Date Posted:09:34:43 04/30/01 Mon Author:Darrin Subject: Re: Northland Darters In reply to:
Slash
's message, "Re: Northland Darters" on 15:45:30 04/28/01 Sat
To clarify a bit more let me explain. Our main two league operators are the competing amusement companies. Each one of them offers a full array of Cricket and ’01 leagues Monday thru Thursday, year round. These are the only sanctioned leagues in the Duluth-Superior area. Other leagues exist, but the Amusement companies refuse to sanction leagues they do not operate, and the NDA will only sanction players through an amusement company. This is where my cynicism is derived.
Why be unhappy about the wide variety of leagues being offered? Low payoffs and bad scheduling among other things. The average season in sanctioned leagues costs $42 per player in league fees, with the possibility of winning $30 for first place and a 5 x 7 plaque. A net loss of $12 for first place? Does that seem right? After considering the additional $4 - $7 per night each player pays in quarters to play, we must question where the excess is going. With great reservation, it was admitted that the salary of the league coordinator – an employee of the amusement company – is taken from league fees. After serving as the unpaid president of an unsanctioned independent dart league for three seasons, I respect the work involved in running leagues. Nevertheless, it shows little respect to the company’s biggest customer – the league players.
Apparently, I am wrong about the NDA and Valley. Arachnid boards are non-existent in this area. The owner of the amusement company I play for told me the NDA will not sanction a league that is not played on Valley or associated boards (I believe the Scorpion brand boards are a subsidiary of Valley) I assume Arachnid is a direct competitor of Valley – blowing that theory completely out of the water. I was also told that NDA statistics are only official if printed out by a dart league computer program sold by Valley. I now must assume that is misinformation as well.
Thank you for your comments. I would greatly appreciate any further suggestions or information you have to offer. Also, I am curious how your leagues are coordinated and sanctioned.
