Team League Match Formats - Page 2

Hmm where to begin.... I like this idea and it is an interesting alternative.

First let's talk about some of the criticism thus far.

1. "This format is complicated."
How is it complicated? It's a linear match format that involves BO1s and players are eliminated after losing. In terms of the progression of the match, the only difference is you’re seeing a different winner each round. Obviously, it’s a separate BO1. Sure, the format requires 1 or 2 additional rules to stipulate a team going up 3-1 (in a BO7) in the first round, but let's be honest.... if you can't understand that I doubt you're getting much out of watching an SC2 match in the first place.

2. "This format will take longer than other formats."
Yes, the AK/winners format has the potential for being the most time efficient -if- the winning team is capable of a 5-0. In the grand scheme of things this does not happen very often. So I really don't think it's worth talking about. Both the OP’s format and the AK style format have the potential for going to 9 games, or being finished in 5. If you compared the format between two highly skilled teams I’m quite sure there would be little time difference even if you had them play each format 50 times.

As for those talking about the pro league style with multiple BO3s, or a variation with BO3s -and- AK/winner’s formatted rounds in a single match; these formats will obviously take longer as they feature roughly the same amount of players playing each other in more than one game.

3. You can’t feature as many players with this format.”
What? In any standard (commonly used) format where you require 5 of 9 wins, you will only ever see a max of 5 players from a single team.

4. “We won’t see as many B team players with this format.”
In this format you would require a minimum of 5 games played by 5 players win or lose to start out the match. A top heavy team in the AK/winner’s format can get away with winning 5-0 by sending their ace player in first. So you definitely don’t see any B teamers there, except from the losing team perhaps. With the OP’s format you might have 1 top heavy team with 1 or 2 ‘ace’ players and 3 ‘average’ masters players play a team of 5 ‘average’ players. With his format you atleast get to see 5 players from each team play regardless; even if the second team were to get 5-0’d.

Alternately, Pro League’s format you see the same amount of players fielded in a BO9 as you would here, there are just more games played from each person because of BO3s. This also makes the match longer overall and thus harder to cover in a time efficient and cohesive manner.


So... now let’s talk about the strengths of this match format.
1. It allows for a linear match format - you’re casting a series of BO1s, just as you do in the winners/AK format. Easy to cast and cover cohesively and entirely in a time efficient manner.
2. You require a minimum of 5 players participation from either team in a BO9. This guarantees we see more than just a team’s ‘Ace’ dominating an entire match.
3. If the team is top heavy, and in a BO9 is down 1-4 after the first round, their ace still has the potential of building the heroic comeback reverse all kill in the 2nd/3rd rounds.
4. If one team is simply far superior than the other, you will see a resulting 5-0, but you’ll know that the entire team worked together to make that 5-0, not just their ace player all killing.
5. The matches are BO1s, so you can cast them in succession, build the hype and importance of a certain player winning or being eliminated before round 2 (especially if the series is close). This would be done in a very similar fashion to the AK/winner’s format. In round 2 of a close match, the storyline can shift to focus on the remaining winners or ace players ability to pull through for their team.
6. Strategical depth of who to field on what map verse which player is increased because there are a minimum number of players required to be fielded in round 1. I.E. Map specific snipers, verse race/MU specific snipers, vs player/player style specific snipers, vs pairing your team’s ‘ace’ vs the others to knock him out in Rd. 1 and so on on.


The only other way or format I know of to accomplish -all- 6 advantages above is with the following:
+ Show Spoiler +


Something else I would like to suggest for the OP’s format if it were to be incorporated into a league:

One thing I did not see mentioned as a possibility (and something I think more leagues should include) is the mechanic of home/away games.

A team league that hosted 16 teams which played 2 matches a week over an 8 week period would allow a 2 month season where each team plays each other twice. This allows for teams to prove themselves twice per season prior to playoffs and more versatility with a home/away system. Perhaps when a team is away they are required to announce their first player on the first map first, or their entire 4 player roster first and allow the home team to decide accordingly.

Each team gets the home advantage against every opponent. It adds a layer of strategy to the team player-fielding meta game through the entire season. It also maintains the similar level of strategy in how a team fields their players seen in the AK/winners format. You can still use a player to snipe for a specific map, specific race, specific player, etc depending on whether or not you're the home team for that match.