PLAYOFF ASSIGNMENTS AND TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE

ALL teams, regardless of regular season win-loss record, advance to the playoffs as long as they have at least a 3.0 sportsmanship average and no outstanding forfeits. To best match-up teams of similar skill and interest level and create more equal divisions in the playoffs, FSU Intramural Sports has implemented a playoff qualification structure that will promote or demote teams among divisions from the regular season to the postseason.

What Teams Make It to the Playoffs?
In FSU Intramural Sports, all teams with the required sportsmanship average of 3.0, advance to the playoffs. Undefeated teams and winless teams. Everyone makes it. A team's assignment to a particular playoff division (or bracket) is what is described on this page.

Teams often do not know their talent level when they register at the start of the season. Some overestimate, but most underestimate. Thus, the program has seen an unbalanced ratio among divisions in recent years, such as 12 division-I teams and 48 division-II teams. The playoff assignment system is designed to even out those disparities so that we have more even divisions (two 30-team playoff brackets in this example), after teams have a chance to compete and demonstrate their skills in the regular season.

When Are Teams Assigned to a Playoff Division?
All teams are assigned to a playoff division on the day of the playoff draw meeting for the sport or on the assigned playoff scheduling day for non-draw sports. All regular season games or matches played prior to the draw meeting or scheduling day are factored into the playoff assignments.

Regular season games or matches after the draw meeting (or after the brackets have been set) do not impact playoff assignments, but are considered official regular season games that must be played by the scheduled teams (consider these tune-up games for the playoffs).

How Are Teams Assigned to a Playoff Division?
Three elements of a team's regular season factor into its assignment of a division for the playoffs:
(1) Regular Season Division: Teams receive base standings points (see below) based on the division in which they play during the regular season.
(2) Win-Loss Percentage: Teams receive additional points based on their winning percentage at the time of the playoff draw meeting or scheduling.
(3) Big Wins or Big Losses: Teams receive bonus points for big wins and a deduction for big losses; the "big" margin varies by sport (see below).

The exact formula is outlined below. But, the idea is that good teams in lower divisions may be bumped up a division while the bad teams in higher divisions may move down. Even after the initial breakdown, Intramural Sports will look for any irregularities or teams that may need to be further promoted or demoted based upon additional information such as game site evaluation of teams.

How Many Teams Are Assigned to Each Playoff Division?
Intramural Sports analyzed regular season records, number of teams per regular season division, and our various playoff brackets across several sports in 2010-11. In addition, Intramural Sports factored in the talent and competitive level of the typical team in each division as some sports are more competitive than others. Target percentages of teams per playoff division were then set for each IM sport. The goal is to balance the number of teams across the available divisions while maintaining the competitiveness and enjoyment associated with each division.

In some sports (flag football, for example), men's teams will be split evenly across 4 divisions. If there are 80 total registered men's teams, regardless of regular season division, the playoffs will have approximately 20 in each of the 4 divisions for the playoffs. In other sports (volleyball, for example), men's teams will be split 1/3 in the upper division and 2/3 in the lower division. The breakdown varies by sport and by league (men's, women's, and co-rec) [see below]. Note that the numbers per division may not be exactly even given ties in the standings and other promotions or demotions.

Can Teams Change Playoff Divisions After the Brackets Have Been Set?
In general, no. Regular season games after the brackets have been set are not factored into the playoff assignments. However, teams may be promoted to a higher division by the Intramural Sports staff at any time to enhance or maintain the competitiveness and enjoyment of participating teams in a particular division.

Questions or Comments? Let us know by emailing us. Otherwise, good luck this season in Intramural Sports!

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Here's the new playoff qualification procedure in technical terms. It can also be found among the Seven Principles of Intramural Sports.

A. Playoff Qualification
All teams qualify for the postseason playoffs regardless of record EXCEPT those teams that have an outstanding regular season forfeit OR have an average sportsmanship rating below 3.0.
B. Playoff Division Structure
Postseason playoffs in all major sports are comprised of various levels (postseason divisions) with a predetermined target number of teams in each level. Playoff division quotas (percentages and number of teams per division) are shown in the table below by sport and are approximations. Specific numbers will be determined based on the total number of eligible playoff teams and other evaluation by Intramural Sports.
C. Playoff Division Assignments / Team Standings Points Structure
Teams qualify for a specific level for the playoffs based on regular season division, winning percentage, and margin of victory or defeat in all games completed prior to the time of the playoff draw meeting.
All men's teams, regardless of regular season division, are then ordered and divided into playoff levels based on the target number of teams for each postseason division. Similarly, all co-rec teams, regardless of regular season division, will be ordered and divided into playoff levels based on the assigned target percentage or number for each postseason division.
The IM staff reserves the right to promote or demote teams, without consent, to another level of the playoffs as necessary to increase the competitiveness of a division and/or the enjoyment of the other teams in the division.

Men's, Women's, and Co-Rec Independent Teams - Standings Points Structure
Standings points are awarded based on the following principles:
- Regular season division base points.
When D-IAA is offered, D-I teams receive 3 base points, D-IAA 2 base points, D-II 1 base point, D-III and lower 0 base points.
When D-IAA is not offered, D-I teams receive 3 base points, D-II 2 base points, D-III 1 base point, D-IV and lower 0 base points.
- Regular season win-loss percentage.
All teams receive 0 to 1 point for win-loss percentage (a 2-1 team has a winning percentage of .667, therefore receives .667 standings points).
- Regular season margin of victory or defeat.
All teams receive a bonus of 0.375 standings points for a big win (margin varies by sport) and a deduction of 0.375 standings points for a big loss.

Base Points and Big Win / Big Loss Adjustments
Division Base Points				Big Win / Big Loss Margins by Sport
Division	With I-AA	Without		Sport	Margin		Sport	Margin
Division I	3	3		Flag Football	25 points		Rec Soccer	6 goals
Division I-AA	2	N/A		Volleyball	<10 pts/gm		Basketball	25 points
Division II	1	2		Kickball	12 runs		Softball	12 runs
Division III	0	1		3-on-3 Soccer	6 goals		4-on-4 Flag FFB	25 points
							Dodgeball	5 games

Team Standings Points - Playoff Assignment Method
Category	Value	Multiplier	Total		Example: D-IAA Team, 2-1 Record, 1 Big Win
Division Base Points	See Chart	x 1	Base Points		Division I-AA	2	x 1	2
Winning Percentage	Percentage	x 1	Percentage Bonus		2-1 (0.667)	0.667	x 1	+0.667
Big Win Bonus	Number of Big Wins	x +0.375	Total Bonus		1	1	x +0.375	+0.375
Big Loss Deduction	Number of Big Losses	x -0.375	Total Deduction		0	0	x -0.375	0
			TOTAL Points				TOTAL	3.042
All teams with the required average sportsmanship rating qualify for the postseason. The playoff assignment method distributes teams equally among divisions based upon regular season division and performance.

Men's Playoff Division Quotas					Sport		Co-Rec Playoff Division Quotas
Division I	Division I-AA	Division II	Division III				Division I	Division II	Division III
25% (48)	25% (48)	25% (48)	25% (48)		Flag Football		25% (20)	50% (40)	25% (20)
33% (16)		67% (32)			Volleyball		33% (20)	67% (40)
33% (24)		67% (48)			Kickball		25% (28)	50% (56)	25% (28)
50% (32)		50% (32)			3-on-3 Soccer
25% (24)	25% (24)	25% (24)	25% (24)		Rec Soccer		25% (24)	50% (48)	25% (24)
25% (32)	25% (32)	25% (32)	25% (32)		Basketball
25% (20)	25% (20)	25% (20)	25% (20)		Softball		25% (20)	50% (40)	25% (20)
33% (32)		67% (64)			4-on-4 Flag FFB		33% (12)	67% (24)
50% (24)		50% (24)			Dodgeball		33% (16)	67% (32)
Percentages and number of teams per division are approximations. Specific numbers will be determined based on the total number of eligible playoff teams and other evaluation by Intramural Sports. Any team may be promoted or demoted among divisions by the IM Staff, without consent, to increase the competitiveness of a division and/or the enjoyment of the other teams in the division.

D. Single Division Regular Season Leagues
Leagues with a single division available for regular season play that splits into two divisions for postseason tournament play will follow the procedure set forth for Co-Rec Division I and Division II teams with promotions and demotions occurring between these two divisions.
E. Greek Organizations
Fraternity and sorority teams are seeded for the playoffs based on their regular season records. A comprehensive overview of the greek points system and playoff qualification is available in the Greek Annual Championship Standings section of the Intramural Sports web site.
F. Playoff Draw Meetings
Men's independent, women's, and co-rec teams select their playoff game dates and times at a playoff draw meeting conducted typically during the fourth week of the regular season. The team captain or a team representative will have the opportunity to survey the entire playoff bracket with predetermined game dates and times for all rounds of play. Representatives will select their playoff position accordingly. Selection order is determined by sportsmanship rating, then regular season record. Teams not in attendance at the playoff draw meeting will be placed into the bracket at random. Once the bracket is set, no reschedules are permitted during the playoffs except in the event of inclement weather or conflicts created by the Intramural Sports Office.
G. Playoff Tournaments & All Campus Championships
Each divisional playoff tournament will be completed independently. The men's division I champion will meet the fraternity champion for the men's all-campus championship. The women's division I champion will meet the sorority champion for the women's all-campus title. Winners from other lower division tournaments will not face each other for an overall title.