Tommys Proposal to Regionalise the BICC

[Zapp Brannigan]

Couple of days late but its worth a discussion

We will probably deciding whether to regionalise the County structure once again at the BDO AGM. Although no one ever comes up with a viable situation. If you split the counties into 10 groups with the group winners of each section (MA, MB, LA, & LB) going to a grand finals. Would this be less travelling and expense incurred. Play each other home and away each season. 8 Matches + 1 to grand finals 9 fixtures.

Group 1
Cumbria
Northumberland
Co Durham
Tyne & Wear
Cleveland

Group 2
Yorkshire
Lincolnshire
Nottinghamshire
Derbyshire
Humberside

Group 3
Oxfordshire
Hertfordshire
Buckinghamshire
Middlesex
Northamptonshire

Group 4
Norfolk
Suffolk
Cambridgeshire
Bedfordshire
Leicestershire

Group 5
Sussex
Kent
Surrey
London
Essex

Group 6
Isle of Wight
Hampshire
Wiltshire
Dorset
Berkshire

Group 7
Cornwall
Devon
Somerset
West of England
Gloucestershire

Group 8
Staffordshire
Shropshire
West Midlands
Warwickshire
Worcestershire

Group 9
Glamorgan
Gwent
Mont & Radnor
Pembrokeshire
Breconshire

Group 10
Lancashire
Merseyside
Cheshire
Clwyd
Gwynedd


Im sure Humberside will love the fact that to save a few quid they would now have to play Lincolshire home and away and will finished bottom every season without winning a game.

[Ginge]

The idea of regionalising it is a sound one but not like the above.

Premier League
Division 1 North/Division 1 South
Division 2 North/Division 2 South

Relegation and promotion from both, after the promotion and relegation are done each year they look at the 20 teams in each of the 1st and 2nd divisions and split them with the 10 furthest north in the North league and the other 10 in the south, in order to keep an even split. Means some teams in the middle of the country may flit between North and South leagues but this already happens in lower football tiers who do similar.

Job done.

[Booji Boy]

Makes absolute sense to me to regionalise the county structure. I have been asked to play county and I cannot justify forking out the £200 + for every away game.

[nikkiboy]

The regional idea is great and ideally you want to end up with around 8 maybe 16 winning teams, what you then do is organise a weekend at Bunn Leisure or Pontins the grand finals of the county along with a couple of opens, teams play Friday night down to 8, Saturday down to two and the final on the Sunday. As long as you play on four boards (Ma MB WA WB) simultaniously it will take no time at all and Opens play after the county games have finished. Get Bunn to sponsor it and maybe even stream the finals.

[Ginge]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength each year(in theory) and you play different teams each year rather than the same 4 all the time.

[nikkiboy]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

[Ginge]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

In which case my proposal makes more sense as you wouldnt be playing the same 4 sides year in, year out.

[nikkiboy]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

In which case my proposal makes more sense as you wouldnt be playing the same 4 sides year in, year out.

Well yes as long as the area has enough teams for two leagues.

[whatty180]

The idea of regionalising it is a sound one but not like the above.

Premier League
Division 1 North/Division 1 South
Division 2 North/Division 2 South

Relegation and promotion from both, after the promotion and relegation are done each year they look at the 20 teams in each of the 1st and 2nd divisions and split them with the 10 furthest north in the North league and the other 10 in the south, in order to keep an even split. Means some teams in the middle of the country may flit between North and South leagues but this already happens in lower football tiers who do similar.

Job done.

Thats how it was when I started playing county mid 90's or as good as

[Ginge]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

In which case my proposal makes more sense as you wouldnt be playing the same 4 sides year in, year out.

Well yes as long as the area has enough teams for two leagues.

I explained in depth how that works. Outside the PL there would be 20 teams at each level after the relegations and promotions. 10 furthest North play in the North the following season, the other 10 play in the South. Football has a similar system from the 6th tier down.

Means some sides may find themselves in Div 2 South one year, but then Div 2 North the next, but these will be teams in the middle of the country anyway.

And judging by the post above they already did something like this in the past anyway.

[Zapp Brannigan]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

In which case my proposal makes more sense as you wouldnt be playing the same 4 sides year in, year out.

I think the problem is even the premier league teams cant afford it at the minute, you would just end up with teams refusing promotion becasue they dont want to travel.

and it doesnt really change the costs as the only thing you are saving on is petrol (that most counties cover for via the bus) your still looking at a weekend away and accomodation.

The only thing you could do is make county a 1 day event, reduce the players and have B in the morning A in the evening and then home again. Add on 5 groups of 10 instead of 10 groups of 5 and have a north south east and west division and you cut the length of travelling and cost of overnight stay down.

Might cut down of the number of divorces as well.

[Ginge]

Scotland manage it all in one day, dont they? Seems a reasonable suggestion. Cut it down to 2x10 mens matches and 2x4 womens matches, perhaps.

[nikkiboy]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

In which case my proposal makes more sense as you wouldnt be playing the same 4 sides year in, year out.

Well yes as long as the area has enough teams for two leagues.

I explained in depth how that works. Outside the PL here would be 20 teams at each level after the relegations and promotions. 10 furthest North play in the North, the other 10 play in the South. Football has a similar system from the 6th tier down.

But that doesn't necessarily regionalise it, how is the Premier regional?
I would carve the counties into 8 areas with winners and runners up going to the grand finals.

This map is as rough as hell but gives you an idea:

[Ginge]

But that doesn't necessarily regionalise it, how is the Premier regional?

The Conference Premier in football isnt regional, having 2 "premier" leagues would just look silly. I was basing the model on that. And with 50 teams the numbers fit nicely to have a 10/20/20 split.

80% of the sides are in a regional division in that scenario, which is more than the 0% it currently stands at. And you just have the one top division to aim for. But as Zapp says, some may not want to bother getting promoted to it if it involves more travelling. Maybe teams winning the football Conference North and South dont want promotion for similar reasons

[oche balboa]

Oche’s BICC blueprint

Premier Division then regionalised
Scrap B teams
16 Men’s and 8 ladies only
Have a knockout competition over a weekend

[BlueSpark]

Scotland manage it all in one day, dont they? Seems a reasonable suggestion. Cut it down to 2x10 mens matches and 2x4 womens matches, perhaps.

Even when the ladies B are averaging 10 a dart.

[BlueSpark]

Sparkys proposal
Keep it as it is.
But whatever county you live in, you can play for that county only.

[Zapp Brannigan]

Sparkys proposal
Keep it as it is.
But whatever county you live in, you can play for that county only.

Would kill county in a year.

[WCDPA]

If you are going to do anything like the proposal in the OP, you would have to change the groups each year. Seeded draw with 5 pots, 10 teams in each based on previous years performance.

At least each group would then be of a similar strength (in theory).

Geographical makes sense imo, the whole point is to cut down on travelling and overnight costs

In which case my proposal makes more sense as you wouldnt be playing the same 4 sides year in, year out.

Difference Tommy’s isn’t actually a proposal if you read it properly .

[kevj77]

I would attempt to play county again (if super league form was up to it) if it was regionalised. I cant justify the cost under the current structure and was one of the reasons I stopped playing anything apart from local leagues. I know this is true for a few of my friends who are better players than myself.