PDC World Matchplay 2014 live on Sky Sports

Darts fanatics will head in their droves to Blackpool for the 2014 PDC BetVictor World Matchplay at Blackpool’s iconic Winter Gardens and Sky Sports will again have all nine days exclusively live.

Twenty years on from its first staging in the stunning Empress Ballroom, the World Matchplay has gone on to be regarded as one of the highlights of darting calendar, as well as being the most prestigious tournament on the PDC circuit behind the World Championship.

Running from July 19-27, the tournament features 32 of the world’s top players who will all be battling it out for the trophy over nine days of competition, with the winner receiving a cheque for a cool £100,000.

Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor is defending the title for sixth consecutive year after overcoming former two-time world champion Adrian Lewis in a pulsating final 12 months ago. 

Taylor averaged just over 111 through the deciding contest and the experienced thrower, a 16-time world champion no less, recovered a 6-4 deficit to eventually take the spoils 18-13.

Defeat was harsh on Lewis, who threw 19 maximums and averaged 106 during his time at the oche, but he was, however, no match for Taylor, who lifted the trophy for the 14th time.

All the stars of big-time PDC darts as well as some new fresh faces will be appearing in this year’s field, featuring the 16 best players from the PDC Order of Merit, who are  joined by a further 16 players from the ProTour Order of Merit, which comprises of all the non-televised floor tournaments.

The main threat to Taylor’s defence is likely to come from world number one and the sensational Dutch darting talent Michael van Gerwen, who finally realised his potential earlier this year by winning the PDC World Championship for the first time at Alexandra Palace.

The current world champion reached the semi-finals of the event in 2013, where he was narrowly beaten by Lewis, and will be hoping to go one better in 2014.

‘Mighty Mike’ has been in frightening form this season though, following up his triumph at the World Championship with a semi-final appearance in the UK Open, a runners-up spot in the Premier League and teamed with Raymond van Barneveld to lead the Netherlands to success in the World Cup of Darts.

The past two decades have seen many magical and famous moments in the World Matchplay and the game’s finest will again assemble in Blackpool with the aim of claiming one of the sport’s most coveted titles.

PDC darts never fails to deliver excitement, passion and plenty of drama and this year’s Blackpool spectacular should be no different. 

Will ‘The Power’ rediscover the supremacy that saw him claim 14 world Matchplay titles, or can Van Gerwen unite the World Championship and world matchplay crowns? Perhaps an outsider emerge to topple the arrows aristocracy.

Sky Sports will screen the PDC BetVictor World Matchplay exclusively live from the famous Winter Gardens in Blackpool from July 19 to 27, as the channel serves up nine days of sizzling summer darts.

Dave Clark will introduce the action from Blackpool every night on Sky Sports HD alongside former two-time World Matchplay winner Rod Harrington, five-times world champion Eric Bristow and former world semi-finalist Wayne Mardle.

Three-time world champion and former Blackpool finalist John Part will also be part of the Sky Sports analysis team, while Rod Studd, Stuart Pyke and Nigel Pearson call the action from the commentary box.

In addition to live coverage, Sky Sports will also broadcast a special preview show looking ahead to the 2014 tournament, presented by Dave Clark and Wayne Mardle, which will be shown at various times in the week building up to the event.

All of Sky Sports’ live coverage will be available to watch for subscribers via Sky Go on PCs, mobiles, laptops and tablet devices.

The Sky Sports darts website will feature all the latest news, interviews and features from the Winter Gardens in Blackpool throughout the week, plus opinion from Sky experts and video highlights.

Fans can also interact with the on-air team via Twitter during the event – @SkySportsDarts.

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