Rules

Rules

Farmingdale Area Dart Association

League Rules

http://new.fadadartleagues.com

Last Updated:  August 2022

Board of Directors

1. The League shall be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the League Commissioner, Treasurer, and one representative from each team. Each member of the Board of Directors is given the power of one vote. All decisions affecting the League, including rule changes, must be approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

 Rosters & Eligibility

1. Each team is required to submit an application Roster of its members prior to the start of each season. Each Roster shall contain a minimum of five players and a maximum of ten players. A player may only appear on one Roster per night per season. All Rosters must include a phone number and email address where the captain and co-captain of the team can be reached.  A completed Final Roster is due by the third week match. All team members must be at least 21 years of age to participate in the league.

2. Before the start of each season any player moving from a higher division to a lower division, must have approval from the leagues. If the move is approved by the league, that team may be subject to moving to a higher division. Moves must be approved and made before the schedule has been announced.

3. Captains are responsible for Roster changes. All roster changes are subject to League approval. If a team loses a player, they may ask for permission to add a player. If you have ten players on your roster, some players must be removed in order to add a player. If a name appears on the score sheet that is not on the Final Roster, any points won by that person will be forfeit and the final score adjusted.

4. In the event a team roster falls below five players, the team will be permitted to submit, for league approval, the name(s) of players that they would like to add to the roster.

5. Any player who does not show up for the night’s matches will not receive any credit for attendance for the night (except in the event of a ‘Bye’ or a forfeit night). In a Division with a ‘Bye’, to qualify for participating in playoffs each player will be required to play a minimum of 7 weeks and a minimum of 14 games in the regular season matches.Any player who is dropped from a team roster for any matches is ineligible to re-register with another team until a new season starts.

6. All scheduled matches will be played on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights.

Equipment Requirements

1. Darts – Darts used in league play shall not exceed an overall maximum length of 30.5 cm (12 inches), nor weigh more than 50 grams per dart.  Each dart shall consist of a recognizable point, barrel and flight.

2. Dartboard – All league competition will be conducted on a standard 18″ bristle board. (Example: Wenmau or Raven etc.)  The home team will be responsible for supplying and maintaining the dartboards.  Wires and surface must be in good condition, and must be acceptable to both teams. The board height is 5’8” (floor to the center of the Inner Bull; 9’7-3/8” measured diagonally from the Inner Bull to the back of the raised oche at floor level).

3. Lighting – Lighting shall consist of a minimum of two lights of at least 100 watts each and no further than 5 feet away from the board as to brightly illuminate the board, reduce to a minimum the shadows cast by the darts, and not physically impede the flight of dart.

4. Tablet – Teams must provide a tablet capable of running the Dart Connect application. The tablet should be mounted or positioned in such a manner as to be clearly visible from the throw line. The tablet should be large enough as to be easily seen by the players (a minimum 10 inch tablet is recommended).

5. Scoreboard – It is advisable that a backup scoreboard be provided in the event that the scoring tablet fails. Teams not using the Dart Connect application may use only a written scoreboard. The scoreboard should be mounted in a comfortably visible position to the shooters at the line, and is maintained by the home establishment.

6. Ocke (foul line).

   1. Whenever possible, a raised ocke, at least 1-1/2″ high and 2′ long, shall be placed in position at the minimum throwing distance, and shall measure from the back of the raised hockey 7′ 9-1/4″ along the floor to a plumb line at the face of the dartboard.

   2. In the event the ocke is a tape or similar “flush” marking, the minimum throwing distance shall be measured from the edge (front) of the tape closest to the dartboard.

   3. Should a player have any portion of his feet or shoes over the ocke line during a throw, all darts so thrown shall be counted as part of his/her throw, but any score made by said darts shall be invalid and not counted.  One warning by the official shall be considered sufficient before invoking this rule.

   4. A player wishing to throw a dart, or darts, from a point on either side of the ocke line, must keep his feet behind an imaginary straight line extending from either side of the ocke line.

Match Rules

1. Start time is 8:15 pm (EST) – a match not underway by 8:30 pm will make the first set of games subject to be forfeited by the team who is not ready. A match not under way by 8:45 pm will make the entire match subject to forfeit by the team who is not ready. There will be a half hour grace period from 8:15 to 8:45 if the away team is delayed, provided the away team notifies the home team or the home team’s bar by 8:00 pm the night of the match. The same applies to a home team.NOTE: Match Time rules may be waived / modified by mutual consent of the two team captains.

2. A team must have at least three players to play a match. If a team has players who will be arriving late, the team captain will enter the names of all the players that will be playing in that set in any order the captain chooses (including the absent players). If an absent player does not arrive before the end of the next exchange, that player’s game will be forfeited and a line will be drawn through that player’s name on the score sheet. If a player who is scheduled to play a double game arrives while that game is in progress, he may enter the game on his next turn without warm-up. This rule applies to all sets of the match.

3. All ten players of the team can be used in any order, but no player is permitted to play more than once within a set.

4. Each player will have a practice period consisting of only three rounds or 9 darts just prior to their game.  If there is an additional board available, unlimited practice is allowed, providing it does not interfere with the match. Players are not allowed to practice at any time during their games.

5. A “BYE” is when there is an empty slot in a division. Any team scheduled for a “BYE” will be awarded 0 game points, and all members of that team will receive attendance credit for play-off eligibility.

6. If there is a weather emergency declared, please call the league number for instructions. If the matches are cancelled, you will play the same match (week #) the following week. We cannot skip matches.  You should advance the dates on your schedule by one week in order to correct for the missed match. If only one night gets cancelled, those teams will make up their games the next week. Any team that played their matches in the week of a cancellation will have off the following week. This is in order to have all nights playing the same week # on their schedule.  If this happens early in the season, a revised schedule will be distributed to each team.

7. The home team is required to supply food in sufficient quantity for both teams. Food should be served prior to the start of the third set.

8. All individual matches will be conducted under the rules as outlined by the American Dart Organization.

Score Sheets

1. Teams will use the Dart Connect application and will use the following rules.

   1. At the beginning of the match the team Captain or Co-Captain will log in to Dart Connect.

   2. Select “League” from the welcome screen. The League will be listed. Make sure to select the correct League (FADA Monday, FADA Tuesday or FADA Wednesday).

   3. The Captain will then write the line up for the first exchange on the provided match sheet. This will be done without the opposing team’s knowledge. Captains will then ‘exchange’ the match sheets and add their player’s names.

   4. The Home Team scorekeeper will then select the First Game option on the Dart Connect scoring app.

   5. Select the teams playing from the Division list choosing Home and Away teams.

   6. Select the players for the first set. Score the match according to the instructions on Dart Connect.

   7. In doubles/team games, players will throw in the order written on the match sheet. If a player throws out of turn, they will score zero points and that turn is forfeit.

   8. At the completion of the match ensure that the match score is correct and adjust it if necessary.

   9. Remember to click on “End & Save Match”. This is important! If this step is missed the match will not be completed through Dart Connect.

All Star Points

1. To qualify for All Star Awards at the end of the season, a player must play at least 10 weeks and a player must play at least 28 games to qualify.

   1. Must match on both score sheets or they don’t count.

   2. Triples and corks count in cricket only.

   3. High-In opens only count in double-in games.

   4. High-Out count in all _01 games.

   5. #darts or less are in singles games only.

   6. All-Star points may count twice in one round. i.e. a player closes cricket with trip 15 and 3 corks, they would receive credit for a C6 and a Cork 3 as long as all of the points count.

2. All-Star points are awarded as follows:

   1. X01 High In, High Out and total ’01 points.

   2. (Ex. – 112 open counts as a high in, and not high points. The point value of the high in will still be added to total 01 points).

3. In the event a player hits All-Stars while closing out a game, the points will count, darts left in hand will not be thrown.  i.e. a player steps to the line and has 1 cork already marked, that player hits a single cork and then a double cork it will count as a three cork only if the opponent has not closed the cork.  If that play hits the double cork on the first dart the game is over and no additional darts thrown will count.

4. In the event of a Team or Game Forfeit, the team or player may shoot for All-Stars if they wish.

   1. The number of darts for All-Star shooting is as follows:

   2. 12 darts for 301, 15 darts for 401, 18 darts for 501 and 18 darts for Single Cricket.

   3. In the event of a Game Forfeit, the all-stars point should be shot immediately before proceeding to the next match.

   4. In the event of a Team Forfeit, the team should immediately contact the league commissioner. The league will then send a representative to witness the team shoot all-star points.

   5. All ALL-STAR shooting as a result of a game or team forfeit must be witnessed by a League representative (i.e. an opposing team captain or League Officer)

Scorekeeping

1. The home team is responsible for keeping score of all games in the match.

2. Each player is to call out their score to the scorekeeper for each round, before the darts are taken out of the board. For a dart to score a point, it must be in the board (or touching the bristle) and remain in the board until the player removes it. All darts are to be thrown even with or behind the hockey line. After being warned by either captain or the scorekeeper, the darts thrown by a player who continues to foul will not count and the next player will throw.

3. In an _01 match, errors in arithmetic stand as written, unless corrected prior to the beginning of that player’s next turn. In the case of doubles matches, such errors must be rectified prior to the next turn of any player/partner on that team.

4. In a Cricket match and in accordance with the inherent “strategy” involved in the Cricket game, corrections in arithmetic must be made before the next player throws otherwise as above, the score will stand as written.

5. If there is any doubt about the score as written, players are advised that it would be best to ask their opponent or partner to wait a moment while the arithmetic of a score is checked.

6. The scorekeeper should remain as still as possible while the players are throwing their darts. The scorekeeper should not talk to the players during the game except that, if asked, may inform a player what they have scored and/or what they have left. The scorekeeper may not give strategic advice or “coach” any player during a match. If the scorekeeper erroneously tells a player an incorrect score after he has thrown one or two darts, the amount thrown will count as scored. The scorekeeper should not record the score of any darts thrown until the player has completed his/her turn.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLAYER TO MAKE SURE WHAT THE SCORE IS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

Sportsmanship – EVERYONE IS EXPECTED TO PLAY FAIRLY!!

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL PHYSICAL VIOLENCE BE TOLERATED. OFFENDERS WILL BE EXPELLED FROM THE LEAGUE.

1. Anyone using abusive language, harassing other players, punching or kicking walls, throwing darts anywhere other than at the dartboard, will be suspended from the match and will constitute grounds for a forfeit by the offending team. Anyone repeatedly conducting in such a manner will be expelled from the league.

Protests

1. The captains of each team are responsible for the match running smoothly. Any disputes that should arise during the course of the match must be settled in a private conference by the team captains. Captain’s decisions are binding during the match as long as they are consistent with league rules.

2. If a dispute cannot be resolved by the team captains during the course of the match, it is up to the League Commissioner to resolve the problem. Before proceeding with the match, the team captains should contact the League Commissioner immediately. If the League Commissioner is unable to resolve the dispute to the satisfaction of both teams, the dispute will be resolved by the Board of Directors.

Postponements and Forfeits

1. Please use discretion when postponing a match. It is better for all concerned if a match is played on its scheduled night.  A postponement will be granted if it is requested 24 hours or more in advance. In the event that the opposing team cannot, in good faith, agree to the reschedule, the team requesting the postponement has the option of playing short on the scheduled night or will be forced to forfeit the match. If a home team postpones a match, the home team advantage is forfeited and the match will be played at the opponent’s bar.  All postponements must be played before the following weeks matches!  If a team does not show for the make-up match, then they forfeit the match. IF A MATCH IS POSTPONED IN THE LAST WEEK OF THE SEASON, IT MUST BE PLAYED BY THE END OF THE DAY ON SATURDAY OF THAT WEEK.

2. In the event of a forfeit, the forfeiting team receives zero points. Their opponents will receive 12 points or their winning average to that week, whichever is greater. All members of the opponent’s team will receive attendance credit for the night.

3. If a team forfeits more than 2 matches, they will be dropped from the season. The dropped team will then be treated as an empty slot in the division and entire season’s worth of scores will be readjusted to a score of 15 points for each team.

4. Any All-Star points from matches with the dropped team will still count. For any remaining season matches against the dropped team, the opposing team will be allowed to shoot for team all-star points on the night the match was to occur.

5. No postponements or forfeits will be allowed in the last week of the season if the match has a possible bearing on the final standings of ANY team in the league.

Standings

1. In the event that any teams of the same division are tied in points at the end of the season, the tie breaker will be wins and losses on the seasons.  If this is also tied it will go to head-to-head match ups during the regular season.  If this is also tied, the winner will be decided the total of the win/loss points in the head-to-head matches. In the event that the place is still tied, it will be broken by a random pick conducted by a league official.

2. Discrepancies on the standings sheet must be brought to the attention of the league within 2 weeks, in order for any corrections to be made.

3. All team members should check the standings and all-star sheets.

Playoffs

1. Playoffs will commence the week following the conclusion of regular season play and any tie-breakers required to determine final regular season standings.  The playoff format for any given season, including number of eligible teams, early round formats and player eligibility requirements, will be decided within the first half of the season by a majority vote of the League Board of Directors.

2. In order for a team member to be eligible to play in any play-off competition and/or receive league awards, he/she must have played a minimum of 7 weeks and a minimum of 18 games in the regular season’s matches. Should any player who has not participated in the minimum required matches play in any play-off games, those games shall be forfeited.

3. The quarter-final round will consist of one night of play. The first team to reach 12 points wins. In the event that the teams have to go to a second sheet, the home team and away team will switch. The home team will continue to keep score for the duration of the match.

4. The semi-final round will consist of one night of play. The first team to reach 15 points wins. In the event that the teams have to go to a second sheet, the home team and away team will switch. The home team will continue to keep score for the duration of the match.

5. The final playoff round will consist of two games to be held over a two-week period on consecutive Tuesdays. The top seed team has the choice to be Home or Away the first match and MUST notify FADA by the day after the Semi-Final Match. If no choice is made the top seed team will be Home for the first match. The first team to reach 24 points wins. In the event of a 23 to 23 tie, the winner will be determined by one (1) head to head game of 1001 (double in / double out) with four (4) players on each team.  The start of the game will be decided by a coin toss, the away team calling heads or tails, with the winner of the coin toss throwing first.

6. In the event of a scheduling conflict, other scheduling arrangements may be made between the two teams involved. However, both teams must agree unconditionally to the changes and the league representatives must be notified of the changes by both team captains. The round must be completed within the scheduled week before the start of the next round of the play-offs. Should any team fail to complete the round or not show, it will be considered a complete forfeit of the entire round for the offending team.

7. If a Home team cannot host a playoff game at their home bar, the match will be played at the Away team’s bar. If that bar is not available the teams may play at a different bar but it must be a bar that hosts a FADA team. Any changes must have mutual consent of both team captains and League approval.

8. Any ineligible player that participates in the playoffs will have their games considered a forfeit and the match score will be adjusted accordingly.  Lists of the eligible players for each team in the playoffs will be available to all playoff teams via the FADA website.

9. All playoff matches will be conducted under the same rules as regular season play.

Awards

1. At the end of the season awards will be given out as follows:

2. Team Awards

   1. The team finishing the Division in First Place is the “Division Winner” and will receive a plaque and a FADA shirt for each member of the team.

   2. The team winning the Division Playoffs is the “Division Champion” and will receive a plaque and a FADA shirt for each member of the team.

   3. In the event a team wins both the regular season and the division, they will receive 1 plaque listing both wins.

3. Individual Awards

   1. A plaque will be given to the player(s) achieving the following in each of the leagues:

      1. League High In (in double in -01 games)

      2. League High Out (in any -01 game)

      3. Single 301 game finished with 12 or fewer darts

      4. Single 401 game finished with 15 or fewer darts

      5. Single Cricket game finished with 15 or fewer darts

      6. Highest total -01 points

      7. Highest cricket points

      8. Highest cork points