General Rules:

Protests and Disputes

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In general, all protests, disputes and complaints directed to Local League Management must be made by the Team Captain. Teams that disrupt League operations by making frivolous protests to Local League Management may be penalized. Most protests and disputes should be settled immediately by looking up the applicable rule(s) in this manual, and/or through the use of common sense and good sportsmanship. Your Local League Management will be available to answer questions during its hours of operation but may be unavailable to make rulings during League play.

You are encouraged to resolve as many disputes as possible on the spot. The procedure for settling disputes is as follows:

If a dispute between two teams cannot be resolved by existing rules, the two players and Team Captains should resolve the issue through negotiation and compromise. Oftentimes a dispute can be easily settled by replaying the game. Once both teams have agreed to replay a game, no protest may be filed at a later time concerning the dispute that led to the replay. You cannot agree to a resolution with the idea that if you win, it is okay, but if you lose, you are going to protest.

In the event the Team Captains cannot settle the dispute, they will both submit a written protest to the League Operator. The protest must describe the circumstances involved and include the $50 protest fee from each team. The League Operator may rule on the protest/dispute or submit it to the Board of Governors. The decision of the League Operator or the BOG is final, and the loser of the protest will forfeit their $50. The winner will be reimbursed. You will lose your right to protest if you refuse to continue the match or refuse to attempt to resolve the issue through negotiation and/or compromise.

Once Local League Management has received your scoresheet, it is too late to protest. Know the rules and review the scoresheet before submitting it to your Local League Management. It is essential that all parties involved display good sportsmanship during the dispute itself. Poor sportsmanship and/or abusive behavior on behalf of any party following a decision is likely to result in serious disciplinary action. Teams consistently involved in disputes may incur penalties ranging from point deductions to suspension or termination.