Bristol Premier League rules and formats
Eligibility for the Bristol Premier League
Eligibility to play in the Bristol Premier League is dependent on the assignment of Premier Status. Click here for the criteria.
Rules for 2002
The eighteen members of the league play each other once in first-to-11-point matches. Winning scores are truncated to 11 points.
League table placings will be determined by the following criteria: (1) number of match points (3 for a win, less penalty points incurred); (2) "average points difference", i.e. points scored minus points conceded in matches throughout the season, divided by the number of matches completed; (3) results (i.e. wins and defeats, but not actual scores) of matches between players who could not be separated by criteria (1) and (2); and (4) play-offs where the first three criteria are indecisive and the finishing positions are significant in terms of prizes or qualification for other events.
Results must be reported to Ian Tarr and are only deemed to be results when they have been recorded by him (or his designated representative), and contestants must complete their fixtures by the end of November. THIS DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ALTERED.
Players who lag behind schedule will incur penalty points (see Table P1 and explanatory notes, below). Players who lag FAR behind the schedule will have their complete records expunged from the league table (see Table P1 and explanatory notes, below). Both of these occurrences are subject to an appeals process, which is detailed below.
The entry fee for 2002 is £20. This should be paid by the end of March, and will fund the engraving on the Premier League trophy, engraved mementoes for the winner and runner-up, and cash prizes for the top four finishers.
NOTE: With Premier League membership expected to rise year on year, there will eventually be two divisions -- Premier One and Premier Two. The criteria for splitting into two divisions are now (before the start of the 2002 season) in place, so that the split can be properly implemented in 2003, or whichever year is appropriate according to the size of the entry. The procedure for the implementation of such a split can be browsed by clicking here.
TABLE P1 -- penalty points and expungement
| Checkpoint date | Advisory schedule | Penalty avoidance | Expungement avoidance |
| 31 Mar | 5 results | 3 results | 1 result |
| 31 May | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| 31 Jul | 11 | 9 | 7 |
| 30 Sep | 15 | 13 | 11 |
| 30 Nov | | 17 | |
Penalty points
are deducted on the following basis. By each of the checkpoint dates in the table above, the number of results in the corresponding column 'Penalty avoidance' should have been reported by each player.
If not, penalty points will be deducted from that player's total points at the rate of 1 PENALTY POINT PER MATCH short.
The player can then claw back such penalties by avoiding penalty at the next checkpoint. Failure to catch up by that stage results in the penalties becoming permanent.
At the end of the season, any results left unreported will be penalised at the rate of 4 PENALTY POINTS PER MATCH short.
Expungement
from the league table occurs when a player has not reported the number of results in column 'Expungement avoidance' at each checkpoint.
In this case, where a player has fallen so far behind the schedule as to seriously jeopardise the completion of the competition, all of that player's results will be erased from the record.
The advisory schedule
(see column 'Advisory schedule') is nothing more than a guideline as to where you ought to be at any given checkpoint to have a chance of completing the season in good time.
Appeals
against the imposition of penalty points or expungement must be submitted to Ian Tarr within one week of notification. A "sub-committee" of three peers will be asked to adjudicate on any appeal.
Historical rule differences
2001
Fourteen members played each other once, and the entry fee was £15.
This stake money (£210) funded the engraving on the Premier League trophy, engraved mementoes for the winner and runner-up, and cash prizes for the top three finishers.
The tie-break criteria were: (1) number of matches won; (2) results of matches between players who could not be separated by criterion (1); (3) "points difference", i.e. a comparison of points scored against points conceded in matches throughout the season; and (4) play-offs where the first three criteria were indecisive and the finishing positions were significant in terms of prizes or qualification for other events.
2000
The ten members played each other twice, and the entry fee was £20.
This stake money (£200) funded the purchase of the Premier League trophy, plus engraved mementoes and cash prizes for the winner and runner-up.
The tie-break criteria were: (1) number of matches won; (2) "points difference", i.e. a comparison of points scored against points conceded in matches throughout the season; and (3) play-offs where the first two criteria were indecisive and the finishing positions were significant in terms of prizes or qualification for other events.
Find out more about the Bristol Premier League by clicking on any of the following links:
Current positions
Previous years' history
Premier Status
Procedure for splitting the Premier League
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