Darts commentator Roland Scholten believes he was sacked from his role at Viaplay due to his ‘old-fashioned views’. Scholten, a two-time World Championship quarter-finalist, was a regular analyst for the broadcaster prior to being relieved of his duties.
In the Netherlands, darts was previously shown on a free-to-air basis but the sport was put behind a paywall when Viaplay secured the rights in 2022. The change also meant that Scholten was no longer required as an analyst, something he puts down to his ‘old-fashioned’ nature.
“My views are old-fashioned,” he said on the Double Top podcast. “I tell it like it is and am pretty black and white about it. Viaplay wanted to end the contract, they wanted to stop working with me. I’m OK with that, mind you. I also understand that they put young guys down, that makes sense.
“But I also think that as a commentator or analyst you also have to have experience and a lot of the young guys who are there now don’t have that, so I think Viaplay is missing a very large audience, especially with the old guard.”
Ratings in the Netherlands have dropped dramatically since viewers were forced to buy a Viaplay subscription in order to watch live darts. The sport was previously shown on RT7 but the free-to-air channel is no longer able to broadcast live PDC events.
“Since it is behind the decoder, it has become less,” added Scholten. “People don’t watch as much anymore because it is no longer on television. That’s a shame for the sport. If it’s on the open channel there, the ratings go well.
“I’m sorry I had to leave, but at some point there’s no point anymore. Sometimes I got the same question twice in ten minutes. Then I had already said yes once after the first time. Did I then have to give the same answer again? Then I’m pretty black and white in that kind of thing.”
Many fans in the Netherlands have been unhappy with darts being placed behind a paywall but Michael van Gerwen does not see a problem with the current system.
Speaking after Viaplay secured the rights, he said: “Nowadays everyone has Netflix, Videoland, Disney+ and Prime, right? More money is released again and that flows to players, talents and the women. That’s how you grow as a sport again. So I would say: people, get yourself a subscription.”
