Former professional darter and analyst Chris Mason has expressed serious concerns about Raymond van Barneveld's future in the sport, citing the Dutchman's decision to skip a qualifier for a major ranking event to play exhibitions elsewhere. In a conversation with Online Darts, Mason, 56, highlighted that Van Barneveld's position on the world rankings is under pressure and questioned the timing of this move, noting the five-time world champion still has sporting chances to qualify for major events. "Missing a tournament of this magnitude when you're not far off being in the Matchplay," Mason said, emphasizing the potential consequences for Van Barneveld's career trajectory.
Mason believes Van Barneveld could have improved his standing with minimal effort, stating, "In some cases, he might have only had to win three games depending on the draw. Three games, tops — 64, 32... Yeah, that's bizarre, isn't it?" He openly wonders how Van Barneveld plans to qualify for upcoming major events, given limited ranking income and missed qualifiers. Mason painted a bleak scenario, suggesting participation in several tournaments is uncertain: "Does he get to play his championship finals? Right now, you'd say no. Not in the Slam, is he? Not in the Slam. At the moment, it's only the UK Open. Oh yeah, of course, because everybody gets in it."
Beyond rankings, Mason warned of broader implications, pointing out that the PDC closely monitors player choices. "Don't expect the PDC to invite you to a World Series event, pal. And this is how they work, mate. It's all about loyalty and backward and forward. Don't bite the hand that feeds," he cautioned. While Mason thinks Van Barneveld may still be selected for some events, he added, "They will put him in, but certainly if you're turning down big opportunities in terms of qualifying for tournaments and just tossing them off for an exhibition, yeah, I don't think they'll sit well with Matt Porter, that's for sure." Reflecting on legacy, Mason concluded, "Possibly. Mentally, he may have sort of accepted. But I think, again, it's what you do with your legacy. Surely you want to say goodbye properly. The last goodbye wasn't really goodbye."
