APPA Classification Update

After carefully examining the performance of the Universal Classification system following last season’s major revamp, we are pleased to announce a few adjustments to the system for 2011 that will build on the previous revamp to make the system perform even better. The adjustments focus on two areas: Recognizing when players may not be competing at as high a level as they may have been previously and allowing their classification to fall sooner, and providing RaceTo-4/5/7 teams additional flexibility with their rosters to include players of slightly higher ratings than they were able to previously. These changes will provide more opportunities for players to compete without compromising on the fair competition players and teams demand.

– As in 2010, 3-man events will not count towards your PSP Classification
– As in 2010, a player can not be promoted to Division 2 or higher unless they earn enough points from either playing in higher divisions or playing in PSP tournaments. (Exception: Regional leagues offering Division 2 may promote players to that division for their league.)
– As in 2010, two point promotion thresholds will be in place, one for promotion based on a player’s classification rating on 12/31/2010, and a higher threshold that applies throughout the 2011 season. For the 2011 season, the points needed to be promoted to a classification are:

Promotoed to At End of 2010 SeasonĀ (12/31/2010) Anytime during Season
Pro/Semi-Pro
3936pts
4800pts
D1
1968 pts
2400 pts
D2
984 pts
1200 pts
D3
492 pts
600 pts
D4
100 pts
300 pts
D5
50 pts
150 pts

– The Semi-Pro division will be eliminated. Semi-Pro will remain a classification, however, but it will be “parallel” to the Pro classification. A player who earns enough points to be promoted to Pro/Semi-Pro will be Pro if they have played at least 2 Pro events within the current or previous two seasons (2011, 2010, 2009) and Semi-Pro otherwise.
– Players will continue to earn 100 points for 1st place finishes, and 10 points for last place finishes, except that players on Pro teams will earn 45.5 points for a last place finish. Points for finishes between 1st and last place will be evenly spread between the top and bottom scores.

As in 2010, scores will be multiplied based on the division in which they were earned to determine the number of points they are worth.

Division Multiplier
Pro
32x
Semi-Pro
24x
D1
16x
D2
8x
D3
4x
D4
2x
D5
1x

Older scores will be reduced in value compared to newer scores, based on the season the score was earned and the number of events played since the score was earned.

Season Score was earned # of events since score earned score value
2011, 2010, 2009
11 or less
100%
2008
12-17
70%
2007
18-23
50%
2006 and 3 events since
24-29
35%
2k5, 2k4, 2k3, and 5 events since
30+
25%

The lower score value counts, so if a score was earned in 2009, but the player has played 14 events since the score was earned, the score counts at 70%, not 100%. Note that scores do not drop to 35% value unless at least 3 events have been played since the score was earned, and scores do not drop to 25% value unless at least 5 events have been played since the score was earned.

A player’s total ranking is the sum of their best three scores, except that players with at least 4 scores drop their top score, and players with three scores count their top score at 50%.

Roster Rules:

For RaceTo-2 rosters, a team may have up to one player classified up to one division higher than the division the team is competing in.

For RaceTo-4/5 rosters, a team may have up to two players who are classified higher than the division the team is competing in.

– A RaceTo-4/5 team may always have two players who are classified one division higher than the division the team is competing in.
– Division 1 teams may have any number of Semi-Pro players, and up to 2 Pro players.
– No Pro players may compete on Division 2 or lower teams.
– To provide additional roster flexibility RaceTo-4/5 teams and additional opportunities for players just over a classification threshold, a RaceTo-4/5 team may have one player who is two classes higher than the division the team is competing in, provided the player’s rating is no higher than 3x the end-of-season limit for the division the team is competing in, and the total points for the top two players on the team do not exceed 4x the end-of-season limit for that division.

Division Top Player’s Rating Limit Sum of top 2 player’s rating limit
D2 Race to 5
5904
7872
D3 Race to 4
2952
3936
D4 Race to 4
1476
1968

Basically, you can have up to 2 players one class higher, but one player can “borrow” points from the other player. So for a D3 team, you could have two players rated 1968, or one player at 2168 and one at 1768, or one at 2868 and another at 1068. You can not, however, ever have a player rated over 2952 points on a D3 RaceTo-4 team.