Experimental Cup 2 - Schedule & Format

Schedule

Disclaimer

Please note: Everything on this page applies to all divisions, including the dates, format, pick/bans and the tournament systems being used.

Key Dates

Thursday 7th September 2023: Signups Open
Thursday 14th September 2023: Signups Close, Rosters Locked
Friday 15th September 2023: Teams Announced
Saturday 16th September 2023: Experimental Cup 2 starts

Group Stages

Saturday 16th September – Monday 18th September 2023: Round 1
Tuesday 19th September – Thursday 21st September 2023: Round 2
Saturday 23rd September – Monday 25th September 2023: Round 3

Playoffs/Finals

Tuesday 26th September – Thursday 28th September 2023: Round 4: Page Playoff matches
Saturday 30th September – Monday 2nd October 2023: Round 5: Semi-Finals
Tuesday 3rd October – Thursday 5th October 2023: Round 6: Grand Finals

Format

Much like regular ozfortress seasonal leagues, the ozfortress Experimental Cup 2 will feature weekly matches for teams over the course of three weeks. However, teams will be required to play two matches per week. Each of these official matches will consist of only one 5CP / Control Point map. In order to accommodate the extra match per week, the ozfortress Experimental Cup 2 will see Saturday added as a playable match day. All Playoffs/Finals matches are a three map BO3.

Where this differs from previous cups and tournaments like Summer Cup 2021 is that Round 1, Round 3, and the Semi-Finals will be played in the first half of each match week, which is Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Round 2, Upper/Lower Page Playoffs, and the Grand Finals will be played in the second half of each match week, which is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. This leaves Friday as the only day not included in the schedule. All teams are required to be available for two out of the three days in each half of the match week.

A TL;DR for all of our zoomers or dementia-ridden boomers:

With three rounds of Group Stages and three rounds of Playoffs/Finals, you will have six rounds split into two matches per week for a total of three weeks. Every "odd" match (R1, R3, R5/Semi-Final in this case) is played from Saturday to Monday. Every "even" match (R2, R4/Page Playoff matches, R6/Grand Final) is played from Tuesday to Thursday. No matches on Friday.

Pick/Bans

All matches in ozfortress' Experimental Cup 2 will utilize a pick/ban system.

For Group Stage matches (all of which will be Best of One/BO1) the pick/ban format will be as follows:

The higher-seeded or first team will ban first.

The second team will ban a map.

The first team will ban a map.

The second team will ban a map.

The first team will select the last remaining map in the pool.

This step is required as the website will not automatically add the remaining map.

For Playoff/Finals matches (all of which will be Best of Three/BO3) the pick/ban format will be as follows:

The higher-seeded or first team will ban first.

The second team will ban a map.

The first team will pick a map.

The second team will pick a map.

The first team will select the last remaining map in the pool.

This step is required as the website will not automatically add the remaining map.

Tournament Systems

Group Stages

All divisions will be using the Swiss system for their Group Stage matches.

Page Playoffs

All divisions will be using the Page Playoff system for their Playoff/Finals matches.