Can I patent my business process

[seanpc798]

So I was visiting a different part of the country and I participated in a dart league. I thought this league was great because they used a system that no league from where I am from, uses.

I want to start my own for profit league using this process in my own state very far away. I am sure it is not patented as of yet.

The competing league in my state is huge. But doing this process will give me a great advantage over them. I am certain that when they see me do what I am doing, they will want to do the same thing. My fear is that they will start doing the same thing and squash my advantage.

Can I patent this system? I know it is possible to patent business processes, but what if I saw it done somewhere else first, knowing that they have not patented it.

[annjd]

You would likely have a problem eventually if you take a well known activity like this and try to say it is yours, and patent it. Certainly get detailed legal advice first. Most likely as you describe the situation here you would not get a patent.