Proposed Rule Changes 2009/10

Steve Butler · 24 August 2009

The Annual General Meeting of the Nazareth House Snooker League will be held at Lenton Liberal Club on Thursday 10 September 2009 at 8pm.

I would like to propose a change to the format of the Knockout Cup and Knockout Plate competitions. I think that the changes would improve the cup competitions because:

1. Teams will play more cup games.
2. Teams will be guaranteed two matches against opposition from a different division, thereby increasing variety of opposition.
3. Top teams will be kept apart in the early stages, as will the weaker teams.

I am proposing that the early rounds be played in a round robin format in four seeded groups. The teams who finished in the top four of division 1 last season will be placed in the four different groups. The next four teams will then be drawn out and placed into separate groups and so on. Any new teams joining the league will then be drawn out making groups of five teams if necessary.

Teams in each group will play each other once, on an aggregate points basis as before and each team will receive a handicap based on their seedings. Suggested handicaps would be scratch for the top seed, 80 pts for the second seed, 160 pts for the third seed and 240 points for the remaining teams.

A record will be made of the points scored by each team (including handicaps) in each match and these will be added up and divided by the number of matches played to give the points average. Final standings in each group will be in accordance with the points average, eg. Team A plays 3 matches in a group of 4 scoring 400, 200 and 300 points in each match. Total points 900 divided by 3 = 300 points average.**

**Scoring method open for debate - could also be points difference or more traditional 2 pts for win. Ideas?

Teams finishing top of each group will contest the KO Cup semi-finals.

Teams finishing runner-up in each group will contest the KO Plate semi-finals.

Based on last season's final standings, and assuming no new teams, this is what the groups may look like:

Group A

	Hcp	P	F	A	Av Pts
Arnold A	0	-	-	-	-
Beeston	80	-	-	-	-
Cotgrave	160	-	-	-	-
Lenton LC	240	-	-	-	-

Group B

	P	P	F	A	Av Pts
BCI A	0	-	-	-	-
Stadium	80	-	-	-	-
Arnold B	160	-	-	-	-
Oakleigh Lodge	240	-	-	-	-

Group C

	P	P	F	A	Av Pts
Peoples Hall	0	-	-	-	-
Sherwood SC	80	-	-	-	-
Mapperley	160	-	-	-	-
Wollaton	240	-	-	-	-

Group D

	P	P	F	A	Av Pts
Pegasus	0	-	-	-	-
BCI B	80	-	-	-	-
Phoenix	160	-	-	-	-
City Hospital	240	-	-	-	-

KO Cup Semi-finals

Winner group A	v	Winner Group B
Winner group C	v	Winner Group D

KO Plate Semi-finals

Runner-up group A	v	Runner-up Group B
Runner-up group C	v	Runner-up Group D

A knock on of these extra cup matches will be a reduction in the number of league matches. I am anticipating divisions of 9 or 10 next season (possible new teams in the pipeline) which would provide 18 weeks of league matches with each team playing each other twice (as opposed to 21 weeks last season with each team playing each other 3 times). I believe that this new format would give a bigger variety of opposition and less monotony.

I would be interested to hear other people's comments on this?

:question:

Mike Langdon · 25 August 2009

Hi Steve. Yes i like the idea of the group stages and am also all for the knock-on effect of only playing each other twice in the league as opposed to 3 times. Would also save us the trouble of byes and extra rounds taking up valuable weeks of the season. Not sure how popular the points scoring system would be but as i've stated in the past i don't feel (as do many others) that the current scoring system is ideal with half the team on the other side of Nottingham not knowing what they require to progress into the next round....so yes i'm all for a change.

Personally.... i would prefer to see a point for each frame won awarded with players using their individual handicaps in each frame rather than the aggregate team handicap that we currently use. If score finishes 4-4 we could create our very own penalty shoot out scenario. Perhaps....using the venue where the final frame has been played, each side chooses two players who have to try and pot a ball off the blue or pink spot from behind the baulk line (5 attempts for each player to get a result).

but anyway i like the idea of changing the format into round robin groups and it might be worth a try for a season...we can always revert back to the old format the following season if unpopular. To anyone who feels strongly against any proposals put forward make sure you attend the AGM!!!....it's no good mentioning your feelings once the season starts.

Regards

Mike Langdon (Tournament Secretary)

Steve Butler · 25 August 2009

It's great to have you back online Mike, it's not the same without you!

Some good points there Mike. The main reason for my suggestion is because I personally would like more opportunities to play against different teams. I can't remember the last time I went to Wollaton RBL, Oakleigh Lodge, or City Hospital. In fact, I don't think I have played the City Hospital team since they were based at Hillcrest! There would still be no guarantee I would get to visit them in this round robin format but there's a lot more chance than under the current system.

The points system and other finer details can be discussed at the AGM. I like the idea of using the individual handicaps as you suggest and think it could work well as long as teams don't throw in new players on the night who won't have been given official handicaps by the committee.

Anyone else got any thoughts?

:question:

phoenixcuesports · 03 September 2009

Phoenix team had a chat about this..

In gereral we are in favour of a longer cup comp and a shorter league season, i.e. only playing each team time twice rather than three times as last year.

As for the scoring system, Aggregate scoring is a little unsatisfactory when matches are played across two venues, but in the days of modern technology, the odd text message here and there sorts out the issue. The cup should be different from the league, so 2 points for a win in the league, aggregate scoring in the cup, simples!

I love the idea of individual handicaps, but could create lots of issues with new players. We don't want to have to register players to get handicaps, as this may lead to more match postponments later in the season due to lack of registered players. Although most pool leagues do not allow you to register new players after the first half of the season, is this an option?

In summary, we agree with Steve.

Steve Butler · 03 September 2009

Thanks for your comments Stephen.

Anyone else got any thoughts and suggestions?

:exclamation:AGM only 1 week away........

Alan Cunningham · 03 September 2009

I think you have to be careful you dont get too far away from the 'tried & tested'. If as you say we might have division of 9 ? ( 8 teams 3 times round - 24 in total ) or 7 ? ( 6 teams 4 times round - 24 in total).

I personally dont like the suggestion of a 'round robin' in the team K.O. - we are going to be having to make more AND MORE rules.

I suppose before long an individual league handicapping sysem will have to come in where the team Managers will to have submit handicaps for verification by a committee.

Steve Butler · 03 September 2009

The reason I suggested the round robin format was to provide more opportunities for div 1 and div 2 teams to play each other and I thought that would be the best way to achieve it.

If you can think of another way to provide more opportunities for div 1 and div 2 teams to meet throughout the season then I'd love to hear it. I know you have suggested the idea of having Division 1 and Division 2 Cups plus a Nazareth House Handicap Cup but all that does is keep the div 1 and div 2 teams apart.

Perhaps I am alone in wanting to get more variation in fixtures rather than the rather repetitive fixtures we have currently with teams playing each other 3 times?

Alan Cunningham · 03 September 2009

I thought that with a Div 1 cup and a Div 2 it would give the Div 2 sides some encouragement knowing that they WILL win a Major trophy

Steve Butler · 03 September 2009

Yes, that's a good point. I'll have to have a look at the fixture list to see if I can squeeze all three competitions in with maybe a round robin Naz House Hcp Cup as a compromise?

We could split the cash prizes three ways:

Div 1 Cup Winners £70
Div 1 Cup Runners-up £40
Div 2 Cup Winners £70
Div 2 Cup Runners-up £40
NHSL Hcp Cup Winners £70
NHSL Hcp Cup Runners-up £40

I think Stephen Lally may have a couple of old trophies he could donate too!

Steve Butler · 03 September 2009

I've done even better! At the expense of the play-offs, we can have four cup competitions:

:happy:

Division 1 Cup (£50 / £25)
Division 2 Cup (£50 / £25)
Knockout Cup (£70 / £30)
Knockout Plate (£70 / £30)

Below you will see a provisional fixture list incorporating the above cup competitions.

The fixture list will cater for divisions of up to 10 teams and provides four blank dates for postponements. Teams will play each other twice.

The Knockout Cup would be based on a seeded draw for round robin groups of up to 5 teams in each group. The top team in each of the four groups progresses to the KO Cup Semi-Finals and the runners-up in each group progress to the KO Plate Semi-Finals. My suggestion would be to play each match on the traditional aggregate scores with the totals scored in each match added together to give the final placings in each group.

Comments please?

:question:

Mike Langdon · 10 September 2009

YES YES YES.....finally back online after nearly 2 months. Never changing my provider again!!!

looks like the AGM gonna be a lively event.....looking forward to it.

Mike .

Steve Butler · 10 September 2009

Great to FINALLY have you back online Mike! It's been quiet without you!

:dance:

Steve Howard · 16 September 2009

hi steve mate,
just noticed looking at the nhsl newsletter,slight error with the nottingham university contact phone number.
i don't need this,but for those who may do,you'll notice the number at the top of the newsletter is different to the one in the list of contacts,i think there's a difference of opinion with a 5 and a 6,take a look!
just thought my eager eyes should point it out to you to list the correct number,should any team captain needing it,when they need to find the new venue for the uni'

Steve Butler · 16 September 2009

Thanks mate, I knew I'd make a few mistakes trying to get everything out before Tuesday! I'll check the number and let everyone know!

:thumbup:

Steve Howard · 16 September 2009

that's ok mate,anytime,it's a pleasure pointing out your errors :laugh:
only joking,your bound to make them when you're rushing to get things out in time for a deadline,
take care,steve

Proposed Rule Changes 2009/10

phoenixcuesports