Announcement of Team Eligibility Rules & New 2022 Roster Rules

From the onset, United Wiffle®Ball has focused on the following, among other objectives:

• transforming the fast pitch National Championship Tournament into an event that is representative of the diverse Wiffle®Ball landscape;

• exploring what Wiffle®Ball can be on a national level rather than focusing on what it has been; and

• promoting the many different and unique Wiffle®Ball organizations that exist.

There is still much work that can be done with regards to the first point, but we are very proud of hosting two of the largest NCTs in the 30+ year history of the National Championship (including the largest in 2021) these past two years. More importantly, we are thrilled that so many players and teams from different areas of the Wiffle®Ball world have participated and continue to participate in the NCT. There are still many more players, teams, and leagues to reach, but the progress that has already been made is undeniable and is something that we hope all of those in the Wiffle®Ball community are proud of. That progress would not be possible without so many individuals and teams stepping out of their comfort zones in order to participate and compete.

That level of participation and buy-in allows us to think beyond the historical scope of what the National Championship is and explore what it could be. 

This year, United Wiffle®Ball introduced a Team Establishment rule, which requires all NCT teams to compete in a tournament or league with at least THREE of their 2022 NCT rosters members in order to register for and participate in the NCT. Wiffle®Ball is a team sport and we believe a healthy Wiffle®Ball environment is one where the teams at the NCT are not fully disconnected from the teams that participate in various leagues and tournaments throughout the other 363 days of the year. For the most part, this was already happening. At the 2021 NCT, 30 of 44 participating teams would have adhered to the Team Establishment rule had it existed.

For 2022, each team in the NCT will compete as a unit (3 NCT roster members) at least once prior to the NCT.* This set up is more in line with how most major team sports function and a positive step forward for the sport in terms of legitimacy and equality. At the same time, the rule allows some level of roster flexibility. As in 2021 with the Linked Tournaments, this rule allows for the inevitable injuries and unforeseen availability that occur because all teams essentially have two “free agent” spots to utilize, if needed.

Additionally, we do not want to potentially damage the leagues and tournaments that form the backbone of the sport and make 40+ team NCTs possible in the first place. With both the 2021 Linked Tournaments and the 2022 Team Establishment concepts, the goal is to integrate the United Wiffle®Ball NCT into the existing Wiffle®Ball World, rather than the other way around. We hope this structure will lead to more leagues & tournaments forming, rather than making it more difficult for tournaments & leagues to continue to exist in their current forms.

As such, the list of eligible leagues and tournaments where a team can establish themselves is rather comprehensive and includes all styles of gameplay.

The initial table of tournaments and leagues that can be used to establish an NCT team can be found below. This is not an all-inclusive list!

United Wifflle®Ball focused on tournaments & leagues with a well-established track record of running events, newer tournaments & leagues that have already started/finished in 2022 and have solid participation, and newer tournaments in areas where fewer opportunities exist. New tournaments are welcomed - the more tournaments & leagues, the better! “Backyard Leagues” are mostly excluded from the initial list but can be re-evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This list is not final and will likely evolve as new tournaments or leagues are formed or are brought to our attention. United Wiffle®Ball attempted to capture as many leagues & tournaments that meet the above criteria in this initial list, but we undoubtedly have missed some. Please let us know if you plan on establishing your team in a league or tournament not on the list and we will evaluate it for inclusion on the list.

The list includes all tournaments held under that organization’s banner, unless otherwise noted. In the unlikely and unfortunate instance that a listed organization holds a sub-standard tournament simply to establish a team or two, those tournaments will be specifically noted and excluded on this page. We hope this will not become an issue.

To establish a team in a tournament, three of the team’s maximum five rostered NCT players must compete together in a single tournament during 2022. For example, if Running Wiff Scissors plays in a listed tournament with Player A, Player B, and Player C on their NCT team all playing, that will satisfy the requirement. If Running Wiff Scissors plays with Player A & B in one tournament and Player A & C in another, that does not establish their team. 3 players must compete together in a single tournament.

Likewise for leagues, all 3 players must play together in AT LEAST two league games to establish their NCT team.

The expectation is that at a minimum, the 2022 Team Establish requirement will continue in the future. As the sport continues to change and evolve, we will continue to seek ways to present as legitimate of a NCT as possible given the present environment. With growth comes opportunity to improve the national Wiffle®Ball experience. We thank you for your understanding and help in improving the legitimacy and equality of the NCT.

 [1] Continuing the precedent established after the 2020 tournament, the top four finishers form the prior NCT will receive a spot in the current NCT provided they return at least 3 players from the prior year roster. These four teams do not necessarily need to establish their team in 2022.

[2] The establishment rules apply to all teams. However, to encourage international participation, exemptions will be considered for international players/teams.