BARRY Hearn believes Bournemouth darts fans could be treated to a classic night of action when the McCoy’s Premier League Darts comes back to town.
The popular PDC showpiece returns to the Bournemouth International Centre for its annual visit tomorrow evening.
An eagerly-anticipated clash between the world’s two leading stars, Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis, will top the bill at the venue.
It is the first Premier League meeting between the duo since they battled out a memorable 7-7 classic on the opening night of the campaign in Manchester.
Promoter Hearn is confident that legend Taylor and world champion Lewis can serve up another feast of entertainment in front of the Bournemouth darting faithful.
He told the Daily Echo: “I don’t think I have ever seen a better game. I was in Manchester and the standard of both players was just from another planet.
“If they can reproduce that at Bournemouth, the fans there are in for a real treat because that was something very special.
“I had to give the biggest game down there because my pal is Conor Burns, an MP in Bournemouth.
“Bournemouth people can say that without Conor Burns, they wouldn’t have had Taylor versus Lewis there.”
At the BIC event, multiple world champion Raymond van Barneveld will meet Australian Simon Whitlock, while reigning champion Gary Anderson will lock horns with Kevin Painter. World Championship runner-up Andy Hamilton, meanwhile, will face former World Matchplay king James Wade.
Hearn added: “Bournemouth has been a part of the Premier League since the beginning and it has grown and grown. The only danger I have got is the venues aren’t big enough any more.
“It has been a phenomenal success. One hundred thousand people will attend the Premier League this year.
“We had nearly 9,000 there on the first night in Manchester and we finish at The O2 on May 17 and there will be more than 10,000 at that.
“Bournemouth is the smallest venue we use but we love it down there and the fans have always been very receptive and the games are great. Whoever has got a ticket is a lucky person.”
• See tomorrow’s Echo for full previews with Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld ahead of the McCoy's Premier League night.
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