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Friday Night Madness - Official Event Details Announced
PDC / Bull’s-Eye News Official Event Report
April 27, 2006
This afternoon we confirmed important official information with the PDC regarding the WSOD “Friday Night Madness” qualifying event, to be held at the Mohegan Sun Resort on Friday night, May 19, 2006. Here are the important facts you need to know, including a number of changes from initial press releases and rumors, as well as a number of critical player reminders, which we’ve highlighted for you below.
As of today, more than 150 pre-registered entries have already been booked for this event —leaving only approximately 100 positions yet to be filled. If you intend to participate, we strongly recommend that you Pre-Register Online Now! (See important attendance cap information below.)
Player Registration/Participation
As the result of extraordinary player interest in this event, the PDC has announced that registration for the WSOD Friday Night Madness event WILL be capped at a maximum of 256 players, or 8 players per board on 32 boards. While it was previously announced that players could register onsite that day for the event, should the number of pre-registered players reach this predetermined cap prior to that day, onsite registration will NOT by available. Bottom line: If you’re planning on playing in the FNM event, pre-registering is now the only surefire method to guarantee your position. If you show up on the day of the event and the maximum number of players has already been reached, you will NOT get to play. (Should registration be closed prior to the day as the result of preregistrations, we will, of course, announce this information online.)
Event Check-In
The FNM event is scheduled to begin promptly at 7:00 PM on May 19, 2006. All registered players MUST check-in with the registration desk between 5:00 – 6:45 PM. Failure to register and/or check-in prior to 6:45 PM on that day will result in your immediate disqualification from the event —without any refund whatsoever. Bottom line: It is your responsibility to register and check-in on time. Please allow time for travel difficulties and any other problems, as there will be no exceptions to this rule, whatever the reason for lateness. If you’re not checked in by 6:45 PM you simply will not play!
Proof of Citizenship
When registering/checking-in at the FNM event control desk at the Mohegan Sun you will be asked for your official identification, confirming your status as an American citizen. There are no half measures in this regard: You MUST be an American citizen to compete in any stage of this event. As previously outlined in the event Rules & Regulations document, the only acceptable documents deemed valid for purposes of providing “Proof of Citizenship” are as follows: Certified US Birth Certificate, Valid US Passport, or a US Certificate of Naturalization. Bottom line: Should you not have one of these forms of identification with you at check-in, you will not be allowed to participate and will not receive any refunds. No exceptions!
Player Identification
At check-in for the event all players will be issued a name badge, validating them as an FNM event participant. This identification must be worn and visible at all times throughout the qualifying event. Bottom line: You must wear your FNM ID!
Board Assignments
Upon checking-in all players will be given a pre-assigned playing board number, and their numbered position in the order of play on that board. There will be a maximum of 8 players assigned to each board during “Phase One” play. Bottom line: This will be your official board and order of play on that board for the duration of Phase One play.
Phase One – Madness Play (Qualifying Round)
Beginning promptly at 7:00 PM, the player drawn in the number one position on each board will commence by throwing one leg of 501, straight start, double finish. (The bull’s-eye will count as a double 25. Bust rule applies.) The player drawn in the number two position on each board will mark player one’s leg.
Upon the completion of player one’s leg, player two (the acting score keeper) will inform the board official of the number of darts taken to complete Player one’s leg, if, that is, it is sufficiently low enough for submission.
There will be one event official present for every four boards.
Player two will then attend the board to throw his/her 501 leg, which will, in turn, be marked by player three on the list and so on. This same cycle will repeat throughout; all players marking the preceding player’s turn, then playing, then returning to cue in line and continuing play in the order in which they have been assigned to the board.
Players should stay next to (or near) their assigned board for the duration of “Friday Night Madness – Phase One” play, as no calls will be made for any player. Should a player not be in place to either mark and/or play their game in their assigned order at the appropriate time, their turn will be summarily forfeited for that cycle. If a player’s turn is forfeited, that player must return to the line to await their next assigned turn in the predetermined cycle of play.
An overall Leader Board will quickly be established and displayed in the venue. Any legs currently in progress that cannot possibly reach the fewest number of darts required to make the cut, as per the Leader Board, will be aborted at the point at which it becomes apparent that the leg cannot possibly (mathematically) qualify the player for the playoff in Phase Two. (Example: If the highest qualifying number of darts on the Leader Board is 16, and a player has a remaining score of more than 350 after having thrown 11 darts, his turn will officially end and he will return immediately to cue in line.)
Time will be called promptly at 10:00 PM, whereupon the cycle of play that any given board is currently in will be completed. This will ensure that all competitors on any given board will have approximately the same number of opportunities to qualify. (Example: If there are 8 players on the board and player #2 is at the line when time is called, player #2 will be permitted to finish his turn, and players #3-8 will each get to throw one final turn in order, completing that final cycle of play.)
The lowest 16 scores plus ties —overall— along with any/all ties at the minimum qualifying figure (if any), will then play in a single-elimination, knockout competition to reach the first round proper of the World Series Of Darts main events. This means that there will not necessarily be a “Board Winner,” so to speak, who qualifies for the KO event; qualifying scores will be gathered from all contestants collectively, regardless of the board they play on.
Phase Two – Madness Play (Knockout Round)
The best 16 scores plus ties —overall— along with any/all ties at the minimum qualifying figure, if any (as determined in Phase One play), will be drawn at random into a single-elimination knockout bracket. The KO competition will be drawn without any seeding into a standard bracket system, using preliminary games if necessary.
All Phase Two KO matches will all be played over the best of 7 legs, straight start, double finish. (The bull’s-eye will count as a double 25. Bust rule applies.)
As in all of the regional qualifying events, a coin toss at the opening of each match will determine who will throw first in the 1st, 3rd and 5th legs. Should a 7th tie-breaking leg be required, a second coin toss will then determine who has option to throw first for the bull, thereby determining who will throw first in the final tie-breaking game. Players will only throw for bull in tie-breaking legs.
The top four winners of this knockout competition will advance to the primary, staged main event competition, which begins the very next morning: Saturday, May 20, 2006.
The draw for the First Round proper of the World Series of Darts main events took place publicly today, Thursday, April 27, 2006, in England, and was conducted by Colin Lloyd and Phil Taylor, along with PDC Tournament Director Tommy Cox. Following the “ Friday Night Madness” qualifying round, the four FNM winners will be randomly drawn into this bracket as qualifiers 1, 2, 3, & 4. Click here to view the Official First Round Draw.
Full details about FNM qualifiers playing commitments will be given to the relevant players immediately following their qualification that night.
Dress Code / Code of Conduct
There will be strict dress restrictions for all players.
No male will be allowed to play in the qualifying heats (Friday Night Madness) should they not be wearing long dark trousers, proper shoes, sleeved and collared shirts. Their attire must not bear any offensive caricatures or words.
Absolutely no jeans, training type shoes, sneakers, shorts or denim material of any type is permissible.
No headgear, except that worn for religious reasons, will be allowed, including headphones of any kind.
Likewise, all females must wear nothing which may be deemed offensive and must wear either a dress or long trousers.
No smoking or drinking anything other than water will be allowed during play.
Please adhere to all of these rules or you will find that you are ineligible to play and you will not be given any refunds.
Please read these notes very carefully in order that you know what is happening on the day and please – BE ON TIME.
All decisions taken by the Tournament Director will be absolutely final.
Participation in this event will be taken as acceptance of all the rules contained herein.
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