TrackScore
WorkflowPopular~45 minutes setup

Tournament Setup Workflow

A comprehensive guide to setting up and managing tournaments of any size. This workflow covers everything from initial planning to final results, ensuring a smooth competitive experience for all participants.

Tournament Types Supported

🏆 Single Elimination

Traditional bracket-style tournament where participants are eliminated after one loss.

  • • Fast completion
  • • Clear progression
  • • Minimal games needed
🔄 Round Robin

Every participant plays against every other participant once.

  • • Fair for all participants
  • • More games per player
  • • Best overall winner
🎯 Swiss System

Participants play a fixed number of rounds, paired based on performance.

  • • Balanced competition
  • • No elimination
  • • Scalable to large groups

Complete Setup Workflow

Phase 1: Tournament Planning

1
Define Tournament Structure

Start by determining the basic structure and rules of your tournament.

Key Decisions:

  • • Tournament format (elimination, round robin, etc.)
  • • Number of participants (estimated)
  • • Game/match duration
  • • Scoring system
  • • Tie-breaking rules

Timeline Planning:

  • • Registration deadline
  • • Tournament start date
  • • Expected completion time
  • • Buffer time for delays

💡 Pro Tip

Consider your venue capacity and available time when choosing the tournament format. Single elimination is fastest, while round robin ensures everyone plays multiple games.

2
Create Tournament Board

Set up your tournament in TrackScore with the appropriate board type.

Board Setup Checklist:

  • • Choose "Tournament" or "Leaderboard" based on your format
  • • Set tournament name and description
  • • Configure scoring system (points, wins/losses, time-based)
  • • Set visibility (public registration vs. invite-only)
  • • Enable/disable real-time updates
  • • Customize branding and colors

[Screenshot: Tournament board creation interface]

Phase 2: Participant Registration

3
Set Up Registration

Choose your registration method and configure participant management.

Manual Entry
✅ Full control over participants
✅ No unwanted registrations
❌ Time-consuming for large tournaments
Self-Registration
✅ Automatic participant management
✅ Scales to any size
⚠️ May need moderation
CSV Import
✅ Great for existing lists
✅ Bulk import capabilities
⚠️ Requires formatted data
4
Promote Your Tournament

Share registration information and build excitement for your tournament.

Promotion Strategies:

  • • Share registration link on social media
  • • Create QR codes for physical posting
  • • Send email invitations to potential participants
  • • Post on community boards and forums
  • • Include registration details in event materials

✅ Best Practice

Set up a registration deadline that gives you enough time to create brackets and communicate the tournament schedule to participants.

Phase 3: Pre-Tournament Preparation

5
Generate Brackets & Schedule

Once registration closes, create the tournament structure and schedule.

Bracket Generation

  • • Use TrackScore's automatic bracket generator
  • • Consider seeding participants based on skill/ranking
  • • Ensure balanced bracket structure
  • • Account for byes if needed

Schedule Planning

  • • Estimate time per match/game
  • • Plan for simultaneous matches if possible
  • • Include break times between rounds
  • • Have contingency plans for delays
6
Test Your Setup

Thoroughly test your tournament setup before the event begins.

Testing Checklist:

  • • Enter test scores to verify calculations
  • • Test real-time updates on multiple devices
  • • Verify bracket progression logic
  • • Check all sharing and display options
  • • Test mobile responsiveness for participants
  • • Ensure backup access methods work

Important

Always have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties. Keep participant contact information and consider offline scoring methods as backup.

Phase 4: Tournament Execution

7
Launch Tournament

Begin your tournament with clear communication and smooth operations.

Launch Day Tasks:

  • • Brief participants on rules and schedule
  • • Share live tournament link for spectators
  • • Assign score entry responsibilities
  • • Set up display screens if needed
  • • Confirm all technical systems are working
8
Manage Live Tournament

Keep the tournament running smoothly with active management and communication.

Ongoing Tasks:

  • • Update scores in real-time
  • • Monitor for disputes or issues
  • • Communicate schedule changes
  • • Ensure fair play and rule compliance

Engagement:

  • • Share exciting moments on social media
  • • Provide regular updates to spectators
  • • Celebrate participant achievements
  • • Keep energy and excitement high

Phase 5: Tournament Completion

9
Wrap Up & Follow Up

Conclude your tournament professionally and gather feedback for future improvements.

Immediate Actions

  • • Announce winners and final rankings
  • • Distribute prizes or awards
  • • Take photos with winners
  • • Thank participants and volunteers

Follow-up Tasks

  • • Export final results and statistics
  • • Send thank you messages to participants
  • • Gather feedback through surveys
  • • Share highlight photos and results
  • • Plan for future tournaments

Tips for Tournament Success

✅ Best Practices
  • • Plan for 20% more time than estimated
  • • Have clear, written rules available
  • • Assign dedicated staff for score management
  • • Test everything with real participants beforehand
  • • Keep backup communication methods ready
  • • Celebrate all participants, not just winners
❌ Common Pitfalls
  • • Underestimating setup and breakdown time
  • • Not having clear tie-breaking procedures
  • • Failing to communicate schedule changes promptly
  • • Overlooking accessibility needs
  • • Not preparing for technical difficulties
  • • Forgetting to gather feedback for improvement

Related Resources

Explore related guides and tools to enhance your tournament management skills.