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We are introducing a new format with our upcoming Breast Cancer Awareness competition.
With the new mode, we hope to solve a few issues of the currently used knockout-only competition format, which consists of a play-in round (if needed), followed by random head-to-head matchups until there is a winner.
While we think that the current mode provides a good experience and generates valid results, it can take a long time for all rounds to play out, especially if there are a lot of entries.
Therefore, we have made some modifications that shorten the duration it takes between the start of voting and when the winner is known; with the new mode, it always takes exactly one week until we have a winner.
Rather than pitting all entries against one another right from the start, the new mode consists of two phases. In the first phase, a full ranking of all entries is determined, while the best 32 kits advance to the second phase. The second phase has a regular knockout format - same as before.
The full ranking (phase 1) is determined based on each kits' results in a set of random matchups, which are individual to each user. The more of these matchups a specific kit wins, the better it will rank.
This format is similar to the one that will be used in the UEFA Champions League from 2024 and is called the "Swiss system".
Each user gets to vote on 32 of these matchups, and this phase will last for one day.
The ranking is determined by the average points a kit gets (win = 2 points, draw = 1 point, loss = 0 points).
The 32 best kits continue in a head-to-head knockout format, the same way as it's currently.
In the first round, there will always one kit from the top half against one from the bottom half, similar to how it's in the Champions League round of 16. The subsequent rounds are unseeded.
This way, it takes exactly seven days between the end of the entry period until the end of the competition:
It's worth noting here that we have not decided to always use the new mode going forward, but we want to test-run it with the Breast Cancer Awareness competition. If all goes well then we will use it more regularly going forward and if not, we will make adjustments where they are needed.
With the new mode, we hope to solve a few issues of the currently used knockout-only competition format, which consists of a play-in round (if needed), followed by random head-to-head matchups until there is a winner.
While we think that the current mode provides a good experience and generates valid results, it can take a long time for all rounds to play out, especially if there are a lot of entries.
Therefore, we have made some modifications that shorten the duration it takes between the start of voting and when the winner is known; with the new mode, it always takes exactly one week until we have a winner.
How does it work?
Rather than pitting all entries against one another right from the start, the new mode consists of two phases. In the first phase, a full ranking of all entries is determined, while the best 32 kits advance to the second phase. The second phase has a regular knockout format - same as before.
First phase - Group phase (Swiss system)
The full ranking (phase 1) is determined based on each kits' results in a set of random matchups, which are individual to each user. The more of these matchups a specific kit wins, the better it will rank.
This format is similar to the one that will be used in the UEFA Champions League from 2024 and is called the "Swiss system".
Each user gets to vote on 32 of these matchups, and this phase will last for one day.
The ranking is determined by the average points a kit gets (win = 2 points, draw = 1 point, loss = 0 points).
Second phase - Knockout phase
The 32 best kits continue in a head-to-head knockout format, the same way as it's currently.
In the first round, there will always one kit from the top half against one from the bottom half, similar to how it's in the Champions League round of 16. The subsequent rounds are unseeded.
Competition Timeline
This way, it takes exactly seven days between the end of the entry period until the end of the competition:
- Approvals (1 day)
- Group-stage phase (1 day)
- Knockout phase (5 days)
It's worth noting here that we have not decided to always use the new mode going forward, but we want to test-run it with the Breast Cancer Awareness competition. If all goes well then we will use it more regularly going forward and if not, we will make adjustments where they are needed.