Some things I have been tossing around to help stimulate league play for the Summer Session '08 and subsequent summer sessions are as follows:

1. Session
Have a shorter session with a "break" in-between halves in order to give darters a chance to plan vacations and other family oriented summer activities. Summer session has always been a tough sell due to the fact that in general the weather is wonderful and there are many things that darters and their friends and family can do that sometimes interfere with darts. As I type this out it occurs to me that maybe a shorter night might help also. Play only 9-11 games as opposed to 13 games. Then we could start later. It might be an incentive to start at 9pm. The sun is usually down by then, however that would mean leaving the bar at 11:30 or later.
There are pluses and minuses to both sides on that one. Going on, if I have 6 team divisions, it would help to alleviate a couple of problems. I could keep teams more centrally located as I would be able to set a division at 6 instead of having to come up with 8 teams. then I could go with a 10 week schedule. Have each team play the other 5 teams once, then have a week or two "break" then come back and play the teams at the opposite location. (there is currently a poll on this topic right now under the "what do you think" thread on this forum. Please vote when you finish reading this post and leave your comments.)


2. Awards
All first place division winners will get a embroidered jacket, a bar plaque for their bar. 2nd place will either receive a embroidered polo shirt or a silk screened T-shirt. 3-6 place will also receive a silk screened T-shirt with the club logo on it. I feel that all teams should receive thing for playing in a session and what better than a nice t-shirt that you can wear to tournaments and to dart night. Colors would change from session to session but they would remain popular colors. (no hot pink or purple polka-dot)
I am also looking into getting Write-up Pins for anyone who gets a Write-up in a session. I have left a message with Barry at Anglo to get me some prices on the pins and I hope to have them ready to pass out at folder pick-up.
(Special Note: Captains-- If anyone on your team has hit a 180 (only) this winter session please let me know by e-mail and I will get him/her a Ton-80 patch, If anyone has 15 Ton-80 Patches to turn in I also have MASTER TON-80 Patches.)


3. FEES
With a shorter session we could reduce fees to $250. The CDC has already approved a $5 membership drive for new members joining in the summer session'08.(BTW this the last time we will be able to offer this special reduced membership)

4. Post Session Tournaments
My plan is to offer to current members playing in current sessions opportunity to play in tournaments. It would break down like this:
After Winter session-- The usual Team Tournaments
After Summer session-- A Singles Tournament
After Fall session-- A Double Tournament
In each tournament Gold would play against Gold teams or players for the Gold Prize pot, Silver would play other silver teams and players, and Bronze would play other Bronze teams and players. Each division would have their own"Prize pot" to play for. I would hold fundraisers throughout the year to help build up the funds in the prize pot. (I am doing a Spaghetti Dinner on March 30th for the Winter Team Tournament, feel free to attend. Its $10 for the dinner and $5 to enter the blind draw at 7pm. If 64 darters buy a dinner and play in the tournamnet, a special $200 will be added to the pot. I will also be submitting a budget from now on and part of that budget will allocate money to league related tournaments and prizes.

As you can see I've put a lot of effort into thinking of ways to make the CDC's members benefit from their experience and membership in the CDC. I am committed to putting up the best possible product, awards, and benefits to each and every member of the CDC. However, I do need your help. I need comments, concerns, and feedback so I know that I am heading down the right path. I need to be assured that this is what the darters want from their club. I also need people to be active members in the club. Join teams, start teams, encourage your friends and family to give darts a try. Anyone and everyone can enjoy and be successful at the game of darts. You do not have to be able to run 4.4 second 40 yard dash, You do not have to throw a ball 300 feet or slam it threw a hoop. All you have to do is throw it 7 feet 9 inches.
Lets band together and help each other out,. I can not implement these changes without participation. It would be wonderful if we could get 80-100+ teams for the summer session this year. Please leave your comments here on any of these proposed issue and changes that I have explained. I will be discussing it with the BOD at the next meeting. I would like to thank all of the CDC members for their continued loyal support. I know that it means a great deal to me that you have stayed with us during our restructuring process. Things are beginning to turn around and the light is at the end of the tunnel and We can see it. We are well on our way to making this the strongest and best club in northern Ohio. Stay with us and you to will reap the benefits very shortly. Thank you for taking the time to read this and leave your comments. I will follow thru on every improvement I think will benefit the club and its members. All the best and hit lots of trip 20's.

Jon

cool: cool: biggrin: B) bliss: bam:

I think we (the CDC) need to be cost competitive with other leagues in the area. There is one league that drop their weekly team fees down to $260 per team for a 14 week session.

IMHO, if we keep our 14 week session fees at $336 per team we will continue to lose teams

I also think we should have the old Monday format (which has 20 roster spots) stay on Monday and change the Tuesday league format to something with more roster spots For example..

2 double 501
3 single crickets
2 double cricket
3 single 301s
2 double cork's choice
1 team 801

This format would 22 roster spots.

Another example

2 double 501
1 Team Cricket (3persons)
2 single crickets
2 double cricket
2 single 301s
1 Team Cricket (3persons)
2 double cork's choice
1 team 801

This format would have 26 roster spots

I don't know whats perfect but I think we need a night with an emphasis on individual darters (Monday night) and a night with more emphasis on team play (Tuesday Night)

I think the summer league woould be the best time to experiment, No?

Anybody else have something to add or suggest?

The challenge of becoming more cost competitive with other leagues is one that has faced the Club for several years. The real question is how do you reduce the costs of the Club in order to do that? Here's the answer:

Step 1: Reduce the fixed costs of running the Club (Rent, Payroll, Office Costs, etc.)

Step 2: Use cost savings from 1 above to first pay down the debt the Club incurred over the last couple of years (caused largely from dwindling membership), and then to provide more attractive payouts and lower fees.

Step 3: As debt is paid down, we need to continue to reduce fees and increase payouts. And we need to improve all aspects of our leagues, including an improved web page, better communication, and anything else that would appeal to our membership.

Easy enough, right?

Well, Step 1 is largely behind us. The office was closed. We have no more rent and no more full-time employees. It's been a tough transition, no doubt. Many volunteers have had to step up and take on an extra burden to keep this thing going, but the worst is definitely behind us.

Step 2 is in process. We are now generating positive cash flow and a plan to get rid of our debt is in place. We have lowered fees (membership fees were reduced from $25 to $20, and our Bar Affiliate Fee, formerly $50/year, was eliminated altogether). And our payouts have increased and will continue to be increased, gradually over time.

Step 3 is in process as well.

My point is this: The idea of becoming more cost competitive is a great one. But it starts with being fiscally responsible. The current Board, and before that Former President Tom Janis, have made the tough decisions to put this Club in a much better financial position than was the case just a few years ago. Our Club's BOD needs to continue to be fiscally responsible, and keep making the tough decisions. I believe the corner has been turned and better times are ahead. But it will take fiscal responsibility and A PLAN!!!

Jeff Inman
CDC 950050

Not a bad suggestion, although I'd replace the "Team Cricket" games to "Team Piggy" games.

Jeff thanks for the responses. It's nice to hear that we "The CDC" are on the right track. And a plan is in place. I believe the general membership needs to be reminded of this continuously. It will help darters make better decisions.

Please explain what "Team Piggy" is?

I did a "google" search and came up with nothing biggrin:

Dennis,

I am glad you asked about "Piggy". This game goes by many different names depending on what part of the country you are in, and the rules may vary slightly as well. In the Cleveland area, it is generally referred to as "Piggy" but if you click the link below (refer to game # 3 under "Other Variations", you will see this game referred to as "Marty Mouse".)


Click here for explanation of "Marty Mouse" aka "Piggy"

Basically the game is played like Cricket except that, in addition to the 15 thru 20's and the bull, you must also close (and potentially score on) three additional targets: 1) Triples, 2) Doubles, and 3) "Three in a Bed"

In the variation of the game I'm used to playing, only Cricket numbers count. But I've seen it played where any number can be used for the triples, doubles and "three in a bed"

It's a game that will obviously take longer to play than normal cricket, but it's a good practice game as it incorporates the need to hit triples as well as doubles.

Hope this explanation helps. It's usually fairly easy to learn once you played a couple of times.

Jeff,

I learned and played a similar game in a London England pub back in 1989. They called it "Strategies" and instead of "three in a bed" they added 14's to our regular cricket numbers along with trips and dubs. And you could only score on trips and dubs within the numbers being played (cricket numbers plus 14) unless you called "slop" then any trip or double counted. The order in which you closed numbers was always at your discretion (no particular order). Most darters played "no slop" because it made choosing a double or a trip to score or close more strategic. Pointing followed our(USA) cricket rules.

I like the idea of team piggy but one draw back could be whole teams arguing over how to score a trip or a dub poke: You know what I mean.

A fresh new game in a format would be all right in my book. But how does everyone else feel about it?

We need fellow darters to express their opinions more often hangin:

Again summer session would be a good experimental time. Even though I don't throw in the summer. (too many projects going on during nice weather)

You do know that is Easter Sunday, right? Pretty sure I wont be there.

He changed the date to March 30. He posted this before he made the change.

Spag Dinner Details

So what's wrong with Spaghetti on Easter anyway?

Just for every ones point of reference or FYI,

The 2 breaks that i am looking at in the 10 week schedule would be e week of Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Those weeks I feel would be most beneficial
to darters to be off as they are typically vacation and family weekends.
In this proposal we would finish the session the last week of July and everyone would have the entire month of August for vacation and/or family related activities. Please let me know if this is a good idea and if it more entices you to continue playing darts in the summer.

Please let me know,
Jon


cool: cool:
bliss: bliss:
bam: biggrin: