Official League Bylaws

Complete rules, regulations, and operational procedures for The Players League DFW

Welcome to The Family

Welcome to The Players League DFW Pool League Family (TPL). This league was developed to give The Players a voice and give back to The Players. TPL is a fair and competitive league for players of all skill levels. Thank you for joining the Family!

TPL strives for mutually beneficial relationships across the board. Meaning that Players, Venue Owners and Employees, and League employees must all benefit from the relationship. Therefore, Players should show respect for each other, employees and be good customers at all venues.

Membership & Fees

Annual Membership

$20to BCA (paid through League Operator)
$10processing fee (starting 2026)

Must be paid on your first day of play. Players cannot play the 2nd week without paying annual membership fees.

Weekly Fees

Weekly league fees vary depending on division. Please direct all fee questions to the LO or league representatives for clarification.

Some venues may require additional fees for table use, while others provide tables at no extra charge.

Player Rating System

Players without established Fargo ratings are assigned starter ratings based on known ability and BU Rating Comparisons.

250Minimum Starting Rating
350Ladies (Unknown Players)
450Men (Unknown Players)

Player performance is monitored until reaching 200 games played or robustness of 200. Starter ratings may be adjusted based on performance.

Team Structure

4x4 Teams

Up to 6 players - 4 must be available at match start to avoid forfeiture

3x3 Teams

Up to 5 players - 3 must be available at match start to avoid forfeiture

Adding Players

No player can be added to a team until a league officer has agreed. Once a player has played, they are on the team and cannot be replaced.

Match Procedures

Make-up Matches

Must be submitted on or before the date of the second to last match of the session.

Starting Time

Allow 15 minutes grace time for late players. Players can be played around until their turn comes again.

Team Lineups

Team captains put lineups in the app and match them up together. One team keeps score in the scoring app.

Substitute Players

Subs can be added any time before a singles round starts. Must notify opposing captain. Cannot be refused unless player already played.

Time Limits

Players should report to the table within one minute of the previous match ending.

Slow Play

League Operator may put players on a 40-second clock at their discretion for slow play issues.

Forfeit Procedures

Important: Teams forfeiting 2 consecutive weeks or 3 weeks total in a session will be automatically suspended from all league competition.

Full Team Forfeit

💰Both teams must pay weekly fees
📊Forfeiting team receives 0 points
🏆Other team receives their weekly average in points
📈Fargo ratings not affected by forfeits

Individual Player Forfeit (1-2 Players)

💰Weekly fees must be paid for forfeiting players
📊Forfeiting player receives 0 points, opponent gets 10 points
📈Fargo rating calculated using average of all players

Timeout Rules

3 Per Match

Teams are allowed 3 timeouts per match that can be used at any time during the game (Exception to BCAPL rules).

Initiating Timeouts

Player or team member calls timeout. If team member suggests it, player may refuse but timeout is still considered used.

Timeout Token

Person giving timeout hands opposing team a coin or glass bead to indicate timeout was used.

Time Limit

Timeouts limited to 1 minute maximum duration.

Conduct & Penalties

Unsportsmanlike conduct guidelines follow Official BCA Pool League Rules, including actions that are embarrassing, disruptive, or detrimental to players, spectators, officials, or the sport.

Warning

First level response to minor infractions

Suspension

Temporary removal from league play

Expulsion

Permanent removal with prize money forfeiture

Additional Rules

Bathroom / Smoke Breaks

Can only be taken between games, not during active play.

Drop Out Teams

Teams dropping out forfeit all prize money and are responsible for full session fees. Players cannot rejoin until all fees are paid.