I think it's time to remove the top seeding rule when winning Eastern and Western Nationals. What does everyone else think?
My thoughts are that winning 1 event should not get you such a big advantage at the end of the year. Teams could win 3 or 4 events during the year, consistently do well the entire year, win winter worlds or any other scenario and not get the same reward at worlds.
Often, at least on the west coast, it's mostly Cali,Washington and Oregon teams who go. Many tight budget teams can't afford the travel costs.
What do you all think? Please note this isn't a LET'S BASH SSUSA post so keep those opinions to yourself.

Vinny

Hi Vinny..kinda view the favorable 1-2 seedings as an incentive for both EW teams to show up and give us that national playoff game. What I would like to see is both the E and W tournament sites rotated when possible to different areas within their respective regions. No.1 consideration must be the host ability to support teams and provide quality playing facilities. Yes easier said than done, but I feel we would get a different mix of participating teams. Input anyone?? Tku George

USA NATIONAL GAMES ANNUAL UPDATE – We get this inquiry and post this reply just about every year, and this is the 2024 version:

The USA National Championship Games are played during the seeding rounds of the SSUSA World Championships (SSWC) in Las Vegas.

WHO – The Champions in each age group and division from the Eastern and Western National Championships earn a berth in the USA National games. Should an Eastern or Western champion not be attending the SSWC, the invitation will be extended to the runner-up in their division. If neither the champion nor runner-up is attending, there will not be a USA National game in that division. If only one eligible team is attending the SSWC, that team will receive the USA National Championship awards for the division.

WHEN – For most sessions, those usually having only two seeding round games, the USA National Championship games will generally occur as the second game scheduled for the participating teams.

FORMAT – Games will be regulation games, subject to the Championship game 80-minute time limit.

WHAT’S AT STAKE –

• Winners of USA National games are the only teams eligible to win the Triple Grand Slam in their division. NOTE: The Triple Grand Slam is achieved by winning their division at either the Eastern or Western National Championships, winning the USA National game and winning their bracket at the SSWC. Teams must win at least two of those three in actual competition. Teams that had no opponent in either the Eastern or Western Championships, AND had no opponent for a USA National game, are not eligible to win the Triple Grand Slam.

• In brackets of five or more teams, the winner of each USA National game earns the #1 Seed for bracket play, and the loser earns the #2 Seed. There are two reasons for this: The USA National games are pre-determined and not part of the randomly generated seeding play; and they are not played under the same time limits as other seeding round games. With the first tiebreaker after head-to-head being aggregate runs allowed, a guaranteed 80-minute (or in effect, a seven-inning game) may put both of the participating teams at an unfair disadvantage, especially if the game goes to extra innings. In 2012 in Phoenix, one USA National game ended 30-26 in nine innings. The winner finished 2-0 and was seeded #9 (of the nine unbeaten teams in the division). The runner-up also lost their second game and was seeded #29 of 29. NOTE: Teams eligible to play in a USA National game that does not occur due to lack of an opponent will automatically receive a #2 Seed but are eligible to earn the #1 Seed conventionally. They will be subject to the same seeding criteria as all other teams in their division.

Hope this helps!

Thanks ssusa but it doesn't help. I'm aware of the reasons set in your rules. My post was geared to ask players if they agree or would like to see a change. Ex I like the idea suggested that they move the location around. This is just forum conversation, nothing else. To me you can have 1 hot tourney all year and as long as it's w/e nationals then you are prime for a good seeding at worlds.
There is no end all answer just conversation,but have, in the past, won winter worlds and 3 local qualifiers and get to worlds to see a team go 0 and 2 in rr and get the 2 seed.

Not trying to change the world
Vinny

Vinny Couldn't agree with you more with the No 1 seed going to the winner of the EW Championships. The only major tournament that the winner of the 80M played in was W Championship. There was a three team bracket made up of 1 80 AAA 1 80M and 1 85M. The reason for low turnout is not many want to go to Sacramento in August!

No worries, Vinnie ... I'm personally "all in" on getting rid of the guaranteed #2 Seed if there's no USA Game ... The reasons I gave for the #1 and #2 Seeds if there IS a game, are also just the flip side of the same coin for why I believe there shouldn't be a Participation Award for a team not playing a USA game ... I'll bring it up again this year at the National Rules Committee to try to gather the six other votes I need to eliminate it, so we'll see ...

My team has been the #1/#2 seed twice in Vegas in the last 5 years and did well once and didn't do well the other. In the end you have to beat the team in front of you regardless of seeding. You never know, the last seed might be a late arriving powerhouse.


If you win the E or W knowing what is at stake, then you earned the reward. Just my opinion.

Good luck to all.