How to Set Up a Tournament Team Event

This guide walks tournament directors through the main steps to create and customize a team event in Pickleball Tournaments (PT). It breaks the process into clear sections — basic event info, team signup rules, match structure, scoring and tiebreakers, player requirements, standings, and lineup and score permissions — so you can use it as a practical checklist while building your next team event. Watch the training video below or follow the step-by-step instructions to set everything up correctly before verification.

Table of Contents

1. Basic Info tab
2. Manage Team Matches tab
3. Manage Tiebreaker Settings tab
4. Manage Team Player Requirements tab
5. Manage Team Point Settings tab
6. Manage Standings Settings tab
7. Lineup and Score Permissions tab
8. Tips for smooth execution
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Related Resources

Basic Info tab

From the tournament menu, open Events and click Add a Team Event.

Toggle the event Active.

Choose whether results count toward DUPR and ranking points (for sanctioned events), and whether the system should manage the waitlist automatically.

These toggles are for USA Pickleball-sanctioned events.

Select the playing level and the bracket format (round robin or elimination).

Set the event type — for example, a DUPR 16 event with a maximum combined team rating of 16 at registration. Set any per-player rating caps (example: no player over 4.5) and the minimum age for participation.

Title your event as desired. Scroll down to decide whether teams can register together, whether you allow free agents (people without a designated team in hopes of getting picked up), and the maximum number of teams. Review the other settings too, such as the minimum players required before a team is waitlisted and the date of your event.

Scroll further down to set registration deadlines and cost information. Decide whether the captain or individual players pay registration fees, and whether free agents pay a fee.

The Allow team signup option lets individuals or captains register teams. If disabled, the tournament director performs 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 waitlist
• Final registration deadline for all rostered players (example: 5 days)

Save the page once the basic info is complete.

Manage Team Matches tab

Use Manage Team Matches to define how each team matchup plays out. This first panel matters most if your event uses rally scoring. If you are only using rally scoring for tiebreakers, that will be set up later. Review each setting in detail if you are using rally scoring for all of your matches.

Next, set up how each match will play. For example, will you have a men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed event? If so, add a match for each so PT knows how the teams play. Click Add New Match to begin entering your match details.

1. For a Major League Pickleball (MLP) format, create four matches per team dual: one women's, one men's, and two mixed matches.
2. The scoring configuration defined here transfers automatically to the live console upon event verification.

Once all matches are added, choose how results are 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.

Manage Tiebreaker Settings tab

The tiebreaker menu includes presets like the standard MLP format and a Custom option. If you use a preset, the rules are locked and non-editable. To edit the format options, choose Custom from the dropdown.

If you need to tweak which tiebreaker matches count toward standings, set that with the toggle switches in the What tournament stats do tiebreaker matches count for section. Otherwise, save and move on.

Manage Team Player Requirements tab

Use this tab to control roster quality and balance. You can 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), or use the Required toggle to force specific spots to be filled before a team can be verified (example: require four players but allow up to six on the roster).

Click Save at the top once these settings are configured for each event.

Manage Team Point Settings tab

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.

Manage Standings Settings tab

Configure how standings are calculated. 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.

Finally, select how you want the final standings to be calculated.

Lineup and Score Permissions tab

The Lineup and Score Permissions area controls who can set lineups and enter scores. It also controls whether captains or individuals can set lineups within a specified time window before matches. Start by reviewing the toggle switches for managers and captains, and adjust them to fit your event.

Determine your lineup settings. Read each option carefully to decide how you want to run your event.

Tips for smooth execution

• Communicate rules clearly with teams before play — especially scoring and tie rules.
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources

• How to Manage Your Team (Team Captains) | Team Events
• How to Set Your Lineup (Captains) | Team Event

Need a hand setting up your team event? Reach out to [email protected] and we'll help you finish strong before verification.