Terms & Conditions

1. The Game:
The Weekend Dream Team competition (the "Game") will be played as a new Game each weekend from 25/26 September 2009 (subject to Clause 2)
“Eligible Matches” are Premier League and FA Cup games played on Saturdays and Sundays only in the 2009/2010 season. In addition, on International weekends, Weekend Dream Team will be based around selected International fixtures (see Clause 6). Entries to the Game may be made via the website as set out below.

2. Entry Dates:
Valid entries must be received no later than the scheduled kick off time of the first Eligible Match on the Saturday of that weekend. Entries will not be available after the kick off time of the first Eligible Match applicable to that weekend’s Game. Entries made prior to this time will remain valid until the end of the last Eligible Match of that weekend after which the winner(s) of that Game will be announced in accordance with these Terms and Conditions and all other entries for that weekend will lapse.
In the event that the number of Eligible Matches is 4 or less for any reason then the Game will not run that weekend. All entries for that Game will be cancelled and given a free entry for the following weekend, in the event there are no further Games the entrant will be refunded.

3. Entry Qualification:
The Game is only open to those aged 18 years or over at the time of registration and is open to any eligible person residing in a country where the Game is not prohibited or otherwise unlawful. Failure to observe these requirements will mean that any potential winning entry is invalid and all winnings will be forfeited. Employees of the Promoter, it’s associated, affiliated and subsidiary companies, and their families, agents and any person connected with the Game are excluded from entry. Entries to the Game may be made only on the Website at www.weekenddreamteam.co.uk. Payment for entries may be made with a valid credit/debit card via our secure payment site. Cost to play is £1 per game. Up to 50 credits (up to a value of £50) may be purchased in advance, to allow for entry of multiple teams or as credit against future entries. One credit with a value of £1 will be deducted from the entrant’s credit account when an entrant confirms that they wish to select a team when prompted and will be forfeited if an entrant fails to complete their team. In all cases entrants must supply all the information requested. Misrepresentation or fraudulent use of a credit/debit card will invalidate entry. Entrants may also incur their own cost (if any) of time spent accessing the Website. The Promoter may from time to time in its discretion offer entry discounts or specials.

4. Registration and Acceptance:
Dream Team players who opted for a Dream Team Package in this season’s main game for the 2009/2010 which includes an entry into the Game can use their Dream Team Account Name and Account Password to enter the Game. All other entrants must complete their registration via the Website. Entries correctly submitted through the Website will result in an acceptance message on the Website. Entrants are advised to print out and keep safe their Account Name and Account Password. It is the entrants’ responsibility to remember and maintain the security of their password. Passwords should not be disclosed to any other person. Your entry is your acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and general rules of the Game.

5. Game and Team Selection:
Once registered, entrants log onto their account using their Account Name and Account Password. Entrants may pay per play or can top up their account by buying credits. Players of Dream Team who received credits when registering for Dream Team will find the applicable credits are set up on their Weekend Dream Team account when they log in. Entrants will have the opportunity to view all players listed as available for the scheduled Weekend Dream Team competition(s) along with their season statistics. The player pools for each game will initially be based on the top 100 performing players from Dream Team based on their standings 8 days prior to each Weekend Dream Team game. The Promoter will then adjust the potential player pool to include only players of teams with Eligible Matches on any Saturday or Sunday. The player pool will be made up of 10 keepers with Eligible Matches, the top 30 defenders with Eligible Matches, the top 30 midfielders with Eligible Matches and the top 30 strikers with Eligible Matches. Players who are definitely not scheduled to be playing Eligible Matches due to other commitments, long term injury or suspension will be excluded from the pool before it is published. Adjustments will be made using players from position 101 in the Dream Team standings to ensure the player pool is maintained at 100 players in the ratios set out above. Once published, no changes will be made to the player pool. The Promoter will not be responsible for the non inclusion of any player in Eligible Matches for any reason whatsoever. This may result in entrants having “non-playing” players in their final team. The Promoter will not enter into any correspondence relating to the inclusion or non-inclusion of any player in the player pool. Entrants will be guided through the Game by “Ron Manager” who can be hidden if required. To play, entrants must click on “Select a Team”. A single valid weekend will be available to play. Entrants must select the available weekend and will be advised that they are about to select a team at a cost of one credit (£1). One credit with a value of £1 will be deducted from the entrants’ credit account when the weekend date is clicked and will be forfeit if an entrant fails to complete their team. Entrants will be given a randomly selected team playing in a 4-3-3 formation plus a goalkeeper and five substitutes from the available player pool. Teams, including substitutes will have no more than two players from any one club but are not restricted by budget or any other criteria. Each team will have one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three strikers. The five substitutes will comprise one goalkeeper, one defender, one midfielder and one striker. The fifth substitute will be an outfield player and may be a defender, midfielder or striker. Entrants must use their skill and judgment to change their team by making up to 5 substitutions from the five available substitutes. Alternatively, entrants may select the ‘Optimise’ button which will automatically select the highest ranked players for their team. Until the “confirm team” button is clicked, substitutes may be moved in and out of the team and this will not count as a substitution. Once confirmed, entrants will be asked to select a Star Man from their final 11. The Star Man will score double points during the weekend. Team names will automatically be given as the entrants Surname ‘XI’. Entrants may keep this name or choose a name for their team up to 30 characters long. The Promoter reserves the right to reject any team name that in its sole judgment is inappropriate or offensive. In such a case, the Promoter reserves the right to rename the team in the name of the entrant or to apply such other name as the Promoter deems appropriate. Finally, entrants will be provided with confirmation details showing the Game weekend and a confirmation entry number. Successfully entered and valid teams may be viewed by clicking on “View my Teams”.

6. International Weekend Dream Team
On International weekends, when no Premier League matches are played, the Game will be played based around selected International matches played on that Saturday and Sunday. The player pool will consist of Premier League players on International duty, together with top non-Premier League players from selected countries if necessary, comprising 100 players in total. For the purposes of scoring, where Sunsport ratings are not published in The Sun, these ratings will be provided for the purposes of the Game by Warner Leach.

7. ‘Future Weeks’
Entrants will be given the opportunity to have teams automatically selected for them by the Game’s computer, in any or all of the next four weeks as indicated on the Website. Subject to available credits, entrants can opt for one or more teams to be created for them at the start of the relevant week. Credits will be debited from the entrant’s account at the time of nomination - once pre-purchased, entries cannot be cancelled or refunded. At the start of the relevant week, an entrant’s  team(s) will be displayed in their ‘View My Teams’ facility on the Website but no changes can be made to the XI-man selection.

8. Incomplete Teams:
In the event that an entrant clicks the back button on their browser or exits the Website before they have completed their team selection and registration, the team will not be entered into the Game. It is not possible to enter new teams while an entrant has an incomplete team and when trying to do so, entrants will be prompted to complete their team through the View My Teams facility. Entrants will be returned to their incomplete team in its original selection and all previous substitutions will need to be made again. Once the entrant is happy with their team and a Star Man has been selected they must click 'confirm team'. If an entrant’s team remains incomplete after the closing time for a weekend the entry will be null and void but the entrant will still be charged one credit with a value of £1 for the Game.

9. Unused Credits
Unused credits will not be refunded and cannot be carried forward at the end of the season. All unused credits at the close of registration for the final Game of the season (Sunday, May 9, 2010) will be converted into an auto-selected team for that final Game in the entrant’s name.

10. Syndicates.
Once an entrant has registered a valid team for any weekend, entrants may set up a Syndicate and invite colleagues, friends and family to join the Syndicate. To start a Syndicate, the entrant must select the entry that they wish to put into a Syndicate on the View My Teams page. Entrant must click ‘start’ under the Syndicate heading next to the team they wish to start the Syndicate with and then enter an appropriate name for the Syndicate (subject to Clause 5) and click the Create button. A unique PIN will be created and entrant should keep a note of this and the Syndicate name. Entrants may then use the Mail My Mates facility on the Website to invite colleagues, friends and family to join the Syndicate. This Mail My Mates facility will provide all the information required to join that Syndicate. Alternatively, entrants may provide colleagues, friends and family with the Syndicate name, in exactly the format that it was entered and the unique PIN for that Syndicate. To join a Syndicate that has already been set up, an entrant must have an accepted and valid entry. On the View My Teams page, entrants must click ‘join’ under the Syndicate heading next to the team that they wish to enter into the Syndicate. Entrant must then enter the name of the Syndicate and unique PIN of that Syndicate. Once entered into a Syndicate, an entrant’s team cannot be removed from that Syndicate under any circumstance. Once a Syndicate has been set up, the same Syndicate details can be used each week but entrants must enter new teams into the Syndicate on any week that they wish to participate in the syndicate. There are no individual prizes for leading Syndicates but a leader board for individual Syndicates will be available to view on the Website after each weekend. Any prizes won by a team that is a part of a Syndicate will be paid to the manager of the winning team only. The Promoter accepts no responsibility whatsoever for the distribution or sharing of any prizes in the Game won by an entrant’s team in a Syndicate and it is the responsibility of the Syndicate originator and its entrants to establish and agree the basis on which any prizes won will be distributed or shared.

11. Game News Email:
A regular email will be sent to each entrant as part of the Game. Entrants can choose not to receive this by opting out at anytime via the opt out link at the bottom of the email. By entering this Game entrants are also separately joining our Weekend Dream Team Club and thereby consent to contact from News Group Newspapers Ltd when we launch new Dream Team Fantasy Games in The Sun and/or the News of the World. Entrants will always be given the chance to unsubscribe from these communications (see our privacy policy at www.nidp.com).

12. Scoring Updates:
Final scores and league tables will be updated each Monday and will be posted on the Website at approximately midday on Monday. On Bank Holiday weekends, scores may be updated and posted on the Website on Tuesday.

13. How to Score rules:
Only those players that appear in the official player pool, are in an Entrant’s final confirmed and valid team and play in an Eligible Match will score points for any Weekend Dream Team Game. For each Eligible Match, points will be awarded as follows:
Sunsport Points
3 (three) points will be awarded to a player given a mark of 7 (seven) or more in Sunsport's individual ratings carried with Sunsport match reports and found in The Sun newspaper.
5 (five) bonus points will be awarded to the player awarded Sunsport's "Star Man" prize.
News of the World points
For Eligible Matches played on a Saturday, points are allocated by the News of the World. The News of the World will publish their Dream Team of the Day on Sundays based on matches played on Saturday.
The Goalkeeper selected in the News of the World Team of the Day scores 8 (eight) points;
the top defender scores 8 (eight) points;
the top midfielder scores 8 (eight) points; and
the top forward scores 8 (eight) points.
The remaining seven players in the News of the World Dream Team of the Day each score 2 (two) points.
Eligible Match Additional Points
5 (five) points per goal will be awarded to each player for each goal that they score.
5 (five) additional bonus points will be awarded if a player scores 3 (three) or more goals during an Eligible Match.
5 (five) points for defending will be awarded to any goalkeeper or defender who does not concede any goals.
If a goalkeeper or a defender concedes one goal they will not score any defending points . For each additional goal that is conceded by a goalkeeper or a defender, that player will lose one point for each such goal.
2 (two) points will be awarded to any midfielder whose team does not concede any goals. Midfielders are not penalised if their team concedes any goals.
3 (three) points will be awarded to any goalkeeper who saves a penalty. A “save” is defined as a goal not being scored directly from the penalty spot (e.g. if the ball misses the goal or rebounds off a post that is still considered a “save”). Penalty save points will be awarded even if a goal is subsequently scored (e.g. from open play after the ball has bounced off the post or goalkeeper).
Players not picked for any reason score 0 (zero) points. Any player who comes on as a substitute will be awarded points for a clean sheet, goals scored or will be deducted points for conceding goals as if they had played for the full match. Players substituted off also score or lose points in normal fashion regardless of how long they were on the pitch.
Any player who receives a yellow card and is booked loses 1 (one) point.
Any player who is shown a red card and sent off for any reason loses 3 (three) points.
Any player that loses points for a booking or sending off will not have those points reinstated if the offence is rescinded on appeal or by any other means.
Players nominated by entrants as the Dream Team Star Man will have their points total doubled for the purpose of the Game. In the event that a Star Man selection scores a negative total, this will be halved for the purpose of the Game and may therefore include half points in the total.
Players included in the player pool who are involved in Eligible Matches that are postponed or cancelled after entry shall be deemed to have scored 0 (zero) points for the purpose of the Game.
Any player transferred from one Premier League club to another Premier League club between entry and a Game will continue to score points for the purposes of the Game. Any player transferred from one Premier League club to a non-Premier League club between entry and a Game will not score points for the purpose of the Game.
A player who has been awarded points as described in this Clause will retain those points regardless of whether a goal is attributed to another player or disallowed at a later date. Any player that is subsequently awarded a goal will not receive the points retrospectively, nor will the original scorer lose points. Due to timing, the decisions of the Premier League's “disputed goals panel” will not be taken into account.
These How to Score rules remain the same for Eligible Matches involving injury and/or extra time. Accordingly for example, in order for a midfielder, goalkeeper or a defender to score clean sheet points in a match involving injury and/or extra time, they must not have conceded any goals after injury and/or extra time. Similarly, goals scored in extra time will score points in accordance with the How to Score rules.
Penalty shoot-outs do not count. Replays are counted as separate matches which for the avoidance of doubt have their own points scoring potential so long as they are played on a Saturday or Sunday.

14. Prizes:
The winning Entrant for each Game will be the entry which following completion of the last Eligible Match on Sunday has accumulated the most points calculated using the How to Score rules. A prize pool of £10,000 will be available each Weekend. A first prize of £10,000 goes to the Entrant whose accepted and valid team has scored the most points from Eligible Matches played on the relevant Weekend. The Entrant whose accepted and valid team have the second highest number of points will win 100 free credits and the Entrant whose accepted and valid team has the third highest number of points will win 75 free credits. In the event that more than one team is tied for any of the prize positions, the prize pool will be shared between the tied entries. If there is a tie between two Entrants for 1st prize, the prizes for 1st and 2nd will be combined and each prize element will be split equally i.e. £5,000 in cash each plus 50 credits for each of the tying Entrants. Similarly, if three or more Entrants are tied for 1st prize, the prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd will be added together and divided by the number of tied Entrants. In the event of a tie for 2nd prize, the prizes for 2nd and 3rd will be added together and divided by the number of tied Entrants and so on. Where applicable, prize values will be rounded up. In the event of a tie for 3rd prize, the 3rd prize will be divided by the number of tied Entrants. The Promoter reserves the right to amend the distribution of the prize pool on specified weekends and on other specified Weekends the Promoter may at its sole discretion increase the prize fund on offer. These weekends will be clearly identified on the game website at the time of entry. The entry that scores the lowest number of points for each Game will win 50 free credits. In the event of a tie for the lowest number of points in any game, the prize will be awarded to the tied entrant whose team had the lowest minus score when the sum of all minus scoring players only is added together. If still tied, the prize will be awarded to the entrant whose team included the greatest number of players with a zero score. 

In addition, entrants will have the opportunity to compete in the HIGH FIVES League. At the end of the season, a prize of £20,000 will be awarded to the entrant who has accumulated the highest total score across the 2009/10 season, based on their five highest single scores from five separate weeks. Only entrants that have played the Game on five or more separate weeks at any time during the season will be eligible for inclusion in the HIGH FIVES League. In the event that more than one team is tied for the HIGH FIVES prize, the prize will be shared equally between the tied entries.

15. Awarding of Prizes:
The awarding of the weekly prizes will take place within one week of the last Eligible Match of each applicable weekend. Prize payments will be made by cheque in the name of the registered entrant only and in the event that the winning entry is part of a Syndicate, the prize will be made by cheque in the name of the manager of the winning team only.   Scores will be calculated in accordance with Clause 13 and the judges score calculations will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

16. Contacting Winners:
Results will be announced on the Website every Monday (Tuesday on Bank Holiday weekends) and all winners will be formally notified via the contact details provided on their entry within 21 days. If a winner cannot be located within three months of the announcement date, the prize will be forfeited. The winners agree to allow the free use of their names, photographs, general location and team name and selections for publicity and news purposes in The Sun and on the Website. All winners’ names will be available upon request by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the Competitions Department of News Promotions Ltd at the address below marked ‘Weekend Dream Team 09/10 Winners’, and each entrant consents to the use of their personal data for these purposes. The prizes are non-transferable and there are no alternative prizes.

17. Liability:
In respect of the operation of the Game and interpretation of these Terms and Conditions, the Promoter's decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into unless an Entrant complies with the Complaints Procedure (see clause 20). The Promoter and its subsidiary, associated and affiliated companies do not accept liability for corrupted, damaged, delayed or otherwise invalid entries. Proof of transmission of an entry shall not be proof of receipt or acceptance of an entry unless the acceptance message and entry number has been transmitted in return. The Promoter and its subsidiary, associated and affiliated companies do not accept liability for technical, hardware or software failures of any kind or lost or unavailable network conditions which may limit or prohibit the opportunity to participate in the Game. The Promoter reserves the right to amend and/or waive these Terms and Conditions or any part thereof at any time and entrants agree that no liability shall attach to the Promoter as a result thereof, and that the exercise of such discretion shall not result in any compensation or payment being payable or paid to any entrant. It is a condition of entry of the Game that these Terms and Conditions and the How to Score rules detailed at Clause 13 above and the latest promotional and explanatory copy which form part of these Terms and Conditions are accepted as binding and that the entrant agrees to abide by these Terms and Conditions. If there is any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and any other promotional or explanatory copy, these Terms and Conditions shall prevail. Except for death or personal injury caused by their negligent acts or omissions, the Promoter will only be liable to any entrant for any loss or damage which is responsibly foreseeable consequence of a breach by the Promoter of these Terms and Conditions. The Promoter will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by it, its employees or agents in circumstances where (i) they are not at fault for errors or inaccuracies, or (ii) the loss or damage is not foreseeable to the entrant and the Promoter, or (iii) the loss or damage is a business loss or the losses were caused in the course of business, including losses relating to lost data, lost profits or business interruption.

18. Intellectual Property:
The trade marks “The Sun”, “Sun”, “The Sun We Love It”, “Dream Team”, “Weekend Dream Team” and logos are owned by News Group Newspapers Ltd. Copyright in the logos are owned by News Group Newspapers Ltd. Copyright in the Game, the appearance of the Game, any graphics or text comprising of or used in the Game, and the Terms and Conditions, and any other intellectual property rights connected with the Game, are property of the Promoter or a subsidiary, associated or affiliated company of the Promoter. Entrants may print off a single copy of these terms and conditions for their personal reference with regards to playing of the Game; no other information, material or other intellectual property relating to the Game may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of the Promoter, notwithstanding any reproduction or transmission that is necessary for playing the Game as set out within the Terms and Conditions.

19. Promoter details:
The Promoter of the Game is News Promotions Ltd, 1 Virginia Street, London, E98 1XY. The Promoter will make all reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the Game information in The Sun newspaper and News of the World Newspaper, on the Websites and to update such information on a regular basis, but does not guarantee that such information will be accurate or up-to-date at all times. If you have any problems in accessing details about your chosen team or any other details regarding your entry / entries, or any general queries or if you have lost or forgotten your Username / Password or PIN number, please call the Weekend Dream Team helpdesk on 0870 1267 562. Calls will be charged at the National Rate. Please note you cannot enter a team on this number. Alternatively, entrants can email queries to the Weekend Dream Team helpdesk by filling in the Contact us form.

20. Complaints:
The Game rules will be interpreted in accordance with English law and the entrants agree that all claims they may have arising from their participation in the Game which they may bring against the Promoter will be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. The Promoter reserves the right to refuse to accept any entry if at its sole discretion the entrant has not complied with the Game Rules or if the entrant has in the sole view of the Promoter contravened the spirit of the Game. If any provision of the Game Rules proves to be illegal or unenforceable, this shall not prevent the remaining provisions continuing in full force and effect. In the event an Entrant has a complaint about the Game or the service received in connection with the Game then initially the Entrant should contact 0870 1267 562 (calls charged at national rate) or email Weekend Dream Team Help Desk by clicking Contact Us and seek to resolve the matter on an informal basis. However, if the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved then a formal complaint may be made using the following procedure:-
1. If you have a complaint then please get in touch with us by calling 0870 1267 562 (calls charged at national rate) or email Weekend Dream Team Help Desk or by writing to us at:
News Promotions Limited
Customer Liaison – Dream Team
1 Virginia Street
London E98 1XY
Providing details of your complaint and contact information.
2. Email complaints by clicking Contact Us will receive a return email to confirm receipt and will confirm that the Fantasy Games Department will be dealing with it.
3. Phone complaints may be dealt with at the time or you will be advised if your complaint requires further investigation and referral to an alternative person.
4. If you make a written complaint you will receive a response within 7 days of the complaint. If your complaint requires further investigation and referral to an alternative person, you will be advised of this within that time.
5. What happens next? Where a complaint requires further investigation, every effort will be made to complete the investigation within 14 days of receipt. After which we will contact you with the findings, recommendations and any proposed actions. If we cannot resolve the problem or, if you are not happy with the outcome, your complaint will be escalated to Head of Products – The Sun. If the matter still cannot be resolved then it will be referred to the Director of Product Management, News Group Newspapers Limited.

21. Privacy:
Please see our privacy policy here.

News Promotions Limited is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission (Great Britain), License No. 000-001742-R-104050-001