Whilst the intention is for Celebrity "Death Pool" Sweepstake 2007 to be an informal bit of fun, I know what actuaries are like. As there are so many of them in the Pool, we have to have Rules. You can guarantee one of the blighters will work out how to bend them though...
1. Definitions
Celebrity / Celebrities and Animal Icon are defined in Rule 3 below.
FAQs refers to the Frequently Asked Questions page. For the avoidance of doubt, the FAQs form part of the Rules but, where there is any contradiction, the Rules are overriding.
List - Each player's list of three Celebrities and one Animal Icon they expect to die during 2007.
The Panel is an unelected decision-making body of three people (presently Tyron Potts, Vicki Cox and Kerry Oakes). Their decision is final.
Rules means this document as amended by the unanimous decision of the Panel (without their individual or collective monetary gain) from time to time.
2. Timescales and Deadlines
2.1
Initial selections must be submitted in writing to Tyron Potts on or before 1730hrs (GMT) on Friday 15 December 2006.
2.2
Where requested to by the Panel, replacements to selections made under 2.1 must be submitted to Tyron Potts on or before Noon (GMT) on Friday 22 December 2006.
2.3
Celebrity deaths occurring between 0001hrs (GMT) on Monday 1 January 2007 and 23:59hrs (GMT) on Monday 31 December 2007 will qualify towards determining prize winners. Deaths occurring outside this window will not count.
3. Selection of Celebrities
3.1
Each player will choose three living human beings ("Celebrities") that satisfy the eligibility criteria listed under 3.2 below. In addition, each player will choose one living non-human being ("Animal Icon") that satisfies the eligibility criteria listed under 3.4 below.
3.2 - Eligibility Criteria for human celebrities
Each chosen Celebrity must:
- 3.2.1 be of the species Homo Sapien;
- 3.2.2 be living at the time of selection;
- 3.2.3 be non-fictional;
- 3.2.4 have the approval of the majority of the Panel as being (in their opinion) well-known nationally in the UK for past or present actions (whether or not these actions took place in the UK or overseas). If the player is a member of the Panel, he/she must have the approval of all of other members of the Panel;
- 3.2.5 be over the age of 16 at the time of selection;
- 3.2.6 be well known for something other than being seriously ill, critically injured, about to die or really old;
- 3.2.7 not be "famous by association" (ie not well-known solely for being related to or associated with someone famous);
- 3.2.8 not already be selected by another player (except see 3.7 - 3.8 below);
- 3.2.9 be selected without the use of insider knowledge;
- 3.2.10 not be reported as suffering from a terminal disease or be critically ill or injured at the time of selection.
3.3 - The Saddam Exclusion
If, at the point of selection, the Celebrity was condemned to death by a court of law (whether or not that court of law is recognised by the Hague), death by any means other than state-sanctioned execution will qualify the relevant player for a prize (provided the criteria listed under 4.1 - 4.2 below are satisfied).
3.4 - Eligibilty Criteria for non-human celebrities
The chosen Animal Icon must:
- 3.4.1 be non-fictional;
- 3.4.2 not be of the species Homo Sapiens;
- 3.4.3 be living at the time of selection;
- 3.4.4 have the approval of the majority of the Panel as being (in their opinion) well-known nationally in the UK for past or present actions (whether or not these actions took place in the UK or overseas). If the player is a member of the Panel, he/she must have the approval of all of other members of the Panel;
- 3.4.5 be well known for something other than being seriously ill, critically injured, about to die or really old;
- 3.4.6 not be "famous by association" (ie not well-known solely for being related to or associated with a person or other animal who is famous themselves);
- 3.4.7 not already be selected by another player (except see 3.7 - 3.8 below);
- 3.4.8 be selected without the use of insider knowledge;
- 3.4.9 not be reported as suffering from a terminal disease or be critically ill or injured at the time of selection.
3.5
Substitutions to a player's list of Celebrities or Animal Icon must be notified, in writing, to one of the members of the Panel. The substitution will then take place precisely three weeks from receipt of the notice (except see 3.7 - 3.8 below).
3.6
Initial selections (of three Celebrities and one Animal Icon) should be submitted in writing to the Panel by 1730 hrs GMT on Friday 15 December 2006.
3.7
In the event that any initial selection matches an initial selection of another player or players, one of those players will be chosen at random by the Panel to retain that Celebrity or Animal Icon on their list. The other player(s) will be given until Noon (GMT) on Friday 22 December 2006 to notify the Panel in writing of a replacement Celebrity (or Animal Icon).
3.8
In the event that a replacement is required by virtue of Rule 3.7, or requested by virtue of Rule 3.5, then replacements will be accepted in the order they are notified to the Panel.
4. Subscriptions
4.1
Every player must contribute to the prize fund.
4.2
A 50 pence subscription will fall due on Monday 1 January 2007 and then every subsequent Monday, up to and including Monday 24 December 2007.
4.3
If any member's weekly subscription is more than 14 days overdue, they will no longer qualify for a prize in the event that one of their Celebrities dies.
4.4
If any member's weekly subscription is more than 21 days overdue, they will be excluded from the competition and the individuals on their List will be "up for grabs" by other players (subject to the substitution Rule 3.5 above).
4.5
Any member may leave the syndicate at any time, but can only rejoin at a later date with the unanimous agreement of the Panel. On leaving the syndicate, the member will not receive any kind of refund of past subscriptions.
4.6
Members may join after the deadlines stated in Rules 2.1 - 2.2 above. Membership will be deemed to have commenced on the day the first subscription is received by the Panel. Any prizes due to members joining the syndicate after the dates stipulated in Rules 2.1 - 2.2 will be adjusted in accordance with Rule 5.6 below.
5. Deaths / Prizes
5.1
Prize(s) are distributed entirely at the discretion of the Panel in the event of the death of a Celebrity or Animal Icon included on a player's List. Payment will not be made until the Panel is satisfied:
- 5.1.1 that the death occurred within the timeframe stated in Rule 2.3;
- 5.1.2 if the death was in suspicious circumstances, that the player is found or proven not to have directly contributed to the death;
- 5.1.3 that reports of the death are not a hoax;
- 5.1.4 that no decision by the Panel remains outstanding.
5.2
The player is ultimately responsible for notifying the death of his or her Celebrity or Animal Icon to the Panel. The Panel accepts no liability for missing a celebrity death. Where deaths are notified to the Panel more than 1 week after the death occurred, the Panel will determine whether to use the date of reporting instead of the date of death to determine any prize payable.
5.3
The Panel will notify all players, by email, when a claim for a prize has been made. A period of 1 week will be allowed for the Panel to validate the claim and for other players to verify whether the Celebrities and Animal Icons on their List are still alive.
5.4
The prize will be the sum of all subscriptions received or due by the date of the Celebrity's or Animal Icon's death less any prizes already paid out.
5.5
If more than one Celebrity or Animal Icon dies on the same day, the prize fund will be distributed equally among validated claims.
5.6
Any prize payable will be pro-rated according to that player's period of membership of the syndicate since the last prize was won.
6. End of Competition / Winding Up
6.1
The 2007 competition will close at 2359hrs GMT on 31 December 2007.
6.2
The sum of collected subscriptions less any prizes paid out will form the "Final Fund".
6.3
50% of the Final Fund will be donated to a registered charity chosen by the last person to receive a prize from the syndicate (or, if there have been no winners, by the Panel).
6.4
The remainder of the Final Fund will be rolled forward as the initial prize fund for the 2008 competition.
6.5
If there is to be no 2008 competition, the whole Final Fund will be donated to charity, chosen in the same way as stated in Rule 6.3 above.
6.6
If, in exceptional circumstances, and on the unanimous decision of the Panel, the Death Pool syndicate is to be ended during the year, all monies not already distributed as prizes will either be donated to a registered charity or charities chosen by the Panel, or returned to the player if the player so chooses.
7. Other stuff
7.1
Any decision of the Panel is final and binding on all players.
7.2
The Panel reserves the right to end the syndicate at any time.
7.3
Membership of the Panel will never be more or less than three. If a Panel member cannot or will not be on the Panel any longer, the eldest remaining member will choose his or her replacement.
7.4
By joining the syndicate, all players give explicit permission for their names to be published on the official website or other promotional material. Other personal information will not be disclosed without the prior permission of the player concerned. All prize winners give permission for the Panel to use photographs of them receiving prize(s) for future publicity purposes.
7.5
All players agree to receive communication directly related to the syndicate via email on an ad-hoc basis. The Panel will not accept responsibility for any problems arising as a result of these emails being subject to firewalls, spam filters, virus scans or employer spies.
7.6
The Panel reserves the right to limit the total number of players in the syndicate at any one time.
7.7
If a decision to be taken by the Panel affects one of the members of the Panel, he/she cannot take part in that decision. The decision must be taken by all other members of the Panel.
7.8
The Panel accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any aggravation or loss of good-will from any member's partner(s), friends, employer(s) or acquaintances as a result of their membership of the syndicate.