Just wondering if there is any rule stating you must play in seeding games to be able to play in the elimination round of a ssusa tournament

Not in SSUSA sanctioned play. We rate teams as though every player is present at every game. No team may add a player to a roster after the team's first game, so there are no "weekend walk-on" issues.

Johnny23

As long as the player is on the SSUSA approved roster prior to the first pitch of your first game, you can arrive for Bracket Play and sign in.

If you are not on the roster before the first pitch of your first Pool Play game, you can't play.

I hope that answers your questions.

If you are asking if a TEAM can skip pool play, that is a completely different discussion and subject to the wisdom of Dave Dowell.

Bill

Ok - that being established -if you were on the roster - but- could not make the tournament due to circumstances out of your control - are eligible to participate in an upcoming world championship in 2023

Johnny23 - USUALLY yes if said player has history with your team from past or IF said player plays with your team prior to 2023 WC. BEST answer is to call home office or send an email with said player and your question to Ratings person so you know for sure.

Good luck!

I must be missing something. To avoid sandbagging or blocking out another team, rosters are submitted prior to tournaments and then certified. If a roster was/is submitted and an individual misses bracket games due to circumstances, as long as they sign in, they could play.

Teams must play to finalize a roster prior to worlds. We all have had to add a tourney to get the roster we want for worlds.

There are published rules to add players in special circumstances for worlds.

Most of us know the rules for adding players with a team rating of M+ to a major roster, of team rated players with a M rating to AAA teams.

I do not see a problem with a team trying to get the best LEGAL team they can, but conversely I abhor teams sandbagging or players trying to game the system. My comments are general in nature and not directed toward a team or player.

Mike Adair
Scorpions 70

While this thread appears to address or focus on a player, can a "team" forego the RR games, take the 0-2 start, and begin "their" tournament from the last seed in bracket play?

H² ... Yes they may ... However, they will be deemed to lose their first bracket game (regardless of the score) and will drop into the elimination bracket for their remaining time in the tournament ... See Rulebook §15.5 • TEAMS MUST PLAY IN SEEDING GAMES on page 76: "..teams not playing one or more round-robin, or seeding game, will be seeded last in the elimination bracket finals and will receive an automatic loss in that game, forcing them to the loser's bracket of the elimination rounds.."...

At the TOC, 65+ AA, team Electrifiers (TX), did not play in round robin on Friday.

How is it that they were awarded a WIN, in the first bracket game and not placed in the elimination bracket immediately, as stated above {Rule 15.5}?

I'm really confused....

H² ... The rule has a "tournament director's discretion" option (see emphasized text below) so that's a team does not get harshly and unfairly punished for circumstances completely out of their control causing them to miss seeding game(s) ... In this instance (and one other one in this year's T.O.C. - See Texas Legends in 60-Gold), involuntary airline flight cancellations and re-bookings by the airlines resulted in the teams missing games ... The on-site T.D. used his discretion in determining an appropriate remedy ...
__________

§15.5 • TEAMS MUST PLAY SEEDING GAMES
Teams must play in the round robin, or preliminary rounds, of the tournament to be eligible to play in the finals. At the discretion of the tournament director, teams not playing one or more round-robin, or seeding game, will be seeded last in the elimination bracket finals and will receive an automatic loss in that game, forcing them to the loser's bracket of the elimination rounds.