Power Rankings Explained

Championship Tournament Seeding

Power Ranking Formula Explained

To ensure the most fair and accurate championship tournament seeding, we use a Power Ranking Formula instead of relying solely on win-loss records.

Because teams play different schedules and face varying levels of competition, this system gives us a more balanced and accurate measure of team performance.

Why We Use the Power Ranking System

1. Teams Play Different Levels of Competition

Throughout the season, teams compete against opponents from different divisions and tiers. Not all schedules are equal.

2. Strength of Schedule Matters

A win against a higher-tier team should count more than a win against a lower-tier team. Our formula weights games accordingly to reflect the level of difficulty.

3. A More Balanced Evaluation

Instead of ranking teams by record alone, the formula considers:

• The result of each game

• The tier of the opponent

• The overall strength of opponents

This ensures tournament seeding reflects true competitive performance.

How the Power Ranking Formula Works

Game Points

Teams earn points for each regular season game as follows:

Against Upper-Tier Teams

• Win = 50 points

• Loss = 20 points

Against Same-Tier Teams

• Win = 40 points

• Loss = 10 points

Against Lower-Tier Teams

• Win = 30 points

• Loss = 0 points

Forfeits

• The team receiving the forfeit is awarded a win.

• The team forfeiting receives a loss.

Bonus Points (Strength of Schedule)

Each team earns:

2 bonus points for every regular season win earned by each of their opponents, regardless of tier or how many times they played that opponent.

This rewards teams who faced stronger overall competition during the season.

Tier Adjustments During the Season

Throughout the season, tiers may be adjusted if teams move up or down based on performance.

When this happens, the Power Ranking Formula is updated retroactively.

What this means:

• All previous games are recalculated using the team’s new tier placement.

• If a team moves up a tier, past games against them are now scored as games against an upper-tier opponent.

• If a team moves down a tier, past games against them are scored as games against a lower-tier opponent.

This ensures the rankings always reflect the most accurate and current competitive level of each team.

Final Ranking Calculation

1. Add all game points and bonus points earned.

2. Divide that total by the number of regular season games that count toward rankings.

3. This produces each team’s Power Ranking Average.

4. Teams are seeded for the championship tournament based on this average.

This system promotes fairness, rewards teams that compete well against strong opponents, and helps create the most balanced and competitive championship tournament possible.