How To Setup Team Events

This help doc walks tournament directors through the main steps to create and customize a team event using Pickleball Play Solutions. It breaks the process into clear sections: basic event settings, team signup rules, match structure, scoring and tiebreakers, player requirements, standings, and lineup/score permissions. Use this as a practical checklist when building your next high-energy team competition.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• How To Setup Team Events
  • Quick Start — Basic Event Info
  • Allowing Team Signup, Free Agents, and Limits
  • Manage Team Matches and Scoring
  • Tiebreaker Settings
  • Player Ratings and Team Requirements
  • Team Point Settings
  • Standings Calculation
  • Lineup and Score Permissions
  • Final Checklist
  • Tips for Smooth Execution
  • Need a Deeper Dive?
    
    

Quick Start — Basic Event Info

From the tournament menu, open Events and click Add a Team Event. On the basic info page:

1. Toggle the event Active.
2. Choose whether results count toward duper and ranking points (sanctioned events) and whether the system should manage the weight list automatically. These are on/off toggles for USA Pickleball-sanctioned events.
3. Select the playing level and the bracket format (round robin or elimination).
4. Set the event type — for example, a DUPR 16 event with a maximum combined team rating of 16 at registration.
5. Set any per-player rating caps (example: no player over 4.5) and the minimum age for participation.
   
   

Scroll further down to set registration deadlines and cost information. Decide if the captain or individual players pay registration fees, and whether free agents pay a fee. Save the page when the basic info is complete.

Allowing Team Signup, Free Agents, and Limits

The Allow team signup option lets individuals or captains register teams. If disabled, the tournament director must perform signups manually. Configure:

• Maximum number of teams
• Whether free agent signup is allowed and if free agents are capped
• Minimum players required before a team moves to the wait list
• Final registration deadline for all rostered players (example: 5 days)

Manage Team Matches and Scoring

Use Manage Team Matches to define how each team matchup plays out. This panel is most important if your event uses rally scoring.

1. Click Add New Match and enter match details.
2. For a Major League Pickleball (MLP) format, create four matches per team dual: one women’s, one men’s, and two mixed matches.
3. Remember: the scoring configuration defined here transfers automatically to the live console upon event verification.
   
   

Once matches are added, choose how results will be calculated. A common approach:

• Primary result metric: Total team points
• Secondary metric (tie breaker): Point differential

Communicate clearly with teams about which metrics determine standings so expectations are set.

Tiebreaker Settings

The tiebreaker menu includes presets like the standard MLP format and a Custom option. If using a preset, the rules are locked and non-editable. If you need to tweak which tiebreaker matches count toward standings, set that here. Otherwise, save and move on.

Player Ratings and Team Requirements

Control roster quality and balance with Team Player Requirements:

• Override a player’s self-rating if they enter without an official rating.
• Set a minimum rating for rostered players (example: minimum 3.00 for DUPR 16).
• Require specific minimum ratings for certain roster spots (example: at least two players at 3.5).
• Use the Required toggle to force specific spots to be filled before a team can be verified. For example, require four players but allow up to six on the roster.
  
  

Team Point Settings

Decide whether team match outcomes are recorded as a single win or broken into point allocations:

• Assign points per individual matchup (example: each matchup = 1 point).
• Give partial points for close losses (example: losing but scoring more than 8 points = 0.5 points).
• Optionally assign points for tiebreakers.

Save the configuration once your point model is finalized.

Standings Calculation

Configure how standings are calculated in Manage Standing Settings:

• If your event uses a single pool round robin, toggle to indicate one pool.
• Choose the primary metric for ranking winners (total points, wins, differential, etc.).
• Adjust separate rules for playoffs or final standings as needed.

Lineup and Score Permissions

The lineup and score permissions area controls who can set lineups and enter scores, and when:

• Allow captains or individuals to set lineups at a specified time window before matches.
• Specify whether opponents can set or lock lineups.
• Determine who enters match scores and at what stage.

Read each permission option and select the settings that match how you want the event to run. Save each section before moving on.

Final Checklist

1. Basic Info: Active toggle, DUPR/ranking toggles, playing level, bracket type, dates, fees.
2. Signup Rules: Team signup allowed, free agent options, team limits, deadlines.
3. Matches: Add all team matches, confirm scoring types, save transfer to live console.
4. Tiebreakers: Choose preset or custom and confirm what tiebreakers count.
5. Player Requirements: Minimum ratings, overrides, required roster spots.
6. Points and Standings: Point allocation per matchup and standings calculation order.
7. Permissions: Lineup/score entry rules and timeline.

Tips for Smooth Execution

• Communicate rules clearly with teams before play — especially scoring and tie rules.
• Test a verification run with one or two sample teams to ensure scoring transfers correctly to the live console.
• Use required roster spots to prevent incomplete teams from moving forward into competition brackets.
• Consider rewards for close losses to keep matches competitive and maintain engagement.

Need a Deeper Dive?

Check out the full-length walkthrough on the Pickleball Play Solutions YouTube channel for a step-by-step live demo and visual examples.