Forfeit Policy

Posted on February 2, 2015 by admin

The League’s policies are such that forfeits seek to be avoided as much as possible; the League generally allows for non-roster Players to play (see Non-Roster Player Policy).  The ultimate responsibility to prevent a forfeit rests on each team.  Nevertheless, forfeits do occur from time to time.

Forfeits.

  • Forfeits – Regular Season.  If a team does not have at least eight (8) players, including two (2) female players, at the time the game is scheduled to begin, the referees, in their discretion, may allow for up to a five (5) minute grace period at the beginning of the game.  This grace period will be subtracted from the allotted game time.
    • If, at the end of the five (5) minute grace period, a team does not have the requisite number of players, that team will be assessed a Forfeit Fine and the opposing team will be awarded a 2-0 win and three (3) points.  Both teams may still agree to play a “friendly” match (which will not count in the standings).
    • If, at the end of the five (5) minute grace period, neither team has the requisite number of players:
      • Both teams will be awarded a loss; and
      • Neither team will be awarded any points.
      • Both teams will be responsible for the Forfeit Fee.  Both teams may still agree to play a “friendly” match which will not count in the League standings.
  • Forfeits – Playoffs.  If a team does not have at least eight (8) players, including one (1) female player, at the time the game is scheduled to begin, the referees, in their discretion, may allow for up to a five (5) minute grace period at the beginning of the game.  This grace period will be subtracted from the allotted game time.
    • If, at the end of the five (5) minute grace period, a team does not have the requisite number of players, that team will be assessed a Forfeit Fine and the opposing team will be awarded a 1-0 win and advance in the playoff bracket.
    • If, at the end of the five (5) minute grace period, neither team has the requisite number of players:
      • Both teams will be assessed a Forfeit Fine; and
      • Neither team will advance in the playoff bracket.

If a team commits a forfeit based on the above, Players may utilize the field for a “friendly” match.  For this “friendly” match, neither the above rules nor the roster rules will apply.  Additionally, the forfeiting team is responsible for a Forfeit Fine.

Forfeit Fine.  Each team in the League is responsible for providing to the League a Forfeit Fine to be held on account for the season in which that teams plays.  The Forfeit Fine is $90.00 (up from $85.00; teams prior to 24Su are not required to submit the additional $5.00) and represents the cost to the forfeiting team(s) for each game forfeited.

In the case of a team that registers, this amount will be included in Amount #2 (see Team Pricing and Invoices).  In the case of a team put together by the League comprised of Free Agents, that team will have until the team’s third game of the season to provide the Forfeit Fine amount to the League.

Any team that has forfeited a game will not be entitled to play a subsequent game until such time as any outstanding Forfeit Fine, or any portion thereof, is paid.

Forfeit Fine Payment.

The forfeit fine must be paid in the week following the team’s forfeit, as follows:

  • Regular Season.  Any outstanding Forfeit Fine must be paid by noon one (1) day prior to the team’s next scheduled game, if that game is a regular season game.
  • Playoffs.  Any outstanding Forfeit Fine must be paid by noon two (2) days prior to the team’s next scheduled game, if that game is a playoff game.
  • Note.  The fact that a team may not have a game scheduled the week after a forfeit (i.e., the team has a ‘BYE’ or because no games are scheduled), does not extend the payment deadline by one week.

Any outstanding Forfeit Fine not paid by noon on the day required will result in an additional forfeit and an additional Forfeit Fine to that team.

  • Note:  The Forfeit Fine held on account by the League will not be used to satisfy a team’s outstanding Forfeit Fine unless the forfeiting team has no remaining games scheduled for that season and the Forfeit Fine is not being carried over (see below).

Any team that fails to pay an outstanding Forfeit Fine will result in the permanent removal of that team’s Captain from any and all future seasons until such Forfeit Fine is paid and/or other appropriate actions in accordance with the League’s discretion.

Forfeit – Advanced Notice.  No Forfeit Fine will be assessed onto a team if sufficient notice is given of such forfeit.  Sufficient notice is as follows:

  • Regular season game.  Notice of forfeit must be given via email to the League no later than noon one (1) day prior to the team’s next scheduled game;
  • Playoff game.  Notice of forfeit must be given via email to the League no later than noon two (2) days prior to the team’s next scheduled game.

Forfeit Fine on Account – Carried Over/Refunded
A team’s Forfeit Fine being held on account by the League, or any portion thereof, will be carried over, as follows:

  • The team playing in a particular season registers for the League’s subsequent season, provided the subsequent season begins in the same calendar year as the particular season ends.
    • For example: a team playing in Spring also registers to play in Summer, or a team playing in Summer also registers to play in Fall.
  • The forfeit fine for a team playing in the Fall will automatically be carried over to the Spring unless the team specifically requests a refund of the forfeit fine amount.
  • The team requests that the Forfeit Fine is carried over.
    • For example: a team playing in Summer may request that the Forfeit Fine be carried over to the following Spring.

[NEW for 2019] A team’s Forfeit Fine being held on account by the League, or any portion thereof, will be retained by the League to cover outstanding amounts due.

  • The amount held on account will continue to be held until any/all outstanding waivers have been submitted to the League.  If the waivers remain outstanding after one full season from the season where the waivers should have been submitted, the Forfeit Fine amount will be forfeited.  The League may, in its discretion, waive this penalty for good cause.
  • The amount held on account may be used to satisfy administrative fines owed by the team, resulting from failing to timely submit the team’s roster, failing to make a timely payment of the Team Balance Due, or other such circumstances.  In the event of such an occurrence, the forfeit fine amount must be replenished by noon on the day before the team’s next scheduled game, if not specified otherwise.

A team’s Forfeit Fine being held on account by the League, or any portion thereof, will be refunded to that team’s Captain (or a team representative, as indicated by the Captain) provided:

  • There is no outstanding Forfeit Fine owed to the League in an amount equal to (or in excess of) the amount being held by the League.
  • The Captain does not request that the Forfeit Fine be carried over to a subsequent season when the subsequent season does not begin in the same calendar year as the season in question ends.
  • [NEW for 2022]  Any Captain who wishes to have their team’s Forfeit Fine refunded (pursuant to the above conditions must) must email the League and request that fee be refunded.  Failure of a Captain to request this fee for two (2) full seasons following the team’s final season in the League will result in the forfeiture of that money to the League.  (In the past, the League has proactively reached out to Captains to see if they intended to return.  Due to League time constraints, the onus for returning the team’s Forfeit Fine will now be shifted to the Captain of each team).
  • Any refund of a team’s Forfeit Fine will generally be made in cash (or the functional equivalent thereof).
    • Some other leagues return a team’s forfeit fine in the form of a bar voucher.  While the League encourages patronage of its bar sponsor, the League believes that any Forfeit Fine given in cash should be returned in the same manner.

Change in team Captain.  In the case of a change in Captain from one season to another, it will be exclusively the responsibility of the new Captain to reimburse the old Captain for any Forfeit Fine carried over by the League.

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