The current Sydney based Subbuteo clubs are pleased to be able to announce that they will be holding an inaugural ’Sydney Premier League’ during the 2015/16 season. The SPL will consist of 8 tournaments across the season.

Each tournament will be individually organised and function as a stand-alone competition, sanctioned by WASPA with results going towards WASPA ranking points. Therefore, a player may play in just 1 or 2 SPL tournaments during the season and still be fully rewarded for their results in these, as they always have.

However, the 8 tournaments will all combine, as well, to create the Sydney Premier League. To qualify for the SPL, a player must compete in a minimum of 4 of the SPL tournaments. At season’s end, a player’s results from their best 5 tournaments will be totaled. The winner of the Sydney Premier League will be the player with highest points aggregate from their best 5 tournament results. Players who only play the 4 minimum tournaments will also have their overall results tallied but will, obviously, have the handicap of having one less tournament’s worth of results to count on. Points for each tournament will be awarded in exactly the same manner as WASPA’s points allocations (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4_PpphlADgVeTEwd1piSVlGdkE/edit – pages 11-14)

As each tournament is a stand-alone event, there will be different formats from tournament to tournament. Depending on numbers, tournaments may run as a mini-league, or groups/finals, or using the swiss system, as appropriate. There will be different pitch and equipment conditions from tournament to tournament (e.g. the Subbuteo Parramatta September Cup is played with only original Subbuteo materials, the Northern Falcons TFC’s AGFA cup is played with fast and furious 15 minute games) so players will need to be versatile to do well in the SPL.

All players from all clubs, as well as players not affiliated with any club, are eligible to compete in any of the individual tournaments, as well as the Sydney Premier League, not just those based in Sydney. Significant prizes (to be announced in the lead up) will be on offer, including for youth sections. Newer and less experienced players will also be eligible for prizes in a range of categories.

At this stage, the tournaments will be organised by the following clubs…

August 2015 – Northern Falcons TFC
September 2015 – Subbuteo Parramatta
October 2015 – Deportivo de La Katoomba
November 2015 – Northern Falcons TFC

January 2016 – Subbuteo Parramatta
February 2016 – Subbuteo Parramatta
March 2016 – Deportivo de La Katoomba
April 2016 – Northern Falcons TFC

Specific tournament dates will be announced a minimum of 6 weeks prior to the actual tournament

More details to come in the following months.