8.01 Double Elimination. The double elimination draw system shall
be used in pairing teams for play. Two (2) losses eliminates a team. After
the first round, defeated teams play defeated teams and undefeated teams
play undefeated teams whenever possible.
In the event a Regional Tournament cannot be completed within 24 hours
prior to the start date for the World Series due to inclement weather
or other natural causes, the champion team shall be determined in one
of the following sequence of team accomplishments:
(1) Best record based upon the competition of an equal number of
completed bracket rounds by all remaining teams.
(2) Two-way tie will be determined by the result of the head to head
game
previously played in the respective tournament.
(3) Lowest total runs allowed in all games played.
(4) Total runs scored in all games played.
(5) Coin toss.
Note: If item 1 above qualifies a champion team,
then items 2 through 5 will not be required as in all other sequence
of team accomplishment. Once a two-game elimination has begun, a one-game
elimination cannot be placed into effect for any reason.
8.02 Bracket System. The Tournament Committee shall
have the power to substitute the double elimination NABF
Bracket System for the Draw System after the first round of play.
8.03 Bracketing for National Tournaments. All National
Tournaments shall be bracketed. The Regional Champions and the Host
Team shall be placed in the bracket by June 1 of each year by the NABF
Executive Director.
8.04 Established Bracket Must Be Followed. Once the
bracket system has been established showing the rounds, game numbers,
dates and times of games, it must be followed throughout the elimination
process. This includes predetermined byes in the bracket schedule. The
bracket schedule must be followed during the elimination process except
for inclement weather or field conditions that might cause changes in
field locations and game times. Play each NABF double
elimination bracket round by round until all remaining teams alive are
required to take part in a draw for all remaining rounds/games. Each
bracket will indicate the beginning of the draw/round(s) required to
complete the schedule. Refer to NABF rule 8.05 sections
A and B.
Note: Tournament Directors will be provided with
brackets, schedules, instructions and procedures for conducting NABF
tournaments.
(A) Byes in a Draw System.
(1) No more than one (1) team shall remain idle in any round.
(2) Any team is eligible to have a bye except that no team shall
be permitted to have a second or third bye unless all teams then
alive
have had an equal number of byes.
(3) Whenever any round contains an odd number of both defeated and
undefeated teams, the bye shall be drawn first, except as noted
in 8.05(A)(5), with both defeated and undefeated teams participating
in the drawing.
(4) Defeated teams play defeated teams and undefeated teams play
undefeated teams whenever possible.
(5) When the drawing of the bye or conditions of play produce both
defeated and undefeated teams, pairings of all remaining teams will
be determined in the following manner:
NOTE: All team(s) are required to take part regardless
of their win/loss record from previous games played.
(a) Five (5) teams remaining: One (1) team gets the bye either
by the draw between teams who have not had a bye or the fact that
it is
the only team without a bye.
(b) Four (4) teams remaining: If it is possible to pair up teams which
have not played each other, then do so, otherwise draw to see who
plays whom.
(c) Three (3) teams remaining: If one (1) team has not had a bye then
that team gets the bye; If two (2) teams have not had a bye then draw
to see which of the two teams gets the bye; If all three (3) teams
have had a bye and two of the teams have not played each other, than
those two (2) teams are to be paired to play and
the third team gets the bye. If a natural two (2) teams have not played
each other pairing is not possible, then a draw is to be made to determine
who gets the bye. If three (3) teams remain and no one has had a bye,
teams who have not played each other then play each other and the
third team gets the bye, otherwise
draw for the bye.
(B) Byes in a Bracket System. Whenever a bye for a particular game
winner or loser is not predetermined by the NABF bracket
itself, then the system for determining a bye in a draw system, as defined
and described in Rule 8.05A, goes into effect for the remainder of the
Bracket System
Tournament. (See Rule 8.08.)
8.06 Special Bye Restrictions. In a Draw or Bracket
System, if any team is awarded a forfeit without actually playing in
the forfeited game, the victory will be considered as a bye and those
teams shall not be permitted to receive another bye unless all teams
then alive have had an equal number of byes. The victory will be recorded
in the tournament standings as a win.
Note: Under rule 8.06, if the bracket system is
in place, all teams alive must follow the NABF bracket
schedule as indicated, including any predetermined bye provided in the
bracket schedule. However, if a team is awarded a victory as described
under rule 8.06 and the bracket provides such team a bye in the following
round (only) the tournament committee shall exercise the option of a
draw system as permitted under rule 8.02. (Also refer to rules 8.05
B, 8.08 E and 8.08 F for additional information).
8.07 Refusing a Bye. In a Draw or Bracket System,
a team may not refuse a bye for any reason.
8.08 Pairings for Regional and World Series Tournaments:
(A) The double elimination system shall be utilized in all NABF
tournaments. Two (2) losses eliminates a team from further play in
any NABF tournament.
(B) In all Regional Tournaments, the Tournament Committee shall make
the decision prior to the tournament to conduct the tournament on
a draw or bracket basis. The draw for the first-round play must be
made, regardless if the tournament is to be on a draw or a bracket
basis. The first-round draw must be made at a meeting of all managers
on the evening prior to the scheduled beginning of the Regional Tournament.
The site and game time
of this first round of play only may be determined by the Host franchise
team. All World Series Tournaments must be bracketed. The Regional
Championship and the Host franchise team must be placed in a bracket
by
June 1 of each year by the NABF Executive Director.
(C) The bracket schedule showing the rounds, game numbers, dates and
times of games must be followed throughout the elimination process
except for inclement weather or field conditions that might cause
changes in field locations and game times.
(D) The two teams from the host organization must not be paired together
in the first round. It is suggested that the first team be placed
in Game #1 and the second team be placed in the last game number of
the first round.
(E) All NABF tournaments conducted on a bracket basis
must utilize NABF official brackets. When beginning
the tournament with an uneven number of teams, the bye is determined
by the draw in the first round of play, there
after, follow the bracket as indicated. For the next bye drawn both
defeated and undefeated teams will participate but no team is eligible
for a second bye until all teams have at least one bye.
(F) Defeated teams play defeated teams and undefeated teams play undefeated
teams whenever possible. HOWEVER, when the drawing
of the bye or conditions of play produce an uneven number of both
defeated and
undefeated teams, pairings of all remaining teams must be drawn. If
any of the remaining teams have played each other in a previous round,
whenever possible the same teams do not play each other a second time.
But remember, the bye is the first consideration at all times. The
following procedures must be followed by the Tournament Committee:
(1) Draw for all first-round games.
(This applies for REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS ONLY.)
(2) When there is an uneven number of teams, the bye is drawn first.
(3) No team will have a second bye until all teams have had an equal
number of byes.
(4) Defeated teams play defeated teams and undefeated teams play undefeated
teams whenever possible.
8.09 Two Games in 24 Hours. No team in all divisions
shall be required to play more than two games, which start between and
including 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. in any single day, without a written
affidavit from the managers of the teams agreeing to play more than
two games.
8.10 Field and Game Time Assignment. The assignment
of playing fields and times of games shall be at the discretion of the
Tournament Committee, except that no team shall be scheduled to play
their first game one or more days prior to the remaining teams in the
tournament. The site and game times for the first round of play only
for the host team and the franchise’s other representative in
the tournament may be determined prior to the first round draw; in such
cases the two teams shall not be paired in the first round of play only.
At all times the Tournament Committee shall have the option to schedule
the games involving the host or host’s teams at field locations
and times that are to the best advantage to the tournament sponsoring
association.
8.11 Time of Draw for Regional Tournaments. All Regional
Tournament teams representatives must check into tournament headquarters
with their official team information no later than 9:00 p.m. the day
prior to the scheduled beginning of a tournament. The day prior to the
scheduled beginning of a tournament the draw for first round opponents
shall be made at a site and time announced when the teams check-in so
that all teams have the opportunity to be represented at the draw. Failure
of a team representative to appear at the designated time and meeting
site for registration of players and the drawing for the first round
will disqualify such team from NABF tournament play,
as determined by the Tournament Committee.
8.12A NABF Modified Round Robin Bracket System. The
NABF Modified
Round Robin Bracket System may be utilized for NABF
National Championship
World Series play, and may be used in all age divisions or in specific
age divisions as approved by the Board of Directors and Executive Director.
The NABF Modified Round Robin Bracket will be for a
minimum of eight (8) teams only (seven (7) regional winners and a host
team), and must be restricted to multiples of two (2) teams if future
growth necessitates expansion of regional playing sites. (See Rules
8.12B, 8.12C and 8.13 for Round Robin Schedules.)
8.12B The NABF Modified Round Robin
bracket system may be utilized at the regional level of play, by the
tournament committee, provided the number of sanctioned teams are within
the following limits of four or eight teams, five or ten teams, or six
or twelve teams. Any odd number of teams or numbers of teams that would
prevent an even number of teams to be scheduled in multiple groups of
two, should not be scheduled under the NABF Modified
Round Robin Schedule.
8.12C Round Robin Schedule for Four, Five and Six Teams. When
a Round Robin schedule for four (4), five (5), or six (6) teams is utilized
to determine a regional champion team and the first runner-up team then,
the best win/loss record of completed games as described under Rule
8.14 shall determine the winner and the runner-up teams. NOTE: The preferred
schedule for regional play is the NABF double elimination
tournament schedule. The tournament committee may use the straight Round
Robin schedule to determine a champion. The draw for the Round Robin
schedule pairing shall be conducted as described under Rule 8.11.
8.13 NABF Round Robin Bracket Format. The NABF
Executive Director will assign the host team and regional champion teams
to Group A and Group B of the Round Robin Bracket schedule. If in the
event an odd number of teams qualify for the championship series for
whatever reason, the NABF double elimination bracket
must then be utilized in place of the Round Robin Bracket System. Under
such conditions, the Tournament Committee shall require teams to draw
for bracket pairings prior to the start of the World Series. The NABF
Modified Round Robin Schedule may include multiples of four, five or
six team groups extended by multiples of two (2) groups in a schedule
of games to determine the winner and runner-up of each group; advancing
to a single elimination semi-final and final series of games to determine
the champion team.
|
Table of Games
|
|
(Four Teams)
|
|
Round I |
Round II |
Round III |
|
Game |
|
Teams |
Game |
|
Teams |
Game |
|
Teams |
|
1 |
|
1&2 |
3 |
|
2&3 |
5 |
|
4&1 |
|
2 |
|
3&4 |
4
|
|
1&3 |
6 |
|
2&3 |
Upon completion of Round III, standings will determine champion and
first runner-up champion teams.
|
Table of Games
|
|
(Five Teams)
|
|
Round I |
Round II |
Round III |
Round IV |
Round V |
|
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
|
1 |
1&4 |
3 |
3&1 |
5 |
5&3 |
7 |
2&5 |
9 |
4&2 |
|
2 |
2&3 |
4 |
4&5
|
6 |
1&2 |
8 |
3&4 |
10 |
5&1 |
|
|
BYE=5 |
|
BYE=2 |
|
BYE=4 |
|
BYE=1 |
|
BYE=3 |
Upon completion of Round V, standings will determine champion and first
runner-up champion teams.
|
Table of Games
|
|
(Six Teams)
|
|
Round I |
Round II |
Round III |
Round IV |
Round V |
|
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
Game |
Teams |
|
1 |
2&1 |
4 |
3&4 |
7 |
6&4 |
10 |
5&3 |
13 |
5&6 |
|
2 |
4&5 |
5 |
6&1
|
8 |
2&3 |
11 |
6&2 |
14 |
1&3 |
|
3 |
3&6 |
6 |
2&5
|
9 |
1&5 |
12 |
4&1 |
15 |
4&2 |
Upon completion of Round V, standings will determine champion and first
runner-up champion teams.
|
Table of Games
|
|
(Eight Teams)
|
|
Round I |
Round II |
Round III |
|
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
|
1 |
A |
1&2 |
5 |
A |
2&4 |
9 |
A |
4&1 |
|
2 |
A |
3&4 |
6
|
A |
1&3 |
10 |
A |
2&3 |
|
3 |
B |
1&2 |
7 |
B |
2&4 |
11 |
B |
4&1 |
|
4 |
B |
3&4 |
8 |
B |
1&3 |
12 |
B |
2&3 |
Upon completion of Round III, standings within each group will determine
participants in Round IV. (See Tie Breaker Rule 8.01A.)
Round IV
Game 13 Winner of Group A versus Runner Up from Group B.
Game 14 Winner of Group B versus Runner Up from Group A.
Round V Championship Game
Game 15 Winner of Game 13 versus Winner of Game 14 to determine
National Champion and Runner Up.
|
Table of Games
|
|
(Ten Teams) |
|
Round I
|
Round II |
Round III |
|
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
|
1 |
A |
1&4 |
5 |
A |
3&1 |
9 |
A |
5&3 |
|
2 |
A |
2&3 |
6 |
A |
4&5 |
10 |
A |
1&2 |
|
|
A |
5=BYE |
|
A |
2=BYE |
|
A |
4=BYE |
|
3 |
B |
1&4 |
7 |
B |
3&1 |
11 |
B |
5&3 |
|
4 |
B |
2&3 |
8 |
B |
4&5 |
12 |
B |
1&2 |
|
|
B |
5=BYE |
|
B |
2=BYE |
|
B |
4=BYE |
|
Rond IV |
Round V |
|
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
|
13 |
A |
2&5
|
17 |
A |
4&2
|
|
14 |
A |
3&4
|
18 |
A |
5&1
|
|
|
A |
1=BYE |
|
A |
3=BYE |
|
15 |
B |
2&5
|
19 |
B |
4&2
|
|
16 |
B |
3&4
|
20 |
B |
5&1
|
|
|
B |
1=BYE |
|
B |
3=BYE |
Round VI
Game 21 Winner of Group A versus Runner Up from Group B.
Game 22 Winner of Group B versus Runner Up from Group A.
Round VII Championship Game
Game 23 Championship Game.
Winner Game 21 vs Winner Game 22.
|
Table of Games
|
|
(Twelve Teams) |
|
RoundI |
RoundII |
RoundIII |
|
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
|
1 |
A |
2&1 |
7 |
A |
3&4 |
13 |
A |
6&4 |
|
2 |
A |
4&5 |
8 |
A |
6&1 |
14 |
A |
2&3 |
|
3 |
A |
3&6 |
9 |
A |
2&5 |
15 |
A |
1&5 |
|
4 |
B |
2&1 |
10 |
B |
3&4 |
16 |
B |
6&4 |
|
5 |
B |
4&5 |
11 |
B |
6&1 |
17 |
B |
2&3 |
|
6 |
B |
3&6 |
12 |
B |
2&5 |
18 |
B |
1&5 |
|
Round IV |
Round V |
|
Game |
Group |
Teams |
Game |
Group |
Teams |
|
19 |
A |
5&3 |
25 |
A |
5&6 |
|
20 |
A |
6&2 |
26 |
A |
1&3 |
|
21 |
A |
4&1 |
27 |
A |
4&2 |
|
22 |
B |
5&3 |
28 |
B |
5&6 |
|
23 |
B |
6&2 |
29 |
B |
1&3 |
|
24 |
B |
4&1 |
30 |
B |
4&2 |
Round VI
Game 31 Winner of Group A versus Runner Up from Group B.
Game 32 Winner of Group B versus Runner Up from Group A.
Round VII Championship Game
Game 33 Championship Game.
Winner Game 31 vs Winner 32.
8.14 Tie Breaker for Round Robin. In the event teams
are tied with identical win/loss records at the conclusion of group
pairings in the NABF Round Robin Bracket Format that
determines the participant teams in the semi-final games, the team standings
will be determined in the following sequence of team accomplishments:
(1) Best record based upon the completion of games among tied teams.
(2) Ties will be determined by the result of head to head game previously
played in the respective Round Robin Series between the teams tied for
position.
(3) Lowest total runs allowed in games played among tied teams in the
Round Robin Series.
(4) Total runs scored in games played among tied teams in the Round
Robin Series.
(5) Coin Toss.
Note (A): If item one (1) above qualifies a team
for the semi-final, then items two through five will not be required.
Once a Round Robin series of games has begun, no other elimination
series of games will be placed into effect. A forfeit game is an official
game and will be included to determine the standings.
Note (B): When three or more teams are tied for
the position with identical records, first and second place will be
determined in the following manner:
(i) First place position must be determined first among the three
or more teams tied.
(ii) Once the first place position has been determined, you will have
the remaining two or more teams tied for second place with identical
win/loss records. The Tie Breaker rule must be used to determine the
second place position between the two or more teams remaining, starting
again with step 1 of this rule.
(iii) Top two teams then advance to the semi-final.
Remember each position (first and/or second) must be determined between
the remaining teams tied for the respective position in sequence, in
order to determine the top two teams advancing to the semi-final.
|
