The following memo was written by Wes Skelton, Commissioner of Dixie Youth Baseball, in response to a letter written by the three Florida DYB National Board members, the DYB Florida State Director, and the two DYB District Directors under which NEP has played for many years on NEP's behalf.
BACKGROUND
DYB emphasizes local league autonomy but does not grant total autonomy.
Intent of DYB Organizers - Page 6 - Certain fundamental rules (are) imposed on leagues that (are) deemed necessary for good organization and to keep one league from gaining an unfair advantage over another.
Regulation II(B) - Page 62 - When two or more leagues operate within the same defined boundary they shall be entitled to select players from the combined area IF THEY HAVE A COMMON SET OF LEAGUE OFFICERS AND FOLLOW THE SUPERVISION OF ONE PLAYER AGENT IN PLAYER SELECTION. All managers MUST have equal opportunity in the selection of players.
Regulation III(A) - Page 64 - Team membership shall be within the sole discretion of each league PROVIDED SUCH MEMBERSHIP SHALL NOT BE IN CONFLICT WITH...THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF DYB.
A multi-league organization's local rules for the selection and placement of players on team rosters shall be in conflict with Regulation II(B) if the local rules do not provide all managers an "equal opportunity" in the selection of players. Failure to meet the "equal opportunity" requiremente in the team selection process allows the league to gain an "unfair advantage" over other leagues because the multi-league organization did not provide for an reasonably even distribution between or among its multiple leagues.
"EQUAL OPPORTUNITY" means that a "player selection system" provides for a reasonably even distribution of player talent "among teams" within a single league draft and "between leagues" in a multi-league draft.
Single league organizations must monitor and enforce the "equal opportunity" requirement within its league. Failure to strictly follow "equal opportunity" guidelines may bias teams within the league against other league teams in local league play but does not create an "unfair advantage" over other DYB leagues.
However, multi-league organizations are susceptible to designing player selection systems which not only bias one team over other teams drafted from the common boundary; but can create an "unfair advantage" over other DYB leagues both inside and outside of its boundary if it does not evenly distribute player talent among its leagues.