RULES AND REGULATIONS

Playing Format - 2 out of 3 sets

TBA uses the best two out of three 21-game pro sets with deuce at 20-20. If a set goes to 20-20 a first to 2 consecutive points will be the winner of the set. The tie breaker format should be used for all three sets.


Shuttlecocks/Birdies

Each player is required to bring a new birdies to every match and take out each alternatively. Serving Player will decide when to change the birdie. Players not following this rule will first be warned and upon the second time they will receive a playing strike towards the leagues 3 strike policy.


Honor System

Line calls must be made without delay by the side where shuttlecock/birdie drops. The best approach on a call that both players disagree on is to replay the point.


Changing court ends

Participants must change court ends after every set.


Choosing court location

The league wants players to choose a location to play that is convenient for both players. During the playoffs, higher seeded player can choose the preferred court location.


Abiding by the rules of the court at which you are playing.

Players need to follow the rules of the courts they are playing at. Participating in a TBA matchup doesn't give you privileges to break the rules of the local court. If we receive word that players are improperly using the TBA name in such cases it will lead to immediate removal from the league.


Reporting Scores

All scores shall be reported by the winning player using the website developed for the league. If an issue shall arise reporting the score please send an email to [email protected]


Qualifying for the Playoffs

A player who gets 'X' of wins criteria defined by the league during the season will qualify for the playoffs. With 'X' being the win total on the division report. No-show wins will count towards the ‘X’ wins to qualify for the playoffs. Qualifiers will be bracketed against the other qualifiers from the same level. Players need to be around for the first 2 weeks of the playoffs to qualify for the playoffs.


Playoff Positioning, Tie-Breakers

Playoff positioning will be based upon matches from the current division and not include matches played against players in higher or lower level divisions. Which can happen when a player gets promoted during the season or plays a friend at a different level.

Regular season ties are broken by this order:

Overall Record. So 6-1 is 5 matches, 8-2 is 6 matches and would be better.

In Season Head-to-Head record for players tied at #1

We want to promote players playing matches, so 6-1 would be better than 5-0.

Percentage of games won


Home Court

The higher seeded player gets home court. But, just like the regular season we want players to try to choose a location that works for both participants.


Enforcing Playoff Deadlines

Here's the rule that will define what happens when a playoff deadline is missed

If the deadline passes and neither player reported back to the league both players will be defaulted and the next round opponent will be moved on in the playoffs. If it's a finals match and the players don't report back there won't be a champion crowned for the season.

If the deadline passes and we heard back from either player then the least available player will need to default the match. If a player/team cancels a scheduled playoff/tournament match then they default the playoff/tournament match. It's not the other player/team requirement to find another time to play the match or to allow the match to be rescheduled, unless they are gracious enough to do so. Please note that if rescheduled, the match must be played on or before the deadline. Any unfinished playoff match that isn't complete by the deadline will be recorded as complete at the score the match was stopped at. The winner will be determined by adding up the game score with the player who has won more games.


Player Disqualification

Based on complaints to the organization, TBA reserves the right to

Place any player who has violated the standards of good conduct, abuse of badminton club cancellation policy, abuse of league administrators, fair play and/or good sportsmanship on probation for an indefinite period. League fee will not be reimbursement in such player disqualifications.

Ban any player from the league indefinitely. Any player found submitting a fake win for whatever reason will be banned from the program. Any player found to completely under-rate their true ability. The league reserves the right to adjust playoff results and prize pool based upon findings that a player found in default of rule 12.


Canceling a scheduled badminton match

A participant is required to make phone calls and send emails to cancel a badminton match. The league is not responsible for canceling matches for players. YOU NEED TO REACH THE PLAYER TO LET THEM KNOW, so to avoid a potential no-show situation. If the player doesn't try all forms of communication to cancel a match a strike will be applied to the offending player. Any matches canceled through the hours of 12:01AM to 7AM do not count for the 4 hour cancellation window.


Withdrawals from league

A participant who withdraws from the league due to injury or time constraints is required to make the administrator aware of the withdrawal. This player will either be removed from the website or receive the '**' Out for the Season flag. The player will not be reimbursed the league fee.


Lack of Payment rule

No player shall receive the contact information of other opponents in his/her projected league until they have made payment to the administrator. If a player has started in a league w/o payment, TBA reserves the right to replace that player at any time with a player who has paid League fees.


Match Play Official Defaults

A player who is found in violation of any of these will be ruled in default.

20-Minute Late Rule without notification: Failure to appear on the court within 20 minutes of the starting time without notification.

30-Minute Late Rule WITH notification: Failure to appear on the court within 30 minutes of the starting time with notification.

Injury or Walk-off: Matches not completed due to an opponent's injury or quitting before match completion shall award the win to the remaining or non-injured player. Final score will be the final score before the injury or walk-off.

Equipment failure: Should an item of a player's equipment fail for any reason (broken racquet string, sole of shoe comes apart, etc.), and that player cannot continue with the match, the player needs to retire and the score is deemed final with the other player being credited the win.

The league does not give default wins for a match where two players just couldn't get on the courts and play.


Non-playing rule

TBA reserves the right to remove a player if they haven't played a match during the season. The finals match needs to be played within 1 week of the last semi-finals match for the free season to be awarded.


Resolving on Court Conflicts

All matches that are reported back to the league with an on court conflict will be put on a 24 hour time clock to allow for cooler heads to prevail. If the conflict is reported over the weekend it will be resolved on the next non-holiday workday.


No-shows and Late Cancellations, 3-strike policy

Late cancellation within 4 hours of the match: Players now get a 0-0 win for the non-offending player and 1 strike will be recorded to the player canceling within the 4 hour time period. Please refer to rule #14 for cancellation policy

No-show or canceling within 1 hour of the match: If a player doesn't show up to a match without trying to call and send an email, 2 strikes will be recorded against the offending player. If the player contests the 2 strikes, they can appeal and potentially have it decrease to 1 strike. The match will be recorded as a 0-0 win for the non-offending player and the league suggests the players not reschedule the match.

A player who gets canceled within one hour of the match is requested to submit a no-show. The player left waiting at the courts needs to wait at least 20 minutes before submitting a no-show.

The player who did not show up for the match needs to reimburse any court fees before they will be allowed to continue playing.

A player may receive strikes for poor sportsmanship. If a player attains 3 strikes in a calendar year, they will be removed from the current season and they need to take the following season off. This player's league fee will not be reimbursed.


Court Fees need to be reimbursed upon No-show.

If a player no-shows to a match and a court/guest fee was paid for the court, the player who no-shows will be retired from the season until the court cost is reimbursed.


Your registration fee does not include the right to play in the playoffs or any equipment and court fees.

The entry fee is for the regular season. The playoffs are for players that qualify and will be around to participate within the deadlines established by the league.


Gift Card Expiring

Gift Cards issued by TBA has a 1 year expiration date set. Players will not be re-issued a gift card that has gone past this 1 year expiration.


Purity of Competition Rule Updated

TBA reserves the right to move a player up or down a level in a season based on how they performed in the previous season or during the current season.

A player CAN get promoted several ways. (Doesn't mean they will get promoted)

By making the finals of their division's playoffs. Unless they make the finals with a losing record during the season they will not be promotion eligible.

A player can also be moved up or down during the season based on how they have performed during matches in the season. If a player plays in several matches where the score is 21-10 or less/better they will be reviewed for promotion/demotion. The league reserves this right to promote/demote a player in season.

Teaching pros, badminton professionals or even high level college players will be allowed to participate in the league/season but if their level is determined to be superior to the base of the current community they will not be allowed to participate in the playoffs.


League record stays with player throughout the season

If a player is promoted or moved down during the season their record will not be reset. This gives the player the chance to qualify for the new skill levels playoffs.


New players and players who haven't played in 3 more years

In the larger cities, new players or players who haven't played in 3 years ratings will be adjusted down a rating. This adjustment has proven essential to maintain the proper rating categories. The league will manage the rating after several matches and move players up or down based upon the submitted results.


Money Back Guarantee

TBA offers a "no questions asked" money back guarantee for up to 4 days after the league's start date.


Court fees

In the cases where the match regular season match is played at a pay per use facility (for non members), the players who is non-member will bear the guest fees unless otherwise agreed upon. During the playoffs, higher seeded player/team can choose the home court and if opponent is not a member at that facility and needs to pay guest fees, those have to be split between the players/teams


Coaching

Coaching is prohibited during badminton matches. Friends of players should not involve themselves during the match either unless requested to by both players. This is a recreational adult league and we don't need the other player to feel uncomfortable.