Attracting new players to Open League Brass

[Trevor H.]

First off, I love the new website and the use of google docs. WCD has
a savvy webmaster.

I'm writing this to let you know that Open League (Brass Division) in
its current form is unacceptable for regular people who hold day
jobs.

I joined WCD shortly after I moved to Chicago in 2009 to spend time
with new friends, and more importantly, to drink on Tuesday. I'd
never shot a dart in my life at that point, but my competitive nature
quickly got hold of me. I started shooting sober, and now I'm rated
3C.

Still, darts serve a primarily social purpose in my life. I'm not the
next Steve Panuncialman, and I'm not asking my friends to be either.

Though I love darts and WCD, I can no longer recommend this league to
friends, as Brass Division games among brand-new players regularly run
6 hours - a large weeknight time investment that Nickel and Tungsten
teams don't often encounter.

For those who have forgotten what a Brass division game among brand
new players looks like, let me paint you a picture:
It's 12:30 AM. Players are tired, having woken up at 6am, worked,
raced home to help kids with homework and make dinner before the 8pm
game. They've waited out every smoke break, every 3rd leg of a game
they weren't playing, and the worst part? 501 doubles are just
beginning. And with four players new to darts, hitting 26's, slowly
winding their way down to the eventual double-1, where the chalker
shrugs and sits back at his table, waiting for one of these new
players to hit a double. The games are still going when the bartender
shouts LAST CALL.

The time investment for Brass players needs to be reduced, so we can
finish our nights at an acceptable time, just like Nickel and Tungsten
players. Here are a couple ideas I came up with:

1) Reducing singles games to best of 1. I was shocked when WCD
changed this to best of 3, knowing it was going to eat another 2 hours
of everyone's night. And remember that's just one person playing,
usually the same privileged player each week, while the rest of the
team watches.

2) Doing something with the 501 doubles game at the end. Best of 1,
change it, remove it, something. I understand this is *THE* game for
skilled players, but for new players it's a different game entirely.
The points are seemingly irrelevant, they only serve as a time waster
prior to a double 1 grudgematch that goes on for eternity.

If those ideas to reduce time are unreasonable, I'd love to hear
others. My point is that brass games need to take less time, I don't
care how. Asking new teams to spend 6+ hours on a weeknight, using
the same format that higher divisions finish in 3 hours, is a sure way
to discourage new blood.

[Kaos_Chicago]

The one leg game is kind of stressful on newer players...Granted for
timing issues I am sure it comes up as an efficient method to
finishing the night a bit quicker.

I think in deference to the newer players and to speed up the nights
play mebbe WCD could look to adopt some of these suggestipns:

USE THE SATURDAY LEAGUE SCORE SHEET (7 games vs 9 games)

Staying with 3 legged game format (best 2 of 3, player wins 2 straight
the game is over).

Abridged Chicago Format:

Straight Cricket (first to close, no points)
301 DI/DO
301 SI/DO (in place of 501)

Take 501 down to 301

Take Dirty Cricket down to Straight Cricket

All round a more equitable setup for newer players coming into the
league that need their sleep.

[Thom Goodwin]

I think you're right about the Brass division. I think because the
skills difference is so wide between a 4A and a brand spanking new
player, the new player often feels overpowered before they ever really
get a chance to develop.

I think one way to solve that problem and to grow the league
membership is to add one more division under Brass--a recreational
division.

The rec division doesn't require playoffs or trophies; it's a simple
night of simple darts for beginner players. Then, as a player gets an
itch to become more competitive, they can opt into the Brass division.

Just a thought.
T
http://chicagodarts.us

[An Phan]

Having recently started my own team for the past two seasons I don't
agree that matches regularly run six hours. Matches generally have run
six hours when the whole team decides to get drunk and stop enforcing
the rules. When the captains keep smoking and let people who are
playing / scoring smoke when it is their turn to start a match then
that is not acceptable and drags the game.

I feel it is up to the captain to enforce the rules to communicate
with the other captain that it's not alright for a player set to play
the next game to go have a smoke or grab a drink. I don't always try
to play time cop, particularly if I know the evening is zooming by.
When a team is ass dragging then I will let the other teammates know
to hurry up and we have more matches to go. Captains should take more
responsibility to be less drunk and be aware that the clock is
ticking.

Generally I know I play from 8pm-12:30am on average and that's fine by
me. It doesn't make sense for my whole 8-man team to stay the whole
match, so it's usually me and someone else left at the end of the
game. three if we're at home keeping score. New teams generally do not
stay 6+ hours a night, but I agree when matches get that far it can
get out of hand. New captains should be made aware when they should
start pressing the other team to get their act together and start
shooting. I honestly can't stand waiting too long between shots or
having smoke breaks for people set to play. If people are not playing
next smoke all you want - I couldn't care less!

On Aug 2, 4:12 pm, "Trevor H." <iwritegoodwo...@gmail.com> wrote:

[An Phan]

Addendum:

I joined two leagues at two different bars because either the owner or
one of the players approached me about playing and I signed up.
Putting up a sign in the bar is nice, but who actually takes time to
read it? Bar owners and darters need to be aware to inform people when
the next leagues are and what it all entails. I am glad I joined
awhile back and now am a regular member, but I think more needs to be
done to communicate to the random people in the bars to come play.
It's good for business and it's good for our numbers.

On Aug 2, 4:12 pm, "Trevor H." <iwritegoodwo...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Trevor H.]

That's a good point. If you see people shooting darts, or if you play
someone at a pickup game, let them know about the league.

Perhaps I labeled this thread wrong. Reducing time for brass players
would increase retention rather than attract new players.

[An Phan]

I have to agree, reducing time can increase retention. I've definitely
lost one player because he couldn't stand all the waiting. There
should be a new captain's meeting on top of the regular captain's
meeting where new captains get a rundown on how to better shorten the
time it takes to finish a match. Last season I played 6 hour matches
twice and I agree - it is too much time to ask and people have work!