# List of darts players who have switched organisation

Between 1993 and 2020 professional darts had two rival bodies which staged tournaments and had separate pools of players, the British Darts Organisation (BDO) and the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Both staged its own world championship. In practice, players had to choose which organisation to represent, but many switched between the two, which often caused controversy.
This situation arose following an acrimonious split in the early 1990s between the leading players and the BDO. Darts had boomed in popularity during the 1980s, with as many as 23 televised events in 1983. However, by the end of the decade this had fallen to just one. This, combined with general disillusionment at the BDO's management of the sport, prompted 16 top players to break away and form their own body. Four years of legal action followed, culminating in the 1997 Tomlin order, which confirmed the existence of both bodies, and established that players were free choose which one to play for.
This list documents the players who made the decision to switch from one organisation to the other. In general more players switched from the BDO to the PDC than vice versa, attracted by the greater prize money and better competition offered by the PDC. The BDO folded in 2020, but many of their events were subsequently revived by the World Darts Federation, so the split in darts remains.

## World Darts Council foundation

The sixteen darts defectors who formed the WDC were as follows:
| Player | Time with BDO | Notes |
| Phil Taylor | 1988–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2018. |
| Dennis Priestley | 1989–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2014. |
| Rod Harrington | 1987–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007. |
| Alan Warriner | 1985–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2009. |
| Peter Evison | 1986–1993 | Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin the BDO. Returned to the PDC in 2011 and retired from darts in 2018. |
| Ritchie Gardner | 1984–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2006. |
| Jocky Wilson | 1979–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 1996. |
| Eric Bristow | 1979–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007. |
| Keith Deller | 1983–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007. |
| John Lowe | 1975–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007. |
| Bob Anderson | 1979–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2008. |
| Cliff Lazarenko | 1977–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007. |
| Kevin Spiolek | 1987–1993 | Remained a PDC player until his retirement in 2007. |
| Jamie Harvey | 1988–1993 | Quit the PDC in 2009 due to ill-health but returned to the BDO in 2011. Retired in 2013. |
| Mike Gregory | 1983–1992 | Quit the PDC in 1993 to return to the BDO. Retired from darts in 2005. |
| Chris Johns | 1986–1993 | Quit the PDC in 1993 and retired from professional darts the same year. |
Since then, many darts players have left the BDO to join the PDC, although some players rejoined the BDO either from finding it difficult on the PDC circuit or lack of sponsorship. The PDC had new talent of their own. However some players left them to join the BDO.

## Players who transferred from the BDO to the PDC

| Year of transfer | Player | Time with BDO | Notes |
| 1993 | Tom Kirby | 1987–1993 | Quit the PDC in 2007. Died in 2008 |
| 1994 | Mick Manning | 1988–1994 | Quit the PDC in 2005 |
| 1994 | Larry Butler | 1992–1993 | Quit the PDC in 1997 but rejoined them in 2007. Quit in 2011 and is now with the BDO |
| 1994 | Paul Lim | 1980–1994 | |
| 1994 | Dennis Smith | 1993–1994 | |
| 1994 | Graeme Stoddart | 1990 | Quit the PDC in 2009 |
| 1994 | Dennis Hickling | 1980–1994 | Quit the PDC in 1996 |
| 1994 | Tony Payne | 1985–1994 | Quit the PDC in 1995 but rejoined them in 2003. Quit in 2007 |
| 1994 | Jerry Umberger | 1981–1993 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1994 | Gerald Verrier | 1987–1993 | Quit the PDC in 2000 |
| 1994 | Sean Downs | 1993 | Quit the PDC in 2010 |
| 1994 | Whit Whitley | 1993 | Quit the PDC in 1995 |
| 1994 | Damien Tonge | 1993–1994 | Quit the PDC in 1995 |
| 1994 | Gary Stevens | 1993 | Quit the PDC in 2009 |
| 1994 | Jim Watkins | 1993 | Quit the PDC in 1995 |
| 1994 | Robert Earle | 1987 | Quit the PDC in 1995 |
| 1994 | Jim Widmayer | 1993 | Quit the PDC in 2007 to rejoin BDO in 2008 |
| 1994 | Dave Kelly | 1991–1993 | Quit the PDC in 1996 but rejoined them in 2006. Quit in 2008 |
| 1994 | Kevin Burrows | 1989–1994 | Quit the PDC in 2004 |
| 1994 | Shayne Burgess | 1989–1994 | Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin BDO in 2012. Quit in 2014 |
| 1994 | Steve Raw | 1993 | Quit the PDC in 2001 |
| 1995 | Gary Mawson | 1994 | Quit the PDC in 2001 but rejoined them in 2004. |
| 1995 | John Russell | 1994 | Quit the PDC in 1996 |
| 1995 | Reg Harding | 1988–1993 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 1995 | Steve Tingay | 1994 | Quit the PDC in 1996 |
| 1995 | Nigel Justice | 1991 | Quit the PDC in 2003 |
| 1995 | Kevin Kenny | 1987–1994 | Quit the PDC in 2001 |
| 1995 | Jef Scheyltjens | 1994 | Quit the PDC in 1995 |
| 1995 | Paul Bratherton | 1994 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1995 | Darren Peetoom | 1995 | Quit the PDC in 1997 to rejoin the BDO in 2015 |
| 1996 | Tony Holyoake | 1980–1995 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | Phil Gilman | 1992 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 1996 | Bruce Robbins | 1995 | Quit the PDC in 2008 |
| 1996 | Peter Manley | 1995–1996 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 1996 | Harry Robinson | 1990–1996 | |
| 1996 | Mark Sherwood | 1994–1995 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | Johnny Deley | 1987–1990 | Quit the PDC in 1996 |
| 1996 | Paul Cook | 1990 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 1996 | Avtar Gill | 1981–1987 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | Frans Harmsen | 1995 | Quit the PDC in 2000 to rejoin BDO in 2002. Quit the 2017 |
| 1996 | Jack North | 1975–1976 | Quit the PDC in 2004 |
| 1996 | Fran Lynch | 1994–1996 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | Joe Holmes | 1995 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | Jason Lucas | 1995–1996 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | John Moore | 1974 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1996 | Garry Haynes | 1995 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1997 | David McFadden | 1986–1996 | Quit the PDC in 2000. Died in 2021 |
| 1997 | John Part | 1991–1997 | Also a pundit for Sky Sports Darts |
| 1997 | Drew O'Neill | 1986 | Quit the PDC in 1998 |
| 1997 | Dean Allsop | 1995–1997 | Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin the BDO in 2011 |
| 1997 | Chris Whiting | 1986–1994 | Quit the PDC in 1997 |
| 1997 | Mark Robinson | 1995–1997 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 1997 | Carl Mercer | 1993–1997 | Quit the PDC in 2004 to rejoin the BDO in 2006. Quit the 2009 |
| 1997 | Anthony Ridler | 1977–1983 | Quit the PDC in 2006. Died in 2014 |
| 1997 | Alan Evans | 1975–1988 | Quit the PDC in 1997. Died in 1999 |
| 1998 | John Ferrell | 1994–1997 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 1998 | Dan Lauby | 1996–1998 | |
| 1998 | Scott Cummings | 1997–1998 | Quit the PDC in 2001 |
| 1998 | Alex Roy | 1998 | Quit the PDC in 2018 |
| 1999 | Richie Burnett | 1987–1999 | Quit the PDC in 2014 but rejoined them in 2016 |
| 1999 | Roland Scholten | 1989–1999 | Quit the PDC in 2014 and is now a pundit for RTL7 Darts |
| 1999 | Colin Lloyd | 1998 | Quit the PDC in 2015 but rejoined them in 2018. Quit in 2018 |
| 1999 | Darin Young | 1998 | Quit the PDC in 2014 to rejoin BDO in 2014 |
| 2000 | Braulio Roncero | 1994–1998 | Quit the PDC in 2010. Died in 2018 |
| 2000 | Dave Askew | 1988–2000 | Quit the PDC in 2011 |
| 2000 | Roger Carter | 1996–1999 | Quit the PDC in 2012 |
| 2000 | Denis Ovens | 1986–2000 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2000 | Les Fitton | 1998–2000 | Quit the PDC in 2004 |
| 2001 | Norman Fletcher | 1999–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2013 |
| 2001 | Ronnie Baxter | 1988–2001 | |
| 2001 | Steve Beaton | 1990–2001 | |
| 2001 | Andy Jenkins | 1994–2001 | |
| 2001 | Kevin Painter | 1994–2001 | |
| 2001 | Chris Mason | 1990–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2014 and is now a commentator for ITV Sports Darts rejoined the BDO in 2015. Quit in 2016 |
| 2001 | Paul Williams | 1993–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2007 |
| 2001 | Robbie Widdows | 1987–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 2001 | Lionel Sams | 1994–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2011 but rejoined them in 2013. Quit in 2015 |
| 2002 | Matt Chapman | 1999–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 2002 | Mark Holden | 1990–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2007 |
| 2002 | Paul Whitworth | 1990–2001 | |
| 2002 | Ian Brand | 1994–1997 | Quit the PDC in 2007 |
| 2002 | Barrie Bates | 2001 | |
| 2002 | Mark Dudbridge | 2002 | |
| 2002 | Arjan Moen | 2000–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2003 the rejoin BDO in 2005. Quit in 2010 |
| 2002 | Aaron Turner | 2000-2002 | Quit the PDC in 2015 to rejoin BDO in 2016. |
| 2002 | Al Hedman | 1995–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2005 |
| 2002 | Mick Savvery | 1985–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2016 |
| 2002 | Lee Palfreyman | 1995–2001 | |
| 2002 | Wayne Jones | 1988–2002 | |
| 2002 | Jack McKenna | 1974–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2005 the rejoin BDO in 2006. Quit in 2007 |
| 2002 | John MaGowan | 1994–2001 | Quit the PDC in 2012 to rejoin BDO in 2012. Quit in 2016 |
| 2002 | Brian Roach | 1998 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 2002 | Wayne Mardle | 1993–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2012 and is now a commentator for Sky Sports Darts |
| 2002 | Les Hodkinson | 1997–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2004 |
| 2002 | Crissy Manley | 1997–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2004 to rejoin BDO in 2005. Quit the 2011. |
| 2002 | Dave Smith | 2001 | Quit the PDC in 2012 to rejoin BDO in 2013. Quit the 2015 |
| 2003 | Dave Jowett | 1996–1997 | Quit the PDC in 2008 |
| 2003 | David Platt | 2002 | Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin BDO in 2011 |
| 2003 | Ray Carver | 2002 | Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin BDO in 2011. Quit in 2015. but rejoined them in 2018 |
| 2003 | Ray Farrell | 1985–1993 | Quit the PDC in 2009 to rejoin BDO in 2012. Quit in 2014 |
| 2003 | Vic Hubbard | 1985–1986 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 2003 | Marshall James | 1991–1999 | Quit the PDC in 2003 |
| 2003 | Andy Smith | 1997–2002 | |
| 2003 | Simon Whatley | 2002 | Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin BDO in 2010. Quit in 2011 |
| 2003 | Gerry Convery | 2001–2003 | Quit the PDC in 2011 |
| 2003 | Colin McGarry | 1995 | Quit the PDC in 2014 to rejoin BDO in 2014. Quit in 2017 |
| 2003 | Vijay Kumar | 1989–2002 | Quit the PDC in 2004 |
| 2003 | Geoff Wylie | 1991–2003 | Quit the PDC in 2009 to rejoin BDO in 2013. Quit the 2015 |
| 2004 | Matt Clark | 1996–2004 | |
| 2004 | Erik Clarys | 1989–2004 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 2004 | Bruce Cottrell | 2003 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 2004 | Norm Tremblay | 2002–2003 | Quit the PDC in 2007 to rejoin BDO in 2010. Quit in 2017 |
| 2004 | Ricky Villanueva | 2004 | Quit the PDC in 2011 |
| 2004 | Colin Monk | 1993–2004 | Quit the PDC in 2011 |
| 2004 | James Wade | 2001–2004 | |
| 2004 | Ron Miller | 2004 | Quit the PDC in 2013 |
| 2004 | Dave Whitcombe | 1979–1992 | Quit the PDC in 2007. |
| 2004 | Peter Wright | 1995–2004 | |
| 2004 | George Walls | 2003 | Quit the PDC in 2007 |
| 2004 | Ed de Behnke | 2004 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 2005 | Mark Frost | 2004 | |
| 2005 | Steve Gittins | 1985–1990 | Quit the PDC in 2005 |
| 2005 | Tomas Seyler | 1998–2004 | |
| 2005 | Russell Stewart | 1983–2005 | Quit the PDC in 2016 |
| 2005 | Alan Tabern | 2004 | |
| 2006 | Raymond van Barneveld | 1987–2006 | |
| 2006 | David DePriest | 2006 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 2006 | John Kuczynski | 2000–2005 | Quit the PDC in 2012 |
| 2006 | Bill Davis | 2001–2004 | Quit the PDC in 2012 |
| 2006 | Brad Wethington | 1998 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2006 | Jann Hoffmann | 1989–2004 | Quit the PDC in 2016 |
| 2006 | Peter Locke | 1983–1992 | Quit the PDC in 2006 |
| 2006 | Charles Losper | 2003–2006 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2006 | Shane O'Connor | 2006 | |
| 2006 | Brian Cyr | 1998–2006 | Quit the PDC in 2008 to rejoin BDO in 2011 |
| 2006 | Michael Rosenauer | 1991–2006 | Quit the PDC in 2016 to rejoin BDO in 2017 |
| 2006 | Kirk Shepherd | 2003–2006 | |
| 2007 | Jamie Caven | 1992–2007 | |
| 2007 | Michael van Gerwen | 2003–2007 | |
| 2007 | Stuart Holden | 1983 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2007 | Mervyn King | 1994–2007 | |
| 2007 | Jelle Klaasen | 2003–2007 | |
| 2007 | Dave Ladley | 1992–2005 | |
| 2007 | Per Laursen | 1987–2007 | |
| 2007 | Carlos Rodriguez | 2006–2007 | |
| 2007 | Mensur Suljović | 1999–2005 | |
| 2007 | Vincent van der Voort | 2001–2007 | |
| 2007 | Rory Orvis | 1998–2007 | Quit the PDC in 2013 |
| 2007 | Dan Olson | 1990–2007 | Quit the PDC in 2011 |
| 2008 | Rizal Barellano | 2006 | Quit the PDC in 2009 |
| 2008 | Sammy Cruz | 1990–1992 | Quit the PDC in 2017 |
| 2008 | Nándor Bezzeg | 2000–2008 | |
| 2008 | Dietmar Burger | 2002–2007 | |
| 2008 | Marko Kantele | 1996–2008 | |
| 2008 | Ken MacNeil | 2005–2008 | |
| 2008 | Miloslav Navrátil | 2005–2007 | Quit the PDC in 2008 |
| 2008 | Aodhagan O'Neill | 2003–2008 | Quit the PDC in 2012 |
| 2008 | Ashfaque Sayed | 2005–2006 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2008 | Bob Sinnaeve | 1980–1992 | Quit the PDC in 2010 to rejoin BDO in 2010 |
| 2008 | Robert Thornton | 2002–2008 | |
| 2009 | Gary Anderson | 2000–2009 | |
| 2009 | Magnus Caris | 1987–2009 | |
| 2009 | Andy Fordham | 1994–2009 | Quit the PDC in 2011 to rejoin the BDO in 2013 |
| 2009 | Jarkko Komula | 1998–2009 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2009 | Mark Webster | 2006–2009 | |
| 2010 | Antonio Alcinas | 2005–2009 | |
| 2010 | Stacy Bromberg | 1995–2010 | Quit the PDC in 2012. Died in 2017 |
| 2010 | Steve Farmer | 2004–2010 | Quit the PDC in 2013 |
| 2010 | Mareno Michels | 2004–2010 | |
| 2010 | Krzysztof Ratajski | 2007–2010 | |
| 2010 | Tricia Wright | 2000–2010 | Joined the PDC in 2005 Still plays in the BDO since 2013 |
| 2010 | Ian White | 2005–2010 | |
| 2011 | Dave Chisnall | 2004–2011 | |
| 2011 | Brian Woods | 2003–2011 | |
| 2011 | Kurt van de Rijck | 2002–2011 | Quit the PDC in 2014 to rejoin BDO in 2014 |
| 2012 | Tony West | 2002–2012 | Quit the PDC in 2016 |
| 2012 | Steve West | 2004–2012 | |
| 2012 | Stuart Kellett | 2006–2012 | |
| 2012 | Ted Hankey | 1994–2012 | Quit the PDC in 2013 to rejoin the BDO in 2014 |
| 2012 | Dean Winstanley | 2008–2012 | Quit the PDC in 2016 but rejoined them in 2018 |
| 2012 | Les Wallace | 1995–2003 | Quit the PDC in 2013 |
| 2013 | Wayne Weening | 1988–2012 | Quit the PDC in 2015 |
| 2014 | Christian Kist | 2009–2014 | |
| 2014 | Stephen Bunting | 2002–2014 | |
| 2015 | Alan Norris | 2006–2015 | |
| 2015 | James Wilson | 2007–2015 | |
| 2015 | Jan Dekker | 2008–2015 | |
| 2016 | Jeffrey de Graaf | 2010–2016 | |
| 2017 | Madars Razma | 2009–2017 | |
| 2017 | Jimmy Hendriks | 2010–2017 | |
| 2017 | Krzysztof Ratajski | 2007–2017 | |
| 2018 | Cameron Menzies | 2006–2018 | |
| 2018 | Danny Noppert | 2012–2018 | |
| 2018 | Davy Van Baelen | 2016–2018 | |
| 2018 | Darryl Fitton | 2002–2018 | Quit the PDC in 2018 |
| 2018 | Dennis Nilsson | 2006–2018 | |
| 2018 | Tony O'Shea | 1995–2018 | Quit the PDC in 2018 |
| 2018 | Martin Atkins | 2002–2018 | Quit the PDC in 2018 |
| 2018 | Jamie Hughes | 2013–2018 | |
| 2018 | Ryan Joyce | 2007–2018 | |
| 2018 | Eddy Sims | 2005–2018 | |
| 2019 | Geert De Vos | 2004–2019 | |
| 2019 | Andy Baetens | 2010–2019 | |
| 2019 | Darius Labanauskas | 2006–2019 | |
| 2019 | Glen Durrant | 2004–2019 | |
| 2019 | Mark McGeeney | 2010–2019 | |
| 2019 | Scott Waites | 2004–2019 | |
| 2019 | Jim Williams | 2012–2019 | |
| 2019 | Daniel Day | 2016–2019 | |
| 2019 | Kyle McKinstry | 2014–2019 | |
| 2019 | Conan Whitehead | 2016–2019 | |
| 2019 | Dean Reynolds | 2015–2019 | |
| 2019 | Scott Baker | 2016–2019 | |
| 2019 | Ronald L. Briones | 2006–2019 | Quit the PDC in 2020 |

## BDO darts players who joined the PDC before returning

| Year of transfer | Player | Time with BDO | Time with PDC | Notes |
| 2004 | Steve Brown | 1976–1991 | 1993–2004 | |
| 2007 | Steve Alker | 1998–2005 | 2005–2007 | |
| 2007 | Steve Coote | 1994–2004 | 2004–2007 | |
| 2007 | Mark Salmon | 1994–2005 | 2005–2006 | Quit the BDO in 2017 |
| 2008 | Peter Evison | 1986–1993 | 1993–2008 | Was one of the 16 WDC defectors. Quit in 2018. |
| 2009 | Deta Hedman | 1990–1997 | 2002–2005 | |
| 2009 | Anton Pein | 2003–2007 | 2007–2009 | |
| 2010 | Remco van Eijden | 2004–2008 | 2008–2010 | |
| 2010 | Chris Loudon | 1998–2009 | 2009–2010 | Quit the BDO in 2018 rejoined the PDC in 2018. |
| 2010 | Jan van der Rassel | 2002–2003 | 2004–2009 | Quit the PDC in 2010. |
| 2011 | Anastasia Dobromyslova | 2004–2008 | 2008–2011 | |
| 2012 | Tony Eccles | 2002–2007 | 2007–2011 | Quit the PDC in 2011 rejoined the BDO in 2012. Quit in 2014. |
| 2013 | Andy Fordham | 1990–2008 | 2009–2011 | Rejoined the BDO in 2013. |
| 2014 | Co Stompé | 1994–2008 | 2008–2013 | Rejoined the PDC in 2018. |
| 2014 | Ted Hankey | 1995–2012 | 2012–2014 | Rejoined the BDO in 2014. |
| 2014 | Jeff Smith | 2008–2011 | 2011–2013 | Rejoined the PDC in 2018. |

## PDC darts players who joined the BDO before returning

| Year of transfer | Player | Time with PDC | Time with BDO |
| 2009 | Simon Whitlock | 2002–2003 | 2004–2009 |
| 2011 | John Henderson | 2002–2003 | 2004–2011 |
| 2012 | Toon Greebe | 2008–2010 | 2006–2008, 2010–2012 |
| 2015 | Robbie Green | 2003–2007 | 2008–2015 |
| 2018 | Jeff Smith | 2011–2013 | 2002–2011, 2014–2017 |
| 2020 | Andy Hamilton | 2004–2018 | 2018–2020 |
| 2020 | Wes Newton | 2002–2018 | 2018–2020 |