Events

MLP Unlimited Winter League

Season starts Sunday, Jan 25 and ends by Mar 29

• 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, 3/29
• max 18 teams, 1 match each Sunday
  • no draft, form your own teams and find your own subs (if your bench is not available)
  • no ratings limit
  • min team size is 2 women and 2 men
  • the 18 teams will be split into 2 brackets (this may change depending on the number of teams registered)
• For each match, win 2 out of 3 for the following sets:
  • Women’s Doubles
  • Men’s Doubles
  • Mixed Doubles 1
  • Mixed Doubles 2
  • DreamBreaker™ if the match is tied at 2-2 for the above sets
• Top 6 teams move on to playoffs (this may change depending on the number of teams registered)
  • top team in each bracket has a bye for the first round
  • second and third place teams will play single elimination playoff
    • one game each of women’s, men’s, mixed 1, and mixed 2 doubles; with a DreamBreaker™ if necessary
    • games will be to 21, win by 2, switch ends at 11 (to be confirmed)
  • remaining teams will play round robin for 1st, 2nd and 3rd
    • same scoring as in the first round

Format will generally follow the 2024 MLP rules:

• Home team (second team listed on a match) will put 1 or 2 fingers behind their paddle, the away team picks, with winner choosing first for:
  • Serve or receive (keep for the entire match)
  • End (alternates with each game within your set, if a third game is played, switch ends at 11)
  • Act or react (if you select act, team submits their mixed doubles lineup first during the first 4 games, if match reaches a DreamBreaker™, that team then will react to opposing team’s lineup)
  • If the Women’s Doubles or the Men’s Doubles is played first

Each match will consist of up to four (4) sets with each game in a set played to 21 (win by 2) with rally scoring and where a team must win a game on their serve. The four (4) sets to be played will include: Women’s doubles, men’s doubles, and two (2) mixed doubles. Each set will be win 2 out of 3. The mixed doubles games will be played after the women’s and men’s doubles games. A DreamBreaker™ will be played to determine the winner of the match if teams are tied at 2-2 after the women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles games. During the regular season, teams will play all four (4) sets even if the score is 3-0 after the first mixed doubles set. Playoff matches will be played until a team wins three (3) sets.

Games must be won on your serve (cannot win any more points via rally when you reach 20. Teams will switch ends on alternating games in a set and if a third game is played, at 11 points. As players do not switch sides (stay on their odd or even court based on how you are positioned at the start of a game) during the game, the serve is made by the player on the even court when their score is even and from the player on the odd court when the score is odd. Serves can be volley or drop serves and there is no let. Teams may opt to switch sides (swap who is on the even and odd court) on their own time out. There is one 1 minute time out per game.

In case the regular match play ends in a 2-2 tie, teams will play a DreamBreaker™  game to 21 (win by 2) with rally scoring and a team must win while serving. Each team must rotate its four (4) players for four (4) singles rallies in a set order. The team that elected to react in mixed doubles will act first for the DreamBreaker™. That team will have one (1) minute to designate the first player in the order of rotation of its four (4) singles players to the referee. That team’s first player will be revealed to the opponent and then they will have one (1) minute to designate their opposing first player to the referee. This process will repeat back and forth until all four (4) players on each team are declared. The DreamBreaker™ will use the same rally scoring used in each game as described in this guide. All team members will play in four (4) rally rotations until the DreamBreaker™ is concluded (player 1 plays four (4) rallies, then player 2 plays four (4) rallies, then player 3 plays four (4) rallies, then player 4 plays four (4) rallies, and then the rotation repeats in the same order). In the DreamBreaker™, players serve from the left or right side of the court based on their score. A player will serve on the right side when their team score is even, and serve on the left side when the team score is odd. During the DreamBreaker™, each team will be allotted one  (1) time-out. Teams will change ends when one team reaches a score of eleven (11).

If a team wins their match 4-0 or 3-1, they are awarded 3 points. If a team goes to a DreamBreaker™ and wins, they are awarded 2 points. If a team goes to a DreamBreaker™ and loses, they are awarded 1 point. If a team loses 1-3 or 0-4, they are awarded 0 points.

If you are out for any particular week, you, the captain of your team, will be responsible for finding a replacement player as a starter.

If you use your bench to replace a starter for a set/game that has already begun, one (1) point will be taken from your score or a point is given to your opponents if you are at zero (0).

• bench sub is a person who was not playing at the start of their women’s or men’s doubles game

Entry fee: FREE! (no longer issuing medals to the winners, but winners will have their photos taken with Gold, Silver or Bronze plaques)

Who’s In!?!