Regular readers know I’m all about avoiding the drama that seems to inevitably follow the dart scene.  While I was in Korea there was a falling out with the owner of the venue that hosted our singles league here in Columbia.  I wrote about that here.  So the upshot of that unpleasantness is the league moved to another bar.

I played a match last week at the old bar.  When I turned in the score sheet the guy running the league was not happy.  He told me if I played at any other bar again he wouldn’t count my score.  I pointed out that nothing in the rules dictated where matches had to be played.  He said this bar is hosting the league.  I said are they paying the league money for us to be here?  No, so why does it matter where I play?  And then he told me he wasn’t going to discuss it further.

Later, on the league Facebook page he wrote that since “CWs was kind enough to give us a place to play”, all matches had to be played there.  This was my response:

It is “kind” indeed that CW’s has so graciously allowed us to come and spend our money at their bar and play darts in their otherwise unused back room. And while I’m sure we owe them a debt of gratitude for that act of generosity, it does seem to me an equal amount of loyalty is owed to the players in the league. Since CW’s is not financially supporting the league, I don’t understand why if a player finds it more convenient or desirable to play at a different venue and his opponent agrees, why you or anyone else would have an issue with that. Prior to the start of the season I asked ” I assume I can play my matches at another venue by mutual agreement with my opponent, correct?” and you responded “yeah”.(see post on September 30). So the only misunderstanding or confusion I’m seeing is how the “rules” were changed mid-stream. Did I miss a vote or something? Regardless, I believe that playing the matches is what we are about, not where we play the matches. I’ll abide by the dictates of the league leadership if I must, but if I’m ever disrespected again for asking a question I’m gone. Or you can fire me now. Your choice.

He responded by berating me for taking our dispute public.  And the kicker was he said if I had an issue I should have talked to him about it off-line.  Which is precisely what he refused to do when I attempted it.

Well, I founded the league but I don’t pretend to own it.  When I was running things folks were free to play wherever they wanted.  I’m not running things now and apparently the new dictator is going to do it his way.  I considered taking the highway but without darts I basically have no life.  So I’ll just have to suck it up, even if doing so, well, sucks.

And that Facebook comment and this post represent the total extent of my caring.  Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.