Official B.A.D League Rules

 "If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time." ~ Chinese Proverb

A.  Ruling Council

1. The rules including codes of conduct will be developed, arbitrated, and enforced as need be by the League Council.
2. The League Council is an elected body consisting of five members who must be current players in the league. 
3. General elections are to be held once a year at the beginning of the fall season for the council.  There are no term limits.  In the case of a prematurely vacated position or if a member ceases to play a special election will be held.
4. Each team will receive one vote per council position slot to be filled.

B.  League Matches

1.  General Format:

All regular season matches will consist of 25 games played in the following sets:

2 sets of singles cricket - 3 games each (six games total)

2 sets of singles 501 (single in – double out) - 3 games each (six games total)

2 sets of doubles cricket - 3 games each (six games total)

2 sets of doubles 501 (single in – double out) - 3 games each (six games total)

1 set triples 401 (dido; double in – double out) - 1 game only

While play typically starts with cricket singles, if both teams agree, the play can start with 501 singles or a mix of both.

In playoffs, the teams need only play until one team wins 13 games.

2. Teams will consist of at least four and up to a maximum of twelve players.
3. Regular game time is Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and this must be respected by all teams to ensure players can complete their matches in a timely manner. The match must be started by the players present even if one or both teams are short players unless otherwise agreed upon by both teams. 
4. If, by 7:30 p.m., no one has shown from the opposing team, then that team forfeits.  The team that showed receives either, their average number of wins or 13 wins which ever is greater and individuals receive their average MVPs to date. Both measures can adjusted at the end of season to reflect their true performance level for the whole season with consideration to both teams involved in the forfeiture.  The team that forfeits is awarded zero games and their average wins will reflect that result. Any team forfeiting two or more matches during a season may be ejected from the league at the discretion of the League Council.
5. Intentionally delaying the start of the games or engaging in overt slow play to give more time for late players to arrive is not acceptable. Games must be played with the players present. If an additional player arrives; a) while the corresponding singles play is ongoing, games between the newly arrived player and the opposing player may start so long as they finish at the same time as the other singles set (incomplete games are awarded to the player who had been waiting) or b) if that player arrives during doubles play, they may immediately take the vacant slot. If a full team is not fielded the singles games that would have been played by the missing player are forfeited by the team lacking players to the team who had players available. In the case of doubles, the games must be played despite a vacancy and the vacant spot must be played as if all 3 darts were thrown and nothing was scored.
6. It is the responsibility of the team’s captain or his designate, to ensure that their players are at the assigned location on league night.  In the event of an absence reducing the team below four players, the captain or his designate may fill the vacancy with a player by 8:15 p.m. or by the conclusion of the preceding set of singles which ever is shorter.  Any vacancy may be filled by a person who has not played more than one evening on another team in this league during the current season.  The only exception to this is in the case of the Playoffs/Finals.  Teams competing in the Playoffs/Finals must be represented by players who have played at least one set of games on two different nights (401 qualifies as a set), for a total of two matches during the regular season.
7. In the case of extenuating circumstances, play may be made up at a later date if the vacant team makes arrangements with their opponents before 7:30 p.m. the night of their scheduled match.  If this is not done the forfeiture will occur as noted above.  If the match is postponed the League Council must be informed and it should be made up within two weeks of the scheduled match or by the end of the regular season, which ever is shorter.
8. An individual player may only play in one set of singles games per night.
9. An individual player may play in one set of the doubles cricket and one set of the doubles 501 per night.  This means that no player may compete in both sets of doubles cricket or in both sets of doubles 501 in a single night.
10. Score sheets must be turned in at the London Underground Pub before close of business on the day after the match was scheduled.  This is the responsibility of the HOME TEAM.   Any team not turning the score sheet in on time will be assessed 3 penalty points against their team score for the season. In the event the score sheet is lost, the teams will be awarded their average score and the players their average MVP score. The responsible team will be penalized 5 points against their team score.
11. In the event a team does not complete an entire season, their league fee will be refunded to that team’s sponsor prorated by the number of weeks played.  The individual members of that team will be required to make up their portion of that fee before they will be readmitted to the league to play on other teams.
12. The regular season will be approximately 10 weeks of play. Teams will be set into divisions by the council based on their perceived strengths so as to provide the best level of competition between teams in each division. The schedule will be set with consideration to the number of teams and the occurrence of holidays and may include special weeks for cross-over games or other arrangements. At the conclusion of the regular season the council will set forth a playoff schedule which may or may not include all teams.
13. The schedule of games specifying opponents and locations will be issued by the council. In the playoffs and finals, top seeded teams must play their matches at their home bars.  For the lower seeds the council will direct play to where boards are available.

C.  Premier League Draft

1.   From time to time, the League Council may facilitate a draft for the premier league in which players will submit their names for consideration by the pickers. The number of teams will be based on the number of players wishing to play in the league and the ability of the council to achieve a balance of strength between teams. The council will designate individuals to be drafters, based on their known ability and/or their average MVP score from the preceding season. The order and procedure of the draft will be set out by the council before the draft starts. The intent is always to have the fairest system employed for each given season dependent on the number and strength of the players involved. The draft process will continue until all teams have either the number of players they desire or all players are drafted. The teams then are to select a captain and arrange for a sponsoring bar. The League is then presented with the final team list, the name of the captain and sponsoring bar. Substitutes who play during the season are to be accepted by both captains involved. Once the drafters are selected, additional players are not to be added to the list of players nor are teams allowed to pick up players unless agreed upon by all of the captains and the council members combined. Therefore it is recommended by the league council that all teams select at least 5 members to avoid the need to find a substitute any time during the season.

D.  Game Play

1. A foot fault constitutes a foul.  In the case of a raised bar, the player’s foot may not rest on the bar but may make contact with the leading edge. If the throw line is a mark on the floor, the edge closest to the board limits the placement of the player’s feet.  In the case of lunging during the throw, the players must consider a vertical wall extending from either the leading edge of the raised bar or from the edge of the tape closest to the board. Neither foot should break the vertical plane before the dart is released. The captain of the team opposing the faulting player must notify the other captain if this occurs.  There is no penalty for the first offense.  If the player faults a second time then that player loses his next round plus they may not score any darts yet to be thrown this turn.
2. The point of a dart must be touching the bristles of the board to be scored.  Any thrown dart not meeting this criterion will not be scored.  Caught bounce-outs may not be re-thrown and are not scored.  The wire determines the area of scoring not the color of the bristles that the point may be touching. Players may approach the board during their turn to determine where their dart has scored.
3. For a dart to score it must remain in the board 5 seconds after the third or final dart is thrown by that player. Darts that do not remain in the board on their own accord in the allotted time are not scored. Darts are to be removed from the board only after the score is recorded and by the player who played the darts. Opposing players may only approach the board to verify the score after the turn is complete and may not touch the darts in the board. It is permissible for a player to declare their turn complete, with darts in hand, should they feel the dart (s) already thrown may be dislodged by further play. In this instance the time count starts from the moment of declaration.
4. It is each player's responsibility to know when it is their turn to throw.  Players are allowed to take one break of 5 minutes per game set, or at the discretion of the captains, additional breaks may be allowed such as in the instance of repairs to darts.  In the interest of completing games in a timely manner, the opposing captain may inform the other captain that a player that must be constantly sought for their turn, must make their scheduled throw from that time forward, within three (3) minutes of the last marked scored or they will forfeit their turn.  The time between games and sets should be used for getting refreshments or taking rest room breaks.
5. Teams get one (1) team point per game won.
6. MVP points are awarded to individual players. Players score one point per singles win, and respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 points for scoring a 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 mark during one round (3 darts) of throws. In games of ’01 a five mark is 95 points or greater with the next mark level achieved for every additional 19 points scored. In games of cricket each treble is worth three marks, the doubles score two, and a single scores one mark. The exception are bulls in which a single scores two marks and a double scores three. In cricket, marks are only scored for darts that had to thrown for the win. If a player needs only a single bull to win and scores that on their first dart, the games ends on that throw and the player’s remaining two darts are not thrown. If the player needs two bulls and scores a single (not a double) with the first dart but a double with the second, the player is allowed to count 5 marks, even though the player only needed two bulls to win. All darts are thrown before the win is achieved count for marks. If the player needed only one bull to win, but on the first two darts scored points before getting the final bull on the third dart, the player would record the total mark scored and not only what was needed to win.
7. All sets of games start with a coin toss. The winner of the toss is allowed to select which team diddles (throws for the bull’s eye) first. The order of play is determined by who throws their dart closest to the bull. Should a dart fall or bounce out, the player must throw again. If it is not clear which dart is the closest, the diddle must be repeated in reverse order. Should the first player score a single bull (or double), it may be removed but only if the second player requests for it to be removed. A single (or double) bull cannot be deemed closer to the center than for another single or (double) bull. But a double bull beats a single bull. If both players throw a single bull or double bull, the diddle must be repeated in reverse order. On a re-throw any player may ask for all the darts to be removed before repeating the diddle.  Diddles into the non-scoring part of the board, or the wall are deemed valid attempts as long as they stay in. The loser of the first game is allowed to determine the order of the second diddle and the loser of the coin toss is allowed to determine the order of the last diddle.
8. Score sheets are also used to record high-outs, number of darts per 501 and whether a nine mark was scored in an ’01 game or in Cricket.

E. End of Season

1. The end of season party is typically held at the bar that sponsored the premier championship team, subject to approval by the Council.
2. Awards will be presented for the first place team in each division, and for the playoff winners as well as for each team’s and the league’s most valuable players. While it is typical for the highest scoring individual to receive the team MVP, if the team wishes to recognize another player they are permitted to do so. Recognition will also be given to achievements of the highest take-out, the fewest darts for 01, and for scoring a nine mark in a single turn.
3. For the play-offs, in the case of a tie, the following protocol will be used in order to rank teams.   In sequence, the factors used will be: head-to-head record, number of in-league matches won, total team MVPs and finally, if all those are equal a coin-toss will determine seeding position for the tied teams.  If the breaking of the tie will eliminate a team from the playoffs, instead of the coin toss, a mini playoff will be held.  The playoff will consist of 3 singles matches, each best 2 out of 3, diddle calls each game (501-single in, or cricket), order of shooting the first diddle set by the winner of a coin toss, following games by the loser of the preceding game.  Three different players from each team must play, and whichever team first wins two of these matches is the winner.

F.  Code of Conduct

1. Any team member committing a potential violation of any federal, state, or local laws, codes, or ordinances will be subject to expulsion from the league pending a review by the League Council.
2. Any physical violence during league play may result in expulsion from the leagues for a player or the team and loss of all dues paid.
3. Abuse of equipment, poor sportsmanship, or unethical conduct may be grounds for forfeiture of a game, a match, or expulsion from the league as determined by the league council.         (Note: Pointing is a part of the game in cricket; it does not indicate poor sportsmanship and will not be reviewed.)

G.  General Policies

1.         There is a $65 team fee for each team.  This is to be paid each season at the initial captain's meeting with the roster sign up unless arrangements are made with the League President. Each team will also collect $5 per team member but not from players that spare for only three games unless they play in the playoffs in which case they are required to pay.

2.         These funds are to be used only for awards, league related copies, web site domain name fees, end of season party, and any other league bills.

3.         Whether sponsored by a bar or not, all teams will declare a home bar on registering their team each season.  The team is responsible for ensuring the bar or other sponsor is willing and able to sponsor that team. Teams sponsored by bars will have that location designated as their home bar. Teams will be scheduled with as close to 50% as possible of their matches at their home bar.  Each match will have a team designated as the home team who will be responsible for turning in the score sheet.  Two home teams are allowed for every two boards in an establishment since two boards are required for a league play.

4.         The inclement weather policy is based on VA Tech.  If they close, you do not have to appear for competition that evening.  The rest of the schedule will be played as originally set out. The teams will be advised by the council whether the season will be extended for one week or that the games would be cancelled or that the teams are expected to make up the match on their own time. In the event both teams show up for the match the evening in question, they may proceed with play and their scores recorded. If the council decides to cancel the games scheduled on that night, the players will be credited with any special achievements and their MVPs adjusted to reflect the same average but with a total based on one game less.

5.         Bars will not charge a cover charge to dart players during league play, but may do so after league play is finished for that night and if the player (s) choose to remain at that location.

6.         Protests may only be submitted by a team captain.  The protest must be in writing and delivered to the League Council within 48 hours of the protested match.

7.         The League Council has the right to disregard any protest not properly submitted.

8.         After the two day protest period, all standings are official, unless a protest has been properly submitted and accepted.

9.         The protest will be resolved as soon as possible.  All protests will be resolved before the finals schedule is posted.

10.     These rules may only be revised, amended, or adjudicated by the League Council.

11.     Any rules or situations applying to darts not covered by this document are referred to the A.D.O. Rules. However, the B.A.D. rules take precedence and supersede the A.D.O. in conflicts between them.

12.     Decisions of the League Council are final and binding.