn't secure a place in a 64-man World Championship.

And do they help darts in the USA?

Sure they do. They provide Americans with the best opportunities to compete against the world's best, and over a longer format also. I just wish more Americans would jump at that opportunity. That may sound hypocritical, but I've been around a long time, and spent many years in the PDC, and it's not as if I need them for the experience. For the up-and-coming players over her, they do need them; it's the only way they can get that experience.

What for you are the biggest differences between the PDC and the WDF?

The money - obviously - but also the professional manner in which the PDC majors are staged. Of course, that is a direct result of the money. Like it or not, the BDO/WDF system has developed into something of a feeder for the PDC, but there is still a lot of quality in their events.

What was your greatest success in the BDO and what was it in the PDC?

Unfortunately, I haven't won too many BDO events over the years. Winning the Houston Open this year was my first since the North American Open in 1989. Therefore, the North American Open wins in '88 and '89 have to be the best. However, I have won a few WDF tournaments in that time. It was very satisfying to win the Swiss Open in 1990 and 1991, but the biggest financially was the 1989 International Challenge of Champions in New York - that was $10,000! PDC-wise, I'd have to say third place in the 1994 World Championship.

If you'd like to include them, I have had what I consider to be successes outside of individual tournament wins. In 1991, I spent much of the year as WDF #1 before being overtaken by Rod Harrington. I am also the highest-ranked American in the history of the PDC (#4 in 1994) and the only American to receive a Top 8 seeding in the PDC World Championship (#8 in 1999)

And would you say it's true what one can often hear that the PDC players are better then the BDO players?

If you took the top 50 of each, one would have to say that the PDC is better. However, I still don;t think that there is as much of a gulf as some would have you believe.

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