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Format Overhaul: A Brief Introduction

Please note, these changes are only for the Upper Divisions (Premier/High).

When seeking to overhaul the seasonal league format for our Upper Divisions, there were several key considerations:

• How can we create a Playoffs system such that all teams can participate?
• Subsequently, how can we ensure that Regular Season matches still have value?
• How can we create greater opportunities to promote our competitions?

A small group of Premier veterans were presented with these priorities and some starting ideas. However, through extensive conversation and the identification of additional priorities, the following overhaul took shape.

Whilst this overhaul is significant, we are excited for its introduction and are committed to iterating on its strengths and weaknesses in subsequent seasons.

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Regular Season

Unchanged:

• Map pool remaining at nine maps.
  • Although a slightly larger map pool was considered, it makes the newly introduced higher seed map pick advantage too strong.
• Seven week round robin.
  • The new Playoff system would allow us to shorten the regular season in future if desired.

Changes:

• Seedings will be purposefully reordered on the website to better distribute “important” matches.
• One round will be generated at a time to minimise teams not caring about “impossible” games.
• Pick/ban will be implemented in place of specified maps.
  • Four maps per round, each team bans one map and the remaining two maps are played.
  • This reduces map rotation randomness, putting teams more in control of their final seeding.

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Playoffs

Changes:

• Playoffs are now played using the AFL final eight system.
  • All eight teams participate in Playoffs.
  • The top four seeds only need to win two games to make the Grand Final; the bottom four seeds have to win three games.
• BO3 map pick advantage (see below)
  • The higher seeded team gets a map pick before bans happen.
  • More bans favours the lower seeded team, offsetting the map pick advantage slightly.
• BO5 pick/ban order changed (see below)
  • No advantage given to either team due to being combined with the AFL final eight system.
  • Fifth map is what remains in the pool.
• Premier Grand Final played on a pre-determined day.
  • This helps with promotion and will be announced alongside the season announcement.
  • At this stage, the date is set as Sunday the 21st of April.

BO3 Pick/Ban Order

BO5 Pick/Ban Order