BDO Board response to the Comments and points of view expressed in the BDO Full Council Meeting

Following the negative and misleading comments expressed by several County representatives in the last Full Council Meeting it was imperative that a formal response be made by the BDO Board and Rileys.

First I would like to make it clear that the Board has no intention of breaking off our relationship with Rileys – the working partnership has already established several opportunities which can not only provide substantial financial rewards to parties involved in the partnership but also provide many opportunities for player’s right across the BDO network

Currently Rileys have 47 Darts zones across the UK which most agree provide unrivalled facilities all of which can be used by any darts teams with financial support in return for regular use.

All of the Rileys venues could accommodate Super League team match play, indeed most do already and some are even large enough to host County matches.

Rileys, with the BDO boards approval and co-operation have organised four large darts events aimed firmly at grass roots dart players (County standard and below) and simultaneously offered all counties the possibility of earning significant financial rewards simply for gathering entries. 

With four events in a Season the potential earnings available would provide a major injection into the funding of every single County – it simply requires planning and effort on the part of officials, players and supporters.

All counties were sent full details of the plans, first by Rileys and then in my follow up email. The details certainly didn’t need to be broadcast, as was one complaint from the floor, on the Rileys web site as every county had already previously received them.

Contrary to another adverse comments made in the meeting that claimed differently, the entry forms distributed by Rileys to County representatives for this event had a clear provision for the respective County to be identified.

Of nearly 200 entries received by post, only thirteen were sent in on forms distributed to the players by our counties. Montgomery and Radnor x 3, Cumbria x 2 , West Of England x 2, Cambridgeshire x 2, Grampian x 3 & W Midlands x 1; 

Lancashire obviously used that facility and benefited from it, as too did West Lothian and Arbroath – and it is difficult to comprehend why other Counties did not do the same.  A real opportunity lost.

It was also alleged in the meeting that Rileys in some way had or were using the BDO to acquire the details of our data base apparently planning to then use it to organise events in direct competition to ones the BDO held, and ultimately to somehow use it against our association in the future.

To clarify for all. At no time have Rileys ever requested access to any part of the BDO database. The only details they have been given were those contacts of the county officials in order for them to inform all parties about their tournament plans. In fact the reverse is actually true as it is Rileys who, and if we so wish, who have offered us the opportunity to use their existing and future database for the purpose of distributing BDO entry forms.

BICC contact details were provided to Rileys for the sole purpose of distributing entry forms to your declared principal contacts – this was exactly in line with what everyone was advised before Xmas – not once but twice by me – along with Rileys direct invitation to get involved – with any financial reward being in direct proportion to the numbers of entries that the County officials will manage.

Furthermore, a facility for on-line registration for darts events currently accessible on the Rileys website has been made available for managing the BICC Masters Championships , which as I have previously advised the members is as we speak, being prepared for launch and which will carry a £14,000 prize fund.

Rileys, who from day one have maintained that one of their primary roles is to help develop grass roots darts, and this again proves that role, as they are fully sponsoring this event and are investing a considerable amount of money and support in doing so.

Again, this event is structured and has been jointly designed to hopefully ensure all Counties can again earn financial reward for their participation –full details of the Rileys BICC Masters have already been posted on the BDPO Website whilst I was in hospital- a copy of that release and an entry form are also attached to this message if you have not already seen it

It is the BDO Board’s intention to continue to work closely with Rileys to develop our existing business partnership for the mutual benefit of everyone concerned – and if your County is involved their effort will be rewarded in many ways.

There will, as was asked during the meeting, be a contractual agreement entered into with the normal safeguards included in it.

In this current climate with financial constraints being tightened in every direction the likelihood of ‘major’ amounts of sponsorship money being made available is extremely unlikely – the need to augment your own limited resources is very clear – these opportunities being made available through this partnership were deemed to be more than acceptable – all it requires is your own involvement and co-operation which will be financially rewarded.

Can I also point out in the strongest terms, that neither directly or indirectly, is there any plot on behalf of Rileys to destroy the BDO, as someone else claimed during the meeting, and furthermore no intention nor smallest inclination to damage or upset any of its members. To even suggest that there is would be counterproductive to Rileys continued involvement with the BDO, in fact we feel it could have easily been destructive.

It is Rileys declared intention to be involved in darts into the foreseeable future and in a variety of projects with the BDO and we should ideally all be working together to ensure this works for the benefit of all, including, the Sport of Darts itself

It is sad that certain people feel the need to foster and for whatever reasons promote rumour and speculation – even to the extent of being slanderous – I would urge everyone to grasp the opportunities being created and share the mutual benefits that are available  - and more to the point prove those ‘critics’ wrong.

Dave Alderman                                                                     

Chairman 

British Darts Organisation                                                      

23rd May 2011