ROSTERS: Each Club must have a roster of Eleven Players consisting of nine regular players and two reserves.

• All players must be signed to a professional lawn bowlers' contract with their respective Clubs.
• All Players must hold valid and current memberships of a Bowls Canada-affiliated LBC.
• Every Club must have at least two Players who are members of a LBC located in the District of the home club.
• Each Club is allowed to have two 'Import Players' from a country outside Canada on their roster. Players from provinces outside Ontario are not considered imports.

DRAFT: The OPL's first annual draft of players will be held Saturday, March 4, 2006 at the Holiday Inn, Burlington. In the first round, Clubs will pick two players from the Club's home district. In subsequent rounds, Clubs will continue to pick players to round out their full 11-man roster.

TRADES: From March 4 to the trading deadline of July 13, 2006, Clubs are permitted to make trades with other Clubs for players on an even-money, one-for-one basis. At all times, Clubs must have two players from their home District and no more than two imports.

SALARY: With the financial backing of its major sponsors, for the regular season the OPL guarantees a base salary of $1,000 for every regular player on every Club. For each Round a Regular Player doesn't play, $100 is deducted and this amount is paid to the Reserve Player who is called to substitute.

Individual Clubs may augment the base salary of players by using Club revenues such as ticket sales, TV revenues, sponsorships, food and beverage concessions, merchandise sales, etc.

Clubs are represented by a Side of three Teams of three players: lead, vice and skip. In each Round, the teams play a 15-end triples game against one of the teams representing their opposition Club. If the score is tied after 15 ends, an extra end will be played. A Round consists of three triples games.

POINTS: In each Round, Clubs are awarded one point for each "Team Win' for a maximum of three points (3 wins yields 3 points, 2 wins equals 2 points and 1 win is 1 point).

OPL SEASON: For 2006, each Club will play 10 Rounds in a balanced schedule consisting of five home and five away matches against the five opposition clubs. In total, each Club will play 30 team games for a possible maximum of 30 points.

TIE-BREAKER, STANDINGS: In each Round, the scores attained by the three teams are added to give the overall result for the Side. At the end of the season (completion of 10 Rounds), the total shots differential (for and against) are used to rank teams in the standings in the event Clubs have equal points based on 'team wins'. If the differential is equal, rank will be based on team's 'wins' record against the other team.

OPL CUP The top four-placed Clubs in the standings progress to the Semi-Finals Playoffs, where First and Fourth face off in one semi-final and Second and Third meet in the other semi. Winners of the semi finals square off in the Finals for the OPL Cup.

All OPL Games will be played under the World Bowls Laws of the Sport of Bowls, latest edition. Except for the 1st and 9th Ends, the team winning an end has the right to choose playing first or taking the hammer in the next end.

In addition to WBB laws, the OPL has instituted the following rules:

• OPL No. 1: Before the start of play, the Team winning the coin toss can choose to play first in the first end or take the hammer. Teams will take a 10-minute break after the Eight End and the Team which played first in the First End will take the Hammer in the Ninth End.
• OPL No. 2: All OPL games will be played on the same Green. Games will be played on alternate rinks. For example, if odd-numbered rinks are used, games will be played on rinks 1, 3 and 5.
  
• OPL No. 3: The Possession of the Rink rule will be strictly enforced by the OPL Umpires this year! Penalities include a warning for a team's first infraction and forfeit of shot or deduction of one shot for second and additional infractions. By cracking down on infringment and interference, we aim to speed up play.

Observe the rules for Possession of the Rink on the Bowling Green!
Here is the official OPL ruling on this ...

"Possession of the Rink shall belong to the team whose bowl is being played. The players in Possession of the Rink for the time being shall not be interfered with, annoyed, or have their attention distracted in any way by their opponents.

As soon as each bowl shall have come to rest, Possession of the Rink shall be transferred to the other team, time being allowed for marking a 'toucher'. "

After you have delivered a bowl and before it has come to rest you have two options. If you want to track your bowl's progress you must be behind the head as it stops. In other words, you must beat it to the head. If you don't go to the head you must be behind the mat as your bowl stops. This ruling is quite clear but unfortunately many players, including many of those who should know better, show disrespect for their opponents by failing to observe it.

How many times have you been on the mat, ready to play your bowl, when you have had to wait for your opponent to complete his stroll up the green or back to the mat? If your opponent is guilty of this you should ask him to stop. Remember that it is he who is in the wrong.

In an attempt to make our product as professional as possible, the OPL board of directors and the teams' governors have directed the Umpires to be active in enforcing these regulations this year. This is especially true for matches that are televised.

• OPL Rule No. 4: Each Team is allowed two (2) Time Outs per game consisting of five minutes each. Time outs can only be called when team has Possession of the Rink.
• OPL Rule No. 5: Without penalty, a Team losing a game in the 14th end may decide NOT to play the 15th end if it's mathematically impossible to score enough shots to tie or win.