WESTCHESTER-PUTNAM DART LEAGUE
RULES AND REGULATIONS
JANUARY 2008
(Amended)
The rules and regulations set forth in this document are designed to provide fair and enjoyable play in the WPDL. These rules will be upheld to the letter so in case of dispute, the rulebook will decide. The league officers retain the right to modify these rules due to the constant changing of establishments, teams, ability of it’s players, etc.
ARTICLE 1 - EQUIPMENT
A) All league competition, including tournaments and playoffs, shall be conducted on
a proper hand-wired English bristle 20 point clock-faced dartboard. The boards with the recessed bands for the double and triple rings are NOT allowed. All boards must be
A. D. O. approved and in acceptable condition (no tumors or divots).
B) Dartboards shall be placed 5 feet 8 inches from the floor to the center of the bulls-eye with the 20 bed at the top center; this wedge shall be dark colored.
C) The throw line will be 7’ 9 1/4” from the surface of the board, measured along the floor and will be a maximum of 36” in length. It will also be 9’ 7 3/8” diagonally from the center of the bull to the throw line. The throw line should be clearly designated.
D) The sponsoring body (owner of the franchise - pub or club) will be responsible for supplying and maintaining the league play dartboard for each team being sponsored. Each dartboard must be acceptable to both the home and visiting team. The sponsor, by paying the league fee for admission of a team agrees to abide by and uphold these rules herein.
E) All league play dartboards shall be firmly anchored and well illuminated. Lights should be positioned so as not to interfere with the flight of the dart.
F) The dartboard should be positioned so that it is readily available to the players without distraction to the thrower.
G) A scoring surface must be provided and located in such a position that the score may be easily read by the players and spectators. It does not have to be electronic, but must be an acceptable scoring surface, either chalkboard or dry erase each with the necessary supplies. The scoring surface should be positioned so it is in front of the shooter while facing the dartboard and not behind them.
H) Any violations or irregularities of the above should be brought to the attention of the home’s captain or his designee before the start of the match. If major infractions cannot be corrected to the visiting captain or designee’s satisfaction, and those conditions that exist seriously hamper the player’s performance, than the match will be rescheduled at a time and place of the visiting teams choice. The league must be notified within 24 hours of such a rescheduling. Also, the visiting team is required to send in writing to the secretary the violation(s) encountered within 7 days of the match. The home team may appeal the rescheduling within 24 hours. An inspection and hearing by the Rules Committee will follow. The decision of that Committee will be final.
Teams selecting to play, but wishing to file a written complaint regarding any irregular-
ities are encouraged to do so. All protests, complaints and appeals should be MAILED to the League Secretary. But the results of that match will be final if you choose to play.
ARTICLE II - Date and Time of Matches
A) All league competition is scheduled for TUESDAY night except for those weeks when a recognized national or bank holiday falls on that day, then the matches scheduled for that week will be played on the following day, WEDNESDAY.
B) If there is a snow or ice storm which causes hazardous road conditions, both
Captains must agree to play the match.
C) Any match re-scheduled through the mutual consent of the concerned team’s captains must be played prior to the next regularly scheduled Tuesday night match.
BOTH Captains must notify the Secretary (via the dart phone) of a re-scheduled match.
D) The starting time for the match is 8:15 P.M. sharp. A match not underway by 8:15 P.M. is subject to forfeit. This does not mean, ’walking in’ at 8:15 to start practicing.
If both teams agree, matches CAN START earlier, but forfeit time stays as posted. *****
E) The West-Put Dart League reserves the right to reschedule any match or matches to maintain an equitable and efficient competitive schedule.
ARTICLE III - Match Profile
A) Each match consists of 6 individual games by 6 different players of 501 running start, double finish, each game won gaining 1 match point for that team; 3 games of doubles by 6 different players, abbreviated Cricket, USDA rules, each game won gaining 2 match points for that team; and 3 games of 501 two person teams, 6 different
players, double start, double finish, each game won gaining 2 match points for that team. Each match has a total of 18 points.
B) The playing lineup must be completed by both team captains before 8:15. The lineup is to be made up BLIND and is to be posted by 8:15. All playing spots must be filled with a player’s name. If the posted players are not ready or present for their turn to play, one of the teams registered substitutes can play in the absent players place as long as it is before 8:15 and that substitute has not been used elsewhere in the lineup.
A player need not be present for their name to be posted, but if they are not there when
it is time their time to play, the game is forfeited. STARTING TIME IS 8:15 PM.
B 1) Five (5) minutes is allowed for captains to fill out match sheets between rounds.
C) All twelve registered members of a team can be used in any order in any spot on their team’s playing line-up.
D) The submitted line-up will be the playing order for the match. The match will start with the first game of 501 singles and all of the 501 singles games will be played; the second event will be the Cricket games, starting with the 1-2-3 playing order; and the final event of the evening will be the 501 doubles played in 1-2-3 order. Each of the games in each event will be played by the players in the order that their names were
submitted on the line-up. The playing order for all the matches will follow the correct numerical sequence, e.g. player 1 opposing player 1 for the first match and so on down.
E). A minimum of four players is needed to play a match. In the event a team plays with less than 6 players, that team’s line-up must place the vacant positions last (in the singles matches only) if that game is to be a forfeit. However, as long as the doubles team has at least four players, the vacant slots may appear anywhere in the line-up during the regular season.
Once a game begins, if a player is not present, ready to throw, when their turn comes up, it will be skipped at the discretion of the opposing team.
It has come to the league’s attention that in the DOUBLES MATCHES, the line-ups are not being listed properly. So here is the clarification of the rule.
If a team has only four (4) players available for the match, then that team’s lineup must utilize those players in ALL 6 doubles matches. For example, you must play two ‘handicap matches’ (one player against two players) plus one match of two players against two players. There will be NO forfeiting of a match in order to play two players against two players twice. Here are the lineup possibilities if a team has only 4 players available for the doubles matches. It is up to the captain to recognize this rule at the time; the league will take no action after the fact. The burden of knowing the rule lies on the captain.
You can set your lineup as follows: one player versus two players in the first game, 2 against 2 in the second, and 1 against 2 in the third, OR 2 against 2 in the first, then 1 against 2 in the next matches, OR 1 against 2 in the first two matches then 2 against 2 in the last match.
This rule applies to the REGULAR SEASON only. It is designed to allow all players the chance to gain all-star points and recognition. Since no all stars count in the play-offs, this alignment is not necessary. In the play-offs only, teams playing with 4 players have the option of playing two teams of two in the first two slots of doubles and forfeiting the final game in each set. The opposing captain must be made aware of this prior to filling out line-ups. The last two slots in singles must remain unmanned.
F) The home team has the prerogative of choosing the board on which the match is to be played if there is more than one board in the establishment. All establishments must have 1 Board for each team they sponsor and they should have a practice
board available. ****If no practice/warm-up area is available, then players are entitled to additional warm-up time on the game board prior to playing.
G) No later than 45 minutes prior to the time competition is scheduled for, the night’s playing board shall be cleared of play by the management of the establishment. The board will then be declared open and will be available for player warm-ups.
H) The captains are responsible for the smooth running of each match. The match must be underway by 8:15 and it is the captain’s prerogative to declare a forfeit at 8:30PM if the opposing team is not ready to play. If a forfeit is declared, players on the winning team must sign the evening’s match report and have it mailed in for credit of a week’s played.
I) Any disputes that arise during the course of play must be settled in the private conference of the captains or designee only.
J.) It is illegal to shoot on an opposing board while you are engaged in a match. Once a match that involves you begins, all darts thrown must be at the game board.
ARTICLE IV - TEAM PROFILE
A) A team shall consist of no more than 12 players who will be registered with the West-Put Dart League. All 12 players can, if so desired, compete in each match. **** Team rosters will be compiled beginning with the Preliminary Roster submitted at sign-ups, then further more with the official Roster which is to be mailed by week 3. Then add-ons are permitted until the end of week 7, where no more additions will be permitted. To clarify, regardless of what is submitted on the roster forms, the first 12 names that actually play will be the roster and all subsequent names that have not played will be dropped once 12 members has been achieved. Any questions please call the dart number.
If an illegal player is used, the player’s earned points will be stripped and given back to the opponent.
B) Players must be at least 21 years old to play on a team. The owner or designee has the right to ask a questionable player for proof of age. Any infraction of the above rule will constitute the forfeiting of any points that were accumulated by the ineligible player and the possible suspension of the captain using the illegal player.
C) If a team finishes first or second for two (2) Consecutive Seasons, that particular team MUST move up to the next higher division as long as there is room in the division above them. If the Team refuses to “move up”, then that particular team CANNOT stay intact in the same Division (B or C), and only two (2) players from previous (3) season’s rosters --can stay together. If that team uses any more than the two players, then any game that the additional players participate in will be declared a forfeit, and the points awarded to the opposing team. This also applies to teams that drop down divisions. The League Secretary will have the rosters from the previous seasons and WILL police the sheets. Also, if a team finishes last for two (2) consecutive seasons, that team has the “option” of moving down a division. The league Secretary reserves the right to place teams in Divisions that may be more suitable for that team. Also, any new applicant for entry to the league, that is, they have not played the previous season, if admitted to the league, will be placed where and if there are any openings.
D) Team rosters may be added to anytime during the season (by written method only - none accepted by phone call, until week 7, then no changes allowed. Once 12 names have been used in a season, you may not “drop” a player in favor of another player. Only 12 players may be used in a particular season. Total.
E) Any player who is eliminated from a team’s roster, for any reason, who has played in at least one of the season’s matches will be ineligible to re-register with another team until a new season begins. (The Committee reserves the right to make exceptions in special situations. Teams must check with the Secretary at least 1 week before adding the player).
F) Captains must submit a signed roster prior to the start of a match. This roster will be forwarded to the League Secretary after the game. Unsigned constitutes ineligibility.
G) Roster management: When making up your roster, keep in mind that often the same person shows up on more than one roster. The first team that such a person actually plays a game for owns that players rights, thus removing him from any other rosters he may be listed on. Writing a name down does not guarantee you the player, playing for your team does. Keep this in mind as some players float from bar to bar and may not tell you they have played previously for somebody else. Ask, you still face the penalty.
ALL STARS—****
The West-Put All Stars will be determined by the top 10 players from each division that have scored the most All-Star points.
All-star points will now be scored as ACTUAL VALUE. This means that in singles and doubles 501 you must log all-star points for their respective value. Meaning if a person throws a T40, then 140 points will be awarded to that person. Anything over 100 points is still an all-star point. In cricket, continue to log C5 through C9 as well as B3’s and above. Their values will be as follows: