The Rule Book

Exeter Sports Clubs Darts League
GENERAL RULES
Set by the AGM held on Tuesday, June 28th, 2022, and amended at subsequent AGMs all previous rules are superseded.

1 The Exeter Sports Clubs Darts League is open to all bona fide clubs in the Exeter area.
2 Administration of the league will be by an annually-elected chair/secretary, fixtures secretary/treasurer, and five members of committee. An honorary President may also be elected. The chair/secretary and fixtures secretary/treasurer will be rewarded with an honorarium to be decided at each AGM. The AGM will be held before July 31 each year. The treasurer shall present an audited set of accounts at this meeting. These rules can be changed at the AGM or at a Special Meeting called for the purpose by five teams in writing. Voting at these meetings: AGM one vote per team competing in previous season; Special Meeting, one vote per team competing in current season. A copy of these rules must be displayed near the board.
3 The cost of subs will be set at the AGM.
4 Divisions will be formed by the committee. Normally promotion and relegation will be two up two down but will be left to the discretion of the committee. League positions will be decided by points and then games difference, two points for a win.
5 Perpetual trophies will be held by the winning team for 10 months following finals night. These trophies will be kept in the home club of the successful team. Winners and runners-up in all competitions will be awarded suitable trophies. Up to 12 trophies will be provided for the winning and runner-up teams.
6 Players’ registration: a) Team registration sheets must be with the league secretary by no later than the date stated on the registration form accompanied by the relevant fees. Each player must be a member of the parent club. b) Additional players can be signed on until December 31 using individual signing on forms, these forms must be with the secretary, together with the appropriate fee, within three days of the player playing their first game. c) The secretary will issue a receipt and list of registered players to each team before the first game of the season or in the case of additional players, within three days of receipt of the players’ registration form. If the receipt is not received by the team captain before the players’ next game it is the captain’s responsibility to confirm that each player is registered. d) If a player wishes to transfer to another team they must apply to the league secretary in writing enclosing confirmation from both captains that there are no objections to the transfer. Players may only transfer within their original division or to a higher division. The player must receive written notification of approval before playing for their preferred team. A re-registration fee is payable. There will be no transfers after the first half of the season. Transferred players will be cup-/plate-tied. Penalty for playing unregistered players: a) In all cases the offending team will be deducted two points regardless of the result and b) If the offending player(s) won their game result will be reversed.
7 No limit on county players able to sign for a team but only four male players can play in any one match. If more than four play, two points will be deducted. A county player is one who has played for their county at youth, A or B team level in the current season.
8 If a team withdraws from the league for any reason in the first half of the season all games involving that team will be void. If a team withdraws after the first half then the results in the first half only will stand. Any team not fulfilling three consecutive games will be deemed to have withdrawn and will be fined £20 payable by the parent club.
9 The committee has the power to deal with all matters arising during the playing season and their decision will be final. A quorum for committee meetings is five.
10 Disputes will normally be dealt with by the committee, but if a team is not happy with that decision a written appeal can be made within seven days, match appeals within three days of the match
MATCH RULES
1 The oche and the room in which matches are to be played will be inspected before each season to ensure they comply with these rules. The oche (which must be raised) measurements should be 5ft 8in to bull, 7ft 9 1/4in to oche, 9ft 7in diagonal. The board must be staple-free and well-lit and the room should have adequate space round the playing area to accommodate the two competing teams.
2 The progress of the match will be recorded on a card supplied by the league, home players will print and sign first, away team to place opponent. Team captains are responsible for their team’s behaviour.
3a Winter League Matches will be decided by the best of six singles games, best of three legs per game, 301-up start and finish on a double, no bust and three pairs’ games best of three legs per game, 501-up straight start and finish on a double, no bust. Nearest the bull decides who throws first in the first and third leg (if necessary). The player who signs (is drawn) second to go for bull first in the first leg, loser of first leg to go first in second leg, player who signed (drawn) first to go first for the bull in the third leg.
3b Summer League Matches will be decided by the best of six singles games, best of three legs, 301-up start and finish on a double, no bust and three pairs games, best of three legs per game, 501-up straight start, finish on a double, no bust. The order of play will be decided by the captains placing the names of their six singles players on separate cards face downwards and the opposing captain drawing the players for their position in play. Any player not in attendance when due to play will forfeit their game. Following the singles games the captains will place the names of their six doubles players on separate cards for the pairs to be drawn in a similar manner.
4 All matches to be played on the date printed on the fixtures sheet. The first game to start by 8.30 pm prompt, the first and subsequent games can be claimed if either team does not provide an opponent at 8.30 for the first game and within 10 minutes of the previous game finishing for subsequent games. Home team to score the game, away team to shout the score, only darts retrieved from the board after three darts have been thrown count.
5 Venues and dates of all competitions other than league matches to be decided by the committee.
6 In all competitions involving individuals, pairs, and triples all players must be in attendance and registered by 8.30 pm prior to the draw. Any player not in attendance and registered by 8.30 pm will be struck from the competition. There will be a draw for each round. In pairs and triples games players must follow in sequence throughout the game. All players entering individual, pairs, or triples competitions must be available to play in all rounds of that competition. Failure to play, except in an emergency, will result in a ban on entering these competitions for the following season.
7 Result card or image of it to be returned by the winning team to the fixtures secretary by 6 pm Thursday following the match. Two points will be deducted for failure to do this.
TEAM KNOCKOUT CUP COMPETITION
1 The competition will be played under the league’s normal General and Match Rules, above, with the following exceptions:
2 Captains will toss coin for placing. Captain winning the toss will have the choice of placing the first player or asking their opponent to do so, placing will be alternate for the rest of the game.
3 Semi-finals and final will be played on neutral boards at the discretion of the committee.
INDIVIDUALS COMPETITION
1 The competition will be played under the league’s normal General and Match Rules, above, with the following exceptions:
2 Open to all registered players. There will be an additional fee of £1 for each individual entry. Semi-finals and final to be played on finals night
3 Substitutes from the same club will be allowed in the first round only provided they have not already entered the competition and continue playing if successful.
TEAM CHAMPIONS CUP
1 The competition will be played under the league’s normal General and Match Rules, above, with the following exceptions:
2 Open to all registered players, each team will select their champion by whatever method they choose, and each team is invited to send one representative. CAPTAINS CUP
1 The competition will be played under the league’s normal General and Match Rules, above, with the following exceptions:
2 Open to all registered captains who will be automatically entered into the competition. No substitutes will be allowed unless a change of team captain is registered with the league secretary at least 14 days prior to the first round of the competition. The captain is the team member who regularly decides player placing in matches their name should appear first on the registration form. It is not acceptable for other team members to play in this competition. Any disputes will fall under General Rule 9.
PAIRS COMPETITION
1 The competition will be played under the league’s normal General and Match Rules, above, with the following exceptions:
2 Open to all registered players. Each pair to be members of the same team, if one member is transferred the pairing is void. Substitutes from the same team allowed in the first round only provided that they had not already entered with a different partner. Substitutes to continue playing if successful. There will be an additional fee of £1 per player (£2 per team).
3 Games to be decided by the best of three legs, 501, start and finish on a double 4 Both players must be in attendance and registered by 8.30 pm.
CHARLIE KNIGHT TRIPLES
1 The competition will be played under the league’s normal General and Match Rules, above, with the following exceptions:
2 The competition is open to all registered players and entries will be made on the night. Each team to consist of three players who are registered for the same club. Spare players will be drawn into teams of three on the night. All players to be in attendance and registered by 8.30 pm. 3 Games to be decided by the best of three legs, 701, straight start, double finish. The first-named player in each team of three will throw first in each leg. The first team drawn will throw for the bull first in the first and third legs. Loser of the first leg will throw first in the second leg.