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RULES & REGULATIONS

Official Rules for the National Pop-A-Shot League

  • Gameplay

  • Competition Format

  • Eligibility

  • Code of Conduct

Gameplay

The minimum length of a game is :40, and the maximum length of a game is :55. Each contestant begins with :40 of play where all made shots are worth 2 points, except in the final :10 when they are worth 3 points.

 

If a contestant scores 40 or more points in the first :40, he or she will be granted Bonus Time, which is an additional :15 of play. In the first :05 of Bonus Time, all made shots are worth 2 points, and in the final :10, all made shots are worth 3 points.

 

Each machine will have six, size three basketballs (psi range of 5.10 to 5.20 for leather basketballs, 4.1 for rubber basketballs). In the event any balls fall out of the game during play, they can be returned as quickly as possible by teammates.

 

In the event of unusual circumstances (i.e. basketballs obstructing the net and preventing scoring), games can be reset at the discretion of the coordinator. Scores must be recorded via made baskets in order to be considered valid. Points registered through means of intentionally scoring false points will be deemed invalid. 

 

The score that is on the Elite at the end of a game is the official and final score for that player.

Competition Format

Season
Season consists of six weeks followed by two weeks of Playoffs (8 weeks total)

  • Playoff Week 1: Everyone plays
  • Playoff Week 2: Championship


Teams/Play

  • Minimum of six teams
  • Four people per team -  Only three players play on a given night
  • Everyone on the roster must play at least half the weeks to qualify for playoffs. 
  • The full schedule will be posted before the start of Week 1. 
  • Combined total team score from every round is kept throughout the season for
    statistical and tiebreaking purposes.
  • Scores must be recorded via made baskets to be considered valid. Points registered
    through any other means are not valid.


Regular Season

  • Each week, teams are matched up by schedule to play each other at a specified time.
  • This head-to-head competition is a Match.
  • Each head-to-head Match consists of 5 Rounds. 
  • A Round consists of 6 total Games of Pop-A-Shot, 3 played by each team. The team
    with the highest combined team score wins the Round.
  • A team is awarded a League Point for each Round they win. A team can score a
    maximum of 5 League Points from each weekly Match.
  • In the event of a Round that ends in tied combined team scores, neither team is
    awarded a League Point for this Round.

 

Playoffs

  • Playoff Matches are Best-of-5 determined by winners of each Playoff Round.
  • In the playoffs, you don’t have to play all 5 Rounds. If a team is victorious in the first 3
    initial Rounds, they win the Match and advance in the Playoff bracket.
  • Tiebreakers for a Playoff Round will be determined by a sudden death Game played by
    the two highest scorers from the Playoff Round in question. Playoff Round win will be
    awarded to the player with the higher score. If another tie occurs, players with the
    second highest scores from the Playoff Round in question will play in a sudden death
    Game. Continued as needed.

 

Season Standings

  • League standings for the regular season are determined by number of League Points a
    team has accrued throughout the season.  Example: After Week 1, a team that has 5 League Points would be the #1 team
    in the standings. The team they played will have 0 League Points, and therefore
    will be at the bottom of the league standings.
  • Tiebreakers in League standings will be determined based on overall combined team
    scoring for the season. Example: After Week 1, two different teams won all 5 available League Points.
  • Team A scored a combined 1000 for their entire Match, while Team H scored a
    combined 999 for their entire Match. Team A will be ranked #1, while Team H will
    be ranked #2.
  • League Standings will determine playoff seeding.

 

Week 1 Playoff Format
Top 4 seeds by league ranking qualify for Championship bracket

Bottom 4 seeds by league ranking play in consolation bracket

 

Championship Bracket

  • Championship Semifinal #1: #1 Team will play #4
  • Championship Semifinal #2: #2 Team will play #3

Winners of each will play the following week to determine Champion and winner of prize
Losers of each will play for 3rd and 4th places


Consolation Bracket

  • Consolation Playoff Match #1: #5 will play #8
  • Consolation Playoff Match #2: #6 will play #7

Rankings determined by league points, with Overall Points scored used as the tiebreaker

 

Championship Week

  • All Best 3-of-5
  • Winner of Championship Semifinal #1 will play Winner of Championship Semifinal #2 in
    Championship Series.
  • Loser of Championship Semifinal #1 will play Loser of Championship Semifinal #2 in 3rd
    Place/Bronze Series.
  • Winner of Consolation Playoff Match #1 will play Winner of Consolation Playoff Match #2
    to determine 5th and 6th Place finishes
  • Loser of Consolation Playoff Match #1 will play Loser of Consolation Playoff Match #2 to
    determine 7th and 8th place finishes

 

How the Match Work

  • Each player plays 5 games on a league night
  • The winner of the Match receives 1 point.  
  • If a given team wins the first three games or 3 out of the 4 games, they still play
    all five games


Round 1
Team A - Team Member 1
Team B - Team Member 1
Team A - Team Member 2
Team B - Team Member 2
Team A - Team Member 3
Team B - Team Member 3
Highest Team Score is determined the winner


Round 2
Team B - Team Member 2
Team A - Team Member 3
Team B - Team Member 3
Team A - Team Member 1
Team B - Team Member 1
Team A - Team Member 2
Highest Team Score is determined the winner


Round 3
Team A - Team Member 3
Team B - Team Member 2
Team A - Team Member 1
Team B - Team Member 3
Team A - Team Member 2
Team B - Team Member 1
Highest Team Score is determined the winner


Round 4
Team A - Team Member 2
Team B - Team Member 3
Team A - Team Member 1
Team B - Team Member 2
Team A - Team Member 3
Team B - Team Member 1
Highest Team Score is determined the winner


Round 5
Team A - Team Member 1
Team B - Team Member 2
Team A - Team Member 3
Team B - Team Member 1
Team A - Team Member 2
Team B - Team Member 3
Highest Team Score is determined the winner

 

If Team A wins 3 games, they will receive 3 points. And if Team B wins two
games, they will receive 2 points.

 

Chicago Qualifier Format

OPEN PLAY

For the Open Play period, contestants can play as many games as time permits. Each contestant must return to the end of the line after finishing a game.

 

FINALS

The top-8 scores from Open Play will advance to the Finals, where contestants will compete in head-to-head series. Contestants will be seeded #1 - #8 in a bracket with the top score from Open Play earning the #1 seed.

 

If there are any ties among the top-8 scores after Open Play concludes, seeding order for the tied contestants will be determined with dice rolls. The tied contestants will each roll once, with the highest roll earning the lowest seed.

 

If there is a tie for the #8 seed at the end of Open Play, the contestants with tied scores will each play one final Open Play game. The #8 seed will be given to the contestant with the highest score from these final games.

 

The first and second rounds of play will be a Best-of-Three series, and the final round of play will be a Best-of-Five series. After each game in a series, contestants will switch Elite machines. Basketballs cannot be touched by the contestants until the “Start” button is pressed by a Pop-A-Shot employee. 

Eligibility

You must be 21+ years-old to participate in any officially sanctioned National Pop-A-Shot League. In order to play, you must create an individual profile that will contain a unique QR-code to scan at the Elite’s QR-code reader to login. A successful login will result in your profile appearing on the Elite’s home screen, which will indicate your score is being successfully recorded in the Pop-A-Shot database.

 

You must scan your profile’s QR-code each time before playing in order for your score to be recorded and validated. Any games played without scanning your profile will be considered invalid and will not count on the leaderboard.  

Code of Conduct

Failure to recognize and adhere to the rules outlined below may result in disqualification from any current and future Pop-A-Shot events.

 

1. All participants must treat their fellow participants, coordinators, and the staff of the location hosting with kindness and respect. Pop-A-Shot competitions reflect the values and standards of the company. They are planned with the intention of growing a community of competitors with the focus of sportsmanship, respect, and enjoyment for all.

 

2. Respect and listen to instructions and requests from Pop-A-Shot coordinators and/or the event location’s staff.

 

3. Although competition is at the heart of the event, misusing Pop-A-Shot machines or property is prohibited. Misuse includes, but is not limited to, slamming basketballs on the ground or machine, deliberately throwing basketballs at the monitor or any part of the machine, climbing onto the Elite, etc. 

 

4. Pop-A-Shot is not responsible for any damaged, lost, or misplaced items at the event. Be sure to keep track of your belongings and store them in a secure place.