A committee meeting was held yesterday - 27 Feb - to address the worsening problem of score sheets being turned in late and score sheets never turned in. This is the first season that the league has enforced the late rule - 3 times late or not turning in a score sheet and that team loses one overall point. So far this has caught the attention of some offenders in the Fun League and the problem no longer exists. Unfortunately it has done nothing to improve matters in the Premier League.
Leagues record match results. A league where no results are recorded is no longer a league but simply a group of guys playing a night of darts. Many players are angry and rightfully so that they don't have stats. The committee - by unanimous vote - has added an amendment to the late and / or no score sheet turn-in rule.
3 times late or no score sheet turned-in = 1 overall point lost by that team.
6 times late or no score sheet turned-in = the offending team is ineligible to play in the following league season.
Players of an ineligible team will be allowed to play on another team BUT NOT out of the SAME HOST BAR be it on another team in that bar or reorganizing or renaming their team. It's fairly oblivious that teams late or not turning in score sheets have little if any regard for the league in general or more importantly the people in that league.
Nitpicking and over legislating a simple darts league? Hardly - the Premier League this season - more score sheets NOT turned in than turned in !!! Check their stats site - the only up-to-date stats are teams penalized for late or not turning in score sheets. Some teams overall point standing is in negative numbers.
The overall objective of both the Premier League and Fun League is to expand - more teams and more host bars. In the process it is our sincere desire that by a bar hosting a team they gain added profit on the night. Bar owners and managers that see this will hopefully insure that their team gets its score sheet turned-in on time. Some will say this new rule is counterproductive to expanding the league but I think that most will agree that cutting out dead wood will allow for further growth in the future.
Additionally - we the committee are aware that there are some players in the Premier League that feel that the Premier League and Fun League should be combined with additional divisions within one league. If a majority vote of all Fun League players were called on this and approved - it would be changed. But this is not the case. Some in the Premier League feel that if the Premier League fails that the Fun League will be forced to incorporate Premier teams and players into the Fun League. This is DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE.
The Fun League remains an invitational league - teams and or players applying are approved by majority vote. Those wishing the demise of the Premier League - if succeeding - will be among many without a darts league to participate in on Tuesday evenings. The committee continues to promote the Premier League and with minimal cooperation from its existing members we have no doubt at a future of this league growing and expanding.
Johnny Witkowski
LSDL Committee Chairman
