[MMDL] Soft Tip Darts Survey - summary of preliminary responses

Just 5 more days to participate in MMDL's Soft Tip Darts Survey.  If you've not done so, please click the following link and take just a few minutes out of your day to provide your feedback. 

Please also forward this email to your team mates or other MMDL friends and encourage them to respond so we can get as much input as possible.

Have an opinion about soft tip darts?  Tell us.

 Survey will close at end of day, May 31, 2015.

To date we have collected 250 responses but would like more members to have an opportunity to relay their thoughts and opinions.  Attached is a summary of results we've collected so far and below you'll find a selection of comments that were submitted by your peers.

Survey Highlights (see attached document for more details):

• 29% of respondents own their own set of soft tip darts
• 38% of respondents express an interest in playing in a soft tip league
• Of 121 people who responded, 53% prefer the DartsLive brand of machines. Next highest was Arachnid with 17%.
  

What MMDL Members think about Soft Tip Darts:

• I understand that the Soft Tip Darts were created as a way of letting younger players have a chance to play a regulation size Dartboard with a much lower risk of getting hurt by a stray dart or a ricochet off of the dartboard. I still have a zero percent interest in playing with Soft Tip Darts and a Soft Tip Dartboard. I only have interest in playing with Steel Tip Darts, while using a Steel Tip Dartboard.
• No way I could play soft tip darts just isn't the same
• i dont care for soft tip rather play steel tip
• steel tip darts are the only way to go. why do you need a machine for darts when all you need is a board? let the kids play with soft tips.
• Soft tip darts are for children. The boards suck, too many bounce outs & marks don't always register. It's a joke.
• Because I traveled in the mid-west quite often, on business, and because my brother lives near Unadilla, NY, I have played a lot of soft-tiip darts. I did this because there wasn't any steel tip dart boards in the area. It is like a man on the desert who drinks water from a mud puddle because there isn't any clear, clean water available. With soft-tip darts, when a dart bounces off the board it still registers as a hit. In my opinion soft-tip darts are a pathetic alternative to steel tip darts and you will only further dilute the MMDL by getting involved in this lunacy.
• I would never play in a soft tip league. I hate them and the machines are not very accurate on scoring and takes too many edits for bounce outs etc. Stay steel tip forever.
• I enjoy the game it is an excellent way to meet new dart players
• unfortunately there is no brand in the US that supplies soft tip dart board with steel tip dimensions. bull shooter is not my favorite game.
• I like steel tips. That's the game I play.
• I prefer steel tip, but would play electronic, as well.
• As I stated above, I will never pay to play a game of darts!
• I prefer steel. When traveling in the Midwest I hate the limitation of only having soft. I prefer bristle board as well
• Just like playing dart no matter what kind
• Do not want to throw any soft tip darts...would not feel the same....dont know, just seams not too like.
• I do not like soft tip darts. Just the feel of them reminds me that kids should play it so they won't hurt themselves.
• The only reason I would say I prefer Darts live is because that is all I have used. Also I am still paying $5 per month for that damn membership.
• I am looking to play again. Played for many, many years in California.
• I think steel tip is better though
• It seems interesting to play but I would much rather prefer Steel tip darts
• Soft Tip darts don't seem to have any traction among any of my fellow MMDL competitors. It is a far cry from the skill set and strategy needed in steel tip darts and in my opinion "cheapens" and undermines the core of how darts are meant to be played, both today and historically.
• Something new to darts
• Fun game with different strategies
• don't like to easy to play
• dislike soft tip... been playing steel tip from beginning do not know anything else.
• DartConnect is the way of the future - sot tip is Dead!
• I HAVE PLAYED STEEL TIP DARTS FOR 57 SEASONS AND HAVE TRIED SOFT TIP AND DO NOT LIKE ALL THE BOUNCE OUT
• has no desire to own or play soft tip darts
• My first dart league (1990's) was in a soft tip league while in the Navy and I love soft tip darts better than steel tips.
• Seems to be easier. Lots of dropped darts.
• Double, triple & cork too big. More bounce than regular darts and board. Electronic auto scoring not always accurate, often scores bounced darts. Darts is one of the last things we are using our brain for to do math, lets not take that away! ;)
• Dislike
• Steel tip lover!! ??????
• Like the fact you can play people from all over the world
• Soft tip darts are tacky, arcade looking, and have the look of an arcade game rather than a sport. I have played soft tip a few times and the (electronic) boards turn darts into something you'd expect to find in a child's bedroom. What Golden Tee is to golf, Soft Tip is to darts.
• Darts are to light for me
• Only problem I have is that players say to many are using darts that are to heavy .... I personally don't know if they are or not .....
• I just prefer the traditional steel tip.
• Haven't played enough to know the difference but it helps when knuckleheads can't do the math.
• I played years ago when I lived in Florida. It was the only way to play darts down there. I wasn't a big fan on many levels! From the tips to the boards themselves.
• Have it so my walls don't get destroyed at home by friends that come over and have no idea how to throw steel tips.
• Soft tips are horrible. They're meant for kids and bad drunks. They are still better than playing no darts at all. If you can play steel tip why or earth would you play soft tip. And why would a steel tip league even promote the question when it can only serve to weaken their own league.
• Darts is fun
• While I don't like playing soft tip darts, I would never put the game down. I think if people like playing soft tip, that's great. I also think that if there were a local league, more steel tip players would give it a try. It's just not for me.
• I don't like soft tip darts at all. I've tried them many times and it just isn't the same.
• I would like to have it on a off night form Tuesday nights.
• I enjoy steel-tip because it is easily accessible. I like the challenge of doubling out to win a match. I like the idea that I do not have to pay to play. Dart tips break routinely in soft tip and boards can easily be out of order. I don't mind soft tip but i prefer steel tip.
• I don't have the time to play soft tip and steel. I played soft tip in Nashua in the late 90's but honestly it's too easy if your a good steel tip player your great at soft tip. It's really no conversion for me my darts are 18 grams.
• Don't like how the elc dart board counts all the Darts that hit the bord so you can play a double in and out game
• Do not like at all.
• Very competitive especially among the A B and Super A divisions. I played for years in Florida
• Let's leave New England as Steel Tip only!
• I've been trying to get diff top in this area for at least 4 years now, please do what you can to help.
• Soft tip darts should be left for the 2 year olds to play with.
• I have never played soft tip but have heard about it from fellow dart players. I am curious about this as I know it has totally different rules than steel tip.
• Have no desire to play soft tip darts. Others might like. Not for me
• I would be interested in a soft-tip league, but not sure if I could actually play. DartsLive are the only 'new style' soft-tip machine I've played on so they are my default favorite.
• One word sums up soft tips: "Pointless"
• I would never play in a league for soft tip.
• I'd like to learn how to play soft tip
• I will never play soft-tip darts in a team format. Thank you for asking!
• Not a fan
• I am familiar with soft tip darts, but that doesn't mean I play a lot. I am NOT a fan of ST darts and really don't want to see them around.
• I played this once in NYC and it was terrible. I will never play this again.
• Boo soft tip! Steel tip is the only way to go!
• NO SOFT TIP DARTS, PERIOD!!!!
• I think a lot of steel tip players will have a hard time because the soft tip darts max weight is too light.
• MMDL should focus on attracting new players to the sport of darts instead of conflating it with a children's game.
• I do not enjoy playing soft tip darts, only steel tip.
• Love steel tip. Wouldn't mind trying soft but steel tip is the sport i love.
• In this area we are not offered many opportunities to play, i think you would have a big response to getting something started.
• Too many false scores just from hitting board. Not required to stick
• Soft tip darts are like kissing your sister, cool for a second until you realize it's shitty and gross.
• not a big fan of soft tip
• Keep them out of New England!!
• I'm sure soft tip might be a logical place to expand into for the MMDL, but as a steel tip player I think it's an inferior game. Just my 2 cents, respectfully!

Good luck and shoot well!  Stay connected with the MMDL: Facebook | Twitter

Upcoming Local Events -- 2015

Join the "Darts in New England" Facebook Group to stay on top of all local tournaments and competitions.

• 6/6 - Darts for Cancer - Braintree Moose
• 6/7 - ADO Area 5-1 East/West All Stars Regional - The Barn, Amesbury
• 6/20 - 3rd Annual Beacon of Hope Charity Shoot - Bunting Club, Lowell
• 7/17-7/19 - Stars & Stripes Shootout - Andover, MA
• 8/2 - MMDL Free ADO Qualifier - America's Cup - Beverly Elks
• 8/8 - Summer Dart Challenge - Braintree Moose Lodge
• 8/16 - ADO Area 5-1 America's Cup Regional - The Barn, Amesbury
• 9/11 - 9/13 - Sunday River Open - Newry, ME
• 9/18-9/20 - Cape Code Open - Yarmouth, MA
• 10/4 - MMDL Free ADO Qualifier - Cricket - Melrose VFW
  
• 10/16-18 - Witch City Open XXVII - Nashua, NH
• 11/8 - ADO Area 5-1 Cricket Regional - The Barn, Amesbury

--<( MMDL Board of Directors

Minute Man Dart League, Inc. - www.MMDL.org
World's Largest Steel Tip Dart League

Next Board Meeting: 06/01/15 6:30pm
Meeting location - 
Donahue's Bar & Grill
87 Bigelow Ave
Watertown, MA 02472

* MMDL BoD meetings are open to the public. If you wish to attend an MMDL Board Meeting, please contact your Area Director to make sure there are no last minute changes to the meeting time and location, and make note if you want to address the board with an issue to add to the meeting agenda.

Please encourage your team mates to sign up for this email list.  To subscribe, go to the MMDL website or just send an email to mmdl-news-and-announcements-subscribe@googlegroups.com

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "MMDL News and Announcements" group.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
mmdl-news-and-announcements+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MMDL News and Announcements" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mmdl-news-and-announcements+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.