Las Vegas Desert Classic
Encyclopedia
The Las Vegas Desert Classic was a darts tournament, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation
(PDC) and was held each year in July from 2002 until 2010. Its original venue was the MGM Grand
Casino and Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
but the tournament moved down the strip
to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
in 2006.
The tournament carried a total prize purse of £126,400 (approx US$250,000). Due to the time difference between the UK and US, the matches were played in the morning local time – which is prime-time evening in the UK where the tournament was broadcast live on Sky Sports
.
Initially Fox Sports World transmitted the tournament live but in recent years they broadcasted recorded coverage in the United States. Partypoker.net became the first sponsors of the event in 2006.
The format of the Classic changed over the years with an unusual group stage and matchplay (legs only) in 2003, which reverted to straight knockout and sets from 2004. It moved back to a straight legs format in 2007 – when Raymond van Barneveld
took the title.
Phil Taylor won the title five times out of the eight years the event was staged. Peter Manley, John Part
and Raymond van Barneveld were the only other winners of the event.
The Las Vegas Desert Classic tournament was retired in 2010 and a new tournament held in Las Vegas, the Tropicana World Series, has been put in its place. However, the tournament is not televised.
from the first to the last tournament.
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
(PDC) and was held each year in July from 2002 until 2010. Its original venue was the MGM Grand
MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
Casino and Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
but the tournament moved down the strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a 44-story luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. Five floors of the main hotel building are occupied by the five-star and AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas...
in 2006.
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
.
Initially Fox Sports World transmitted the tournament live but in recent years they broadcasted recorded coverage in the United States. Partypoker.net became the first sponsors of the event in 2006.
The format of the Classic changed over the years with an unusual group stage and matchplay (legs only) in 2003, which reverted to straight knockout and sets from 2004. It moved back to a straight legs format in 2007 – when Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
took the title.
Phil Taylor won the title five times out of the eight years the event was staged. Peter Manley, John Part
John Part
John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...
and Raymond van Barneveld were the only other winners of the event.
The Las Vegas Desert Classic tournament was retired in 2010 and a new tournament held in Las Vegas, the Tropicana World Series, has been put in its place. However, the tournament is not televised.
Past finals
| Year | Champion (average in final) | Score | Runner-up (average in final) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 2002 Las Vegas Desert Classic The 2002 Las Vegas Desert Classic was the inaugural staging of a darts tournament by the Professional Darts Corporation. It featured the top players from the PDC along with an opportunity for players from North America to qualify... |
 Phil Taylor |
3-0 (sets) | Ronnie Baxter Ronnie Baxter Ronnie Baxter is an English darts player. He uses the nickname The Rocket for his matches. Baxter is known for his fast, robotic throwing action... |
| 2003 2003 Las Vegas Desert Classic -Group Stages:Group A *Terry Jenkins - Alex Roy 8 - 4*Alex Roy - Phil Taylor 3 - 8*Terry Jenkins - Phil Taylor 3 - 8 Group B *Bob Anderson - Dave Smith 8 - 3*Dave Smith - John Part 7 - 8*Bob Anderson - John Part 4 - 8Group C... |
Peter Manley Peter Manley Peter David Manley is an English professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. He is nicknamed One Dart as he is known for hitting doubles with his first dart... |
16-12 (legs) |  John PartJohn Part John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion... |
| 2004 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic The 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic, promoted at the time as the Las Vegas Desert Classic III, was the third year that the Professional Darts Corporation held a major darts tournament in the United States. It was held between 30 June and July 4, 2004.... |
Phil Taylor |
6-4 (sets) | Wayne Mardle Wayne Mardle Wayne Mardle is a darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation, and former player in the BDO. He now lives in Romford... |
| 2005 2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic -1st Round: best of 3 sets best of 5 legs * John Part - Darren Webster 2 - 0* Alan Warriner - Erik Clarys 0 - 2* George Walls - Wes Newton 0 - 2* Kevin Painter - Adrian Lewis 2 - 0* Ronnie Baxter - James Wade 1 - 2* Andy Jenkins - Andy Smith 2 - 0... |
Phil Taylor |
6-1 (sets) | Wayne Mardle |
| 2006 2006 Las Vegas Desert Classic -2006 Prize Money:*Champion £15,000*Runner-up £7,500*Semi Finalists £5,000*Quarter Finalists £3,500*Second Round Losers £2,000*First Round Losers £1,350-First Round:Wednesday 28 June 2006First to six legs-Second Round:Thursday 29 June 2006... |
John Part (92.80) |
6-3 (sets) |  Raymond van BarneveldRaymond van Barneveld Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player... (92.86) |
| 2007 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic The 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic was the sixth time that the Professional Darts Corporation stage the prestigious darts tournament... |
Raymond van Barneveld (101.56) |
13-6 (legs) | Terry Jenkins Terry Jenkins Terry Jenkins is an English professional darts player who is nicknamed The Bull, having previously used the nickname "Tucker" for his matches... (92.38) |
| 2008 2008 Las Vegas Desert Classic The 2008 Las Vegas Desert Classic was the seventh installment of the Las Vegas Desert Classic, a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation. It was held in the evenings between June 30 and July 6.... |
Phil Taylor (105.53) |
13-7 (legs) | James Wade James Wade James Wade is an English professional darts player, currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation . He became the youngest player ever to win a major PDC title at the World Matchplay in July 2007... (92.26) |
| 2009 2009 Las Vegas Desert Classic The 2009 Las Vegas Desert Classic was the eighth and final installment of the Las Vegas Desert Classic, a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation... |
Phil Taylor (102.21) |
13-11 (legs) | Raymond van Barneveld (98.52) |
Venues
| Venue | Years |
|---|---|
| MGM Grand Casino and Hotel | 2002 - 2005 |
| Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is a 44-story luxury hotel casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. Five floors of the main hotel building are occupied by the five-star and AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas... |
2006 - 2009 |
Media coverage
The Las Vegas Desert Classic was broadcast in the UK by Sky SportsSky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
from the first to the last tournament.