Competition Rules

Overview
- General Policies
  - Players League competition is open to select schools around the Houston, Green Bay, New England, and Carolina’s regions.
  - If a player is suspected to have broken ANY publisher or Stay Plugged In rules including but not limited to age restrictions, tournament play, code of conduct, etc., the Stay Plugged In withholds the right to ban the player from competing in further competitions within the league.
  - League communications can be via email, Discord, or social media. Be sure to keep up to date with all lines of communication for updated announcements and other important information.
Competition Overview
- "Inter-Team Round Robin"
  - Over the 8 week season, players will compete against all the opponents from the other team in that region.
  - Each match will be a Best-of-Three
    - Week 1: Player 1 (Team 1) vs. Player 1 (Team 2), Player 2 (Team 1) vs. Player 2 (Team 2), ..., Player 8 (Team 1) vs. Player 8 (Team 2).
    - Week 2: Rotate players on one team (Team 2) by 1 position. Player 1 (Team 1) vs. Player 2 (Team 2), Player 2 (Team 1) vs. Player 3 (Team 2), ..., Player 8 (Team 1) vs. Player 1 (Team 2).
  - If there are an uneven number of players across schools competing, then players will receive weekly byes if not enough matches are available.
    - These byes will not affect final standings.
- Tiebreakers
  - In the event of a tie following the regular season, tiebreakers will be determined by the following criteria:
    - Head-to-Head Wins
    - Point Differential
    - Points Scored
    - Fewest Points Allowed
- Weekly Overview
  - Each player will play 1 match per week (32 total matches)
  - After 8 weeks, players will have competed against every other player from their region's opposing team.
Match Settings
- Format: 1 Game
- Team Size: 1 Player
- Gameplay Settings
  - Fatigue: On
  - Game Skill: All-Madden
  - Accelerated Clock: Off
  - Injuries: Off
  - Even Teams: On
  - Game Style: Competitive
- Game Options: Players may adjust the below Gameplay Helpers in the Madden NFL 25’s main Game Options menu.
  - Auto Flip Defensive Play Call: On (Default)
  - Defensive Ball Hawk: On (Default)
  - Defensive Heat Seeker Assist: On (Default)
  - Defensive Switch Assist: On (Default)
  - Coach Mode: Off (Default)
- Cross-Play Settings
  - Cross-Play: On
- Sportsmanship & Additional Rules
  - Timeout Abuse - If a player is leading by 21 or more points in the second half, they are not allowed to call timeouts.
  - Intentional Clock Manipulation - Players are not allowed to intentionally run out the clock in a manner that disrupts the competitive integrity of the game, such as:
    - Repeatedly taking delay of game penalties
    - Running in circles or avoiding scoring to prolong a game unnecessarily.
    - Intentionally taking safeties to extend possession time.
    - Excessively pausing the game to delay play.
  - Onside Kicks - Onside kicks are not allowed in the first half. A Competitor may attempt an onside kick at any time in the 2nd half. Players may not attempt onside kicks if leading by more than 21 points.
  - Excessive Offsides - Neither the offense nor the defense should purposefully go offsides with the intent of delaying the game nor exhibiting unsportsmanlike conduct. <span class='font-bold'>Intent is at the sole discretion of League Officials.</span>
    - Please be mindful that some players are new to Madden competitive and may not understand the excessive offsides function.
    - If a player is kicked excessively for repeated offsides, please let an admin know so they can review the gameplay. If this happens at a late point in the game, please review section 8 point D on how to proceed with the match.
  - Taunting & Toxic Behavior - Players must not engage in taunting or unsportsmanlike conduct, including but not limited to:
    - Excessive celebrations (e.g., repeatedly showboating into the end zone).
    - Spam messaging or trash-talking in Discord or game chat.
    - Any form of griefing, such as pausing excessively to frustrate opponents.
  - Improper Audibles - Competitors may not audible from the QB Kneel, Wildcat, Field Goal, or Punt formations.
    - The Dallas Cowboys for their Team
    - The Offensive Playbook of the New York Jets
    - The Defensive Playbook of the Baltimore Ravens
  - Custom Playbooks - Competitors may not use custom playbooks for any SPIN Madden NFL league. A custom Playbook is any Offensive/Defensive Playbook that consists of plays from multiple teams or custom-created plays.
  - Players may still select unique teams for their in-game roster, offensive, and defensive playbook. For example, a player may select:
  - In-Game Content Updates - Madden NFL 25 is a live-service multiplayer game that may release new content patches with updated team rosters while the season is occurring. Any players or teams currently disabled in-game by Electronic Arts will not be available for use during official SPIN matches. All SPIN matches will occur on the most up-to-date patch, and any team is eligible for use in SPIN matches unless otherwise stated by League Officials.
  - Mercy Rule - In our Madden 25 competition, a 33-point (5 Scores) mercy rule will be enforced to maintain competitive integrity and keep matches running efficiently. If a player leads by 33 or more points at any time during the game, the match will immediately end, and the leading player will be declared the winner. This rule applies regardless of the quarter or remaining time. Once the point differential reaches 33, no further gameplay is required, and the result is final. This ensures a fair and streamlined experience for all competitors.
Format & Match Play
- Add Opponents - For all matches, players must add their opponent as a Friend to send game invites.
  - Add Players Using EA Connect
  - Press in the Right Stick (R3) to open EA Connect (or Tab on PC).
  - Enter your opponents EA ID.
  - The EA ID is shown in the upper-right of the EA Connect page
  - Select Add Friend to send an invite.
  - Accept the invitation through the pop-up, or under the Friend Requests tab
- Lobby Creation
  - Open Madden NFL 25.
  - Select Quick Play.
  - Select Online Head 2 Head.
  - Select H2H Play a Friend.
  - Confirm the Game Settings are correct as listed in Section 3.
  - Select your opponent’s in-game name
- Team Selection
  - Players will select from any Current NFL team and play. Players may choose a different NFL team for each game they play. Both players can also choose the same team. Alternative teams are not allowed.
- Lobby Settings
  - Anyone not actively competing in the match will not be allowed to join the Match Lobby
    - This includes Coaches and Subs from both teams
    - Teams may mutually agree to allow additional players/coaches in the lobby to spectate, with the understanding that Stay Plugged In staff reserves the right to remove additional spectators.
Scheduling Matches
- Match Times
  - Weekly matches will be announced the morning of the competition, no later than 10am EST.
  - Matches will be open beginning on Wednesday’s at 4:15p EST for the New England region, and at 5:30p EST / 4:30p CST for the Carolinas, Houston, and Green Bay regions.
  - All matches will be initially scheduled at 4:15p EST & 5:30p EST / 4:30p CST, but may be played and reported to admins any time before the following Tuesday (6 days) by 10pm EST / 9pm CST.
  - If matches are not able to be played at the designated times, it is the responsibility of the players to communicate with admins and their opponents to reschedule these matches.
- Discord
  - Communication about scheduling matches, posting VODs and screenshots, and reschedules will take place primarily through the Players League discord.
  - Once players have joined the discord and been given perms, outlined in section 7, point a, they will be given access to channels resembling those below for their region - Houston, Green Bay, Carolinas, New England.
  - Each week the match channels, labeled “match-1, match-2…” above will be renamed for the players competing. In these channels Admins will tag opponents for visibility and scheduling matches.
    - All communication about scheduling matches must take place in your designated channel so an admin may oversee. If it must take place another way, please contact an admin so they can direct you to the best course of action.
Recording VODs
- Matches will be streamed weekly on Wednesdays. In order to stream these matches, we will need players to record gameplay and submit them to admins through email or Discord for the broadcast.
- Admins can assist with recording VODs, but will need to be notified of the schedule so they can plan accordingly. Players will Discord screen share matches in their Schools voice channel and Admin can record VODs for them.
  - Admins must be notified at least 12 hours in advance if recording is needed. Depending on availability, admins may not be able to record matches.
- In order to record matches on their own, players will need to follow the steps below.
  - PC
    - <span>Download <a target='_blank' href='https://obsproject.com/' class="underline text-spin-blue" rel='noreferrer'>Open Broadcast Software | OBS</a></span>
    - Open OBS and in the “Sources” section click the “+” and click “Game Capture” , “OK”, and “check” the “Capture Audio (BETA)” box before pressing “OK” the final time.
    - Now you can open Madden and it should automatically select the game capture. If it does not, restart these steps with Madden open and you can select it in the “Mode” box above “Capture Audio (BETA)”.
    - If this does not work, retry these steps and then reach out to an admin for further assistance!
    - Now click “Start Recording” on the right side of OBS.
    - When your match is complete, click “Stop Recording” the same place you started it. BE SURE TO RENAME THE SAVED VOD SO YOU CAN LOCATE IT TO UPLOAD.
  - Xbox / PS5
    - In order to record matches from PS5 or Xbox, you will need to have a capture card, if you are not able to broadcast directly to twitch, or other streaming platforms.
    - With a capture card, connect the capture card to a PC as well as to the console through HDMI cables.
    - Turn on your console and open Madden.
    - Download “Open Broadcast Software | OBS”
    - Open OBS and in the “Sources” section click the “+” and click “Video Capture Device", and select the Capture card in the "Device" dropdown then click "OK"
    - When your match is complete, click “Stop Recording” the same place you started it. BE SURE TO RENAME THE SAVED VOD SO YOU CAN LOCATE IT TO UPLOAD.
    - Madden should automatically connect via capture card, and audio should be output already.
    - If this does not work, retry these steps and then reach out to an admin for further assistance!
    - Now click “Start Recording” on the right side of OBS.
    - When your match is complete, click “Stop Recording” the same place you started it. BE SURE TO RENAME THE SAVED VOD SO YOU CAN LOCATE IT TO UPLOAD.
- VODs may be submitted through Discord (size permitting), email, or the VOD submission form on the Players League website. If we do not have a VOD submission, we will not have a way to broadcast your matches.
  - If you need to submit your VOD via email, please reach out to an Admin through discord or email to coordinate.
- In order for a VOD to be shown on the broadcast it must be submitted by Tuesday at 10AM for broadcast review.
- Streaming from PlayStation
  - Press the create button and select Broadcast.
  - Select the streaming service you'd like to broadcast with.
  - Enter your broadcast information. When you want to include video from your camera or audio from your party, select Broadcast Options, and then customize how you broadcast.
  - When you're all set, select Go Live, and your broadcast starts. The broadcast card appears in the control center.
- Streaming from Xbox
  - Press the Xbox button to open the guide and go to Capture & share.
  - Select Live streaming and choose a provider if there are multiple options.
  - Choose or change the Destination if you want to alter which service you use to adjust your streaming viewer experience.
  - Select Go live now.
    - If a game is already running on the console, the live stream will start when the focus returns to the game. If there’s no game currently running, the live stream will start when a game is launched.
  - To change your live streaming provider:
  - Press the Xbox button to open the guide and go to Capture & share.
  - Select Live streaming > More options.
  - Select Change live streaming provider.
Score Reporting
- All score reporting must take place within 10 minutes of the match concluding. Score reporting should happen in the following ways
  - Once a match is completed, the winning player will navigate to the “#score-report” channel and post the final results as well as the matches Scoreline.
    - Ex. Player A (Team Name) defeats Player B (Team Name) 27 - 14
  - The winner from each matchup will be responsible for posting screenshots of the “TEAM STATS” tab of EACH GAME
  - With this image, please post the player name and the team they played as, even if both teams are the same.
    - Ex. JLof (Bears) beats Bearlight (Bills) 41 - 28
  - Not submitting the correct image with complete data may result in forfeits, or missing stats for individual players. This could affect tiebreakers following the season.
Match Up Protocols
- Discord Channels
  - All players must be verified members of the Discord Server
  - When entering the discord for the first time, submit to the #✅-verification channel to be granted access.
  - Please note that this is not an automated process. Please allow up to 12 hours to be verified. Verification may take up to 24 hours if there is not an active event.
- Day of Play
  - Players must be prepared to join the game lobby at match start time
    - Failure to join the match lobby at the scheduled start time will begin the Forfeiture Timer = 10 Minutes.
    - At the close of the 10 Minute DQ timer, if a player had not joined the lobby they forfeit the match.
  - Submit the following for Check In - *PLAYER NAME* CHECKING IN
- Connectivity Issues
  - If a player reports ping issues within the 30 seconds of game 1, the match can be restarted at the request of the player needing to reset as long as no points have been scored.
  - Any reported ping issues after that time will result in the continuation of gameplay until its completion and results will be counted
- Player Disconnections
  - The game will automatically close if a player disconnects from the online match. The connected player must capture the score & time remaining in the match when the disconnection occurred.
  - Once the player can reconnect, the online match must be recreated. Players will subtract the time completed in the previous match and then complete the remaining time of the original game with the newly created online match. Once the remaining time has lapsed, players will add the total scores of the two games to determine the winner.
  - For Example:
    - Player A disconnects in the 2nd quarter of Game 1, with 1 minute remaining. Player B confirms the score of 20-13, with Player B in the lead.
    - There are still 11 minutes of in-game time left in the match, so the game is recreated with the same teams as in Game 1, and the players complete the first and second quarter of the recreated Game 1 (10 minutes of in-game time). After a minute has passed in the third quarter, the game is stopped, and the score of 21-17 with Player A in the lead is logged.
    - The players combine the scores of both games for an overall score of 37-34, with Player B having the overall higher score. Player B has won Game 1, and the match continues to Game 2.
- Communications
  - Once a Match has officially begun, communication with anyone outside of the current match is strictly prohibited and may result in an immediate disqualification of the Player.
  - If technical pause is needed due to any software or hardware malfunction, internet or power outage, dispute request, or for any other reason, please request the pause via discord direct message from an event admin
    - In the event of a Technical Pause, the 10 minute Match Timer is frozen
    - If a Technical Pause reaches the 15 minute mark, Stay Plugged In Admins will discuss further steps with both teams
- Player Pauses
  - Pauses are bound to the features & limitations inside Madden NFL. Excessive pausing is subject to penalties at the sole discretion of League Officials.
Other Policies
- Match Disputes
  - In any case of any dispute, notify an admin immediately of the dispute incident, HOWEVER, do not stop game play. An admin will promptly respond and notify each team of the next action step.
    - In the event that the team who started the dispute stops competing AND the dispute is waived by an admin, the match results or state is as it stands. No action will be taken to reset the match state prior to the dispute if the dispute is waived.
    - When in doubt, keep playing the match & stay in the lobby if the other team leaves the lobby.
  - All disputes relating to a match will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
  - Reach out to an event Admin via personal discord message if the dispute that needs to be resolved is time sensitive. Event admins can be found in the Stay Plugged In Server
    - Match disputes must be handled through private discord messages.
    - Using public discord chats for match disputes may result in consequences.
- Dispute evidence
  - In order to accurately and efficiently resolve disputes, please be prepared to provide screenshots or video evidence to support your dispute.
  - Without evidence we will do our best to come to a decision that upholds the fairness and competitive integrity of the competition.
- Power of Admin
  - The lead event admin will have the sole discretion to make final decisions based on the rules outlined in this document
- Streaming and Spectating Policy
  - Stay Plugged In Staff reserve the right to sit in spectator positions and stream any match taking place during Stay Plugged In competitions.
  - All players are welcome to stream their gameplay to personal channels, this includes any matches being streamed to Stay Plugged In channels.
  - If there is a dispute that a competitive advantage was gained by using an opponent's personal stream to determine opponent positioning or by any other means, SPIN can not and will not hold the accused party guilty for doing so. Choosing to stream is at one’s own discretion
- Cheating/Glitching
  - Any cheating, as determined by the Tournament Organizers in their sole discretion, will result in immediate disqualification and additional penalties depending on the severity of the infraction
  - Any intentional use of a glitch or bug is strictly prohibited at any time. Evidence of such behaviors will result in a forfeit and potential suspension.
  - In the event of a glitch occurring, the protesting player must submit video evidence of the glitch. Stay Plugged In reserves the right to use their discretion on how to enforce any glitch that occurs