Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside!

For me, it is the best tournament on the calendar – an amazing arena, an even better atmosphere and for the most part, the darts fan’s delight……many take a week’s holiday to soak up that special feeling that is generated inside The Winter Gardens.

There is one thing that is all wrong about the World Matchplay Championships……the touts and the profiteers on EBay.

OK, before people start screaming, I am sure there are genuine cases of people who have bought tickets in good faith but for one reason, or another, are unable to get to Blackpool.

How many of you queued in the freezing cold in January to buy your prized tickets and intend to enjoy every minute of the week……but how many got tickets for the sole purpose of making a profit….in other words ripping off the real darts fans?

From experience over the last three or four years, I have arrived at the venue to witness the touts cashing in and you just have to look on EBay to see the amount of tickets that are available………THIS HAS TO STOP! With a capacity of almost 2,000 – it is the tournament for the real darts fan – and that’s the way it should stay.

Yes, people will talk about supply and demand and that some desperate supporters will pay way over the odds to watch their darting heroes in action but it is a rip-off pure and simple!

To be fair, the PDC are starting to sit up and take note. The ‘real’ darts nut was able to get priority tickets for the World Championships, if they subscribed to Darts TV on the official PDC website. They also looked at setting up a PDC Supporters Club – but it seems the administration costs would have made joining fees too high…..that idea may still come to fruition in the future. It is a start but more needs to be done.

Just before finishing this first ‘rant’ for the new column, I glanced on EBay….two tickets for the final – face value £60 the pair – going for £140 and £160.

Let’s be honest, you will never completely scalp the scalpers and I’m afraid they will be out in force again at The Winter Gardens….and no doubt, there will be plenty of willing takers.

To those of you lucky enough to heading for Blackpool – enjoy! For those of you who can’t get there, enjoy every dart live on Sky Sports!