LEAGUE GAME RESCHEDULE REQUEST POLICY
Pre-Season:
Prior to each season, the league will specify both the first and last day of the league and additionally any dates, when there will be no games scheduled. From that point, each team is responsible for identifying any conflict dates before scheduling begins. This will allow teams to plan for tournaments and other events. Additionally, teams have the option to specify other requests such as coaching multiple teams, religious issues, etc. this information will be specified within their league application. Once the league has received all the input from every team, the schedule will be made. After completion of the schedule, teams are allowed to check the schedule to confirm that the conflicts and requests were honored.
The league schedule should typically be available two weeks before the first scheduled game. The league must receive a notification at least one week before the first game if any conflict dates were not honored. As long as the league has been notified with practical planning time, the league will reschedule that game at no cost to the team.
League Begins:
After the league begins, re-arranging the schedule and moving games becomes significantly more complicated. At this point, there is a potential cost to the league and the team requesting the changes. Moving a game has an impact on the opponent as well. Therefore, if the opponent does not agree to move the game, the game will not be moved. There are costs associated with moving a game. These costs include referee payments in addition to field rental costs. These are costs that usually cannot be recovered.
Game Switch:
One option that does always exist is a Game Switch. A Game Switch exchanges your game date with another team scheduled to play against your scheduled opponent at a future date that works for your team. If you opt to do this, you would look at the schedule to check if there is a game between your opponent and another team on a future date that works for your team. From that point, you must contact the other team to request this switch. The league scheduler will help find options for you if you ask for their help. If both parties can agree, then the league scheduler should be notified and the league scheduler will be the one that makes the switch. Your original scheduled opponent will be notified of any change, but they do not have to be contacted to agree to the switch. This option is a free alternative to canceling or re-scheduling a game. This method is most effective at the beginning of the season since the options are more plentiful. That said if you need to change a game, try to get it done at the beginning of the season.
Pulling The Game:
If your team and the other team involved cannot come to a game switch solution, your team's next option is to Pull a Game. To pull a game, the requesting team will contact the opposing team and request that the game be moved. If the opposing team disagrees, then the game is unable to be moved. If the opposing team does agree, the team that originally requested can provide dates available to play, and the league scheduler will check field and time availability. If the league scheduler finds a compatible future date for both teams, then the game will be moved. The team that requested the change will be charged a $150 fee to cover the game change costs since they are the sole beneficiary. Teams will only be charged if the game is moved within three weeks of the original game. This fee will be charged from the date the change is finalized. If a future date that works for both teams is not found, then the game will remain as scheduled or the requesting team will have to forfeit.
The best alternative is to switch the game. This works best when it is still early in the season. If you know you will need to move the game, you should try to come to a solution as soon as you can.
The second best option is to just play the game as scheduled. However, this may not be an option for certain circumstances. If the issue a team is experiencing is failure to have enough players, remember that the league allows for guest players. If the team's issue is that the coach will not be available, any licensed coach can coach the game, even if they are not on the roster.
Pulling a game is the worst option and should be avoided, because it can negatively impact the opposing team, and it can create costs that the league must impose onto the requesting team.