First, about our efforts to prevent cheating and sandbagging; and how we use real data to do it:

 

Data based qualifying and ranking:

 

Ø  We are the only program to require 100% computerized league stats from every PPD league player before they are allowed to compete in any of our tournaments.

Ø  There are no made-up hand-written paper league stats here.  There is no taint-able “assigned” or “stated” player ranking either.

Ø    All of our ranking is from real dart match competition data, because all PPD members are required to provide complete and constant access to all Arachnid electronic dart machine data from their local dart league competition.

Ø   The highest skilled players are motivated to perform their best in local league competition because only the top ranked players from the local league qualify to compete for the extra sponsored-added event prize money and championship money in the All Star Series of Darts – the All Star Men’s and Women’s “main” events and championships.

Ø   Then, we double that effort against league sandbagging by tracking electronic tournament data too. 

Ø  The 100% payback (and added) tournament prize money is reason enough not to sandbag at the tournament.

Ø  These steps effectively eliminate any reason to sandbag in league or at our tournaments.  There is simply no reason left to sandbag.

Ø   Following each tournament:

a)     Each player’s tournament performance is compared to his or her league history or current best league performance. 

b)    If a player performs better at a tournament when compared to their current best local league or previous league histories, then the tournament data becomes the player’s ranking statistic for subsequent tournament competition and for a significant amount of time. 

 

 

On top of using real data for ranking, we flight competition by skill level, handicap 4-player team competition, use triple elimination brackets in all non-main events and we use a point system in the main All Star Series competition.  All these measures ad to making competition fair for everyone regardless of individual skill.

 

            Flighting equalizes competition: 

 

Ø  Flighting means to separate a large number of entries into smaller groups (in our case 32).  Separating by skill (or for doubles. Triples and teams; the combined total skill of all the individuals), making these subgroups more competitive.

Ø  Flighting is a form of handicapping and it enhances fairness. 

Ø  The more flights, the closer the competition becomes within each group and the fairer it is for everyone involved.

 

Handicapping equalizes competition:

 

Ø  In our 4-person team competition, we flight the teams then handicap each team on top of that – to make competition even fairer.

Ø  The handicap system we employ ranks all the players within a flight, then reduces the number of darts the higher skilled players throw in the first round of each game.

Ø  This approach to handicapping is fairer than having one team give up points or marks to another because it requires all skill levels of players to perform their best.  A weaker player receives nothing (in the way of points or marks) free, while a better player remains challenged to make up the differences with fewer darts in the first round and in the remaining rounds of a game. 

Ø  This handicapping measure adds another level of anti-sandbagging to our program because again, no one can sandbag if they want to win. 

Ø  Additionally, this type of handicapping encourages weaker players to work to get better - because they must make things happen with their darts, no free marks or points.

 

            Triple Elimination brackets enhance everyone’s chances and add value:

 

Ø  We use TRIPLE elimination brackets in all non-main events to add even more fairness, added value is a bonus. 

Ø  Each leg of the triple elimination bracket contains a different race-to number of games to keep everyone playing throughout the entire bracket.

Ø   More games in the race on the winners side minimizes setting around, waiting to compete, winners getting cold.  And ensures whoever wins – is being progressively challenged, deserving to advance closer; toward the championship match.

Ø  Triple elimination enhances everyone’s chances of getting to the prize money because even a team having a slow start or a perceived bad draw in the first round has a chance to come back and win prize money because they must be beaten three times before being eliminated.  Not once, not twice – three times. This adds a great deal of value for even those unfortunate hard-luck competitors on any given day. For others it will keep them in the hunt and eventually to prize money where elsewhere they’d have been out and gone.

Ø  In triple elimination, every single dart of every single game matters immensely.  Unlike in Round robin format where often times a slacker-team, who knows they have no statistical chance to win the tournament, can cheat the true best team by giving up late in the going – allowing game wins to an otherwise lesser team, disappearing altogether (it happens), or giving a late match-win to a lesser team who is a friend.  

 

All Star Series main events and Championships, utilize multiple events with a cumulative point system and partnering, which adds fairness too:

 

Ø  In addition to all of the other things we do, the All Star Men’s and Women’s main event competition (only the top ranked male and female players), contains point-earning features that last through multiple events, throughout an entire year, ensuring the collective measures described above applied over all the leagues and events - successfully determine the true champions of the series. 

Ø   The All Star Men and Women’s Main events are partner’s contests where top ranked half of players are assigned a lower-half-ranked partner at random.  This equalizes the competition, adding more fairness in the competition. 

 

 

Unmatched fairness in the world of darts:

 

We believe all these features combined allow us to unequivocally state; there is no fairer dart tournament to be found anywhere in the world.  Steel-tip or soft-tip, it does not matter.  No one else goes to the trouble of this combination of things to ensure fairness for every competitor.  Not Arachnid’s Bull Shooter, NDA’s Team Dart, ADA’s Nationals, ADO, Spectrum/Medalist, various state tournaments and city championships, in house or other local leagues, or anyone else we know of anywhere.  No offense to any of these organizations, but they simply do not do all of these things.  No one provides a fairer scenario for darting competition.  If you can find anyone that comes even close to these efforts to provide the fairest competition, please let us know. 

 

 

Second, about our financial commitment to this concept.  This program is 100% payback PLUS sponsor added money at each All Star Series weekend! 

• The PPD members sponsoring this program are investing in their dart players and the customer locations we serve by providing $95,000 in added prize money (in 2011), but that is not all. 
•  PPD members absorb tournament and staffing costs for things such as the hotel/venue, event staffing wages, employee hotel rooms, pre-event employee wages, web-site, programming, creation and oversight, legal, insurance, event security, trophies, fuel, shipping, sound, staging and other event support equipment, machine/equipment depreciation and much more. These things can amount to as much as another $50,000 each year.
•  These costs are in addition to the costs of providing weekly league services in each local PPD league area.
•  Unlike every other tournament out there, where the host takes up to 50% of the player entry fees to pay their costs or to generate a profit, your PPD operator is investing in you and this program. We won’t name all the other tournaments here, but you know this pretty much covers any other tournament you’ve ever attended - nothing comes close.
• In case you are wondering, the coin drop does not cover the tournament site costs. At best, coin drop offsets about 20% of the various costs incurred by your PPD members in providing an All Star Series of Darts weekend. 

 

In these tough economic times, we hope you will enjoy the All Star Series of Darts and spread the word to all your darting friends – that we may continue to do this and possibly even more to promote the great sport of darts.  Thank you!