General Help

If you are having difficulty using the site, please check through this list of frequently asked questions to try to resolve your issue.

If you still can't resolve your problems, feel free to contact support@hoopschallenge.com. Please include as much information as possible about your issue.

1. General Help

1.1 Why am I getting an error when I try to register?
Check to ensure that you are fully and accurately completing all fields marked with an asterisk.
1.2 When I click 'Register' after filling in the registration information, the page reloads as if I am supposed to enter something else. Why?
Again, make sure that you have filled in all required fields (fields marked with an asterisk) accurately.
1.3 Why do I need a user name?
You only need it to be able to login to the site. It is not displayed for anyone else to see.

2. Leagues, Entries, and Picks Help

2.1 What is the difference in registering and joining a league?
When you register, you are registering for the hoopschallenge.com site. This will give you access to the Hoops Challenge game and other features of the Hoops Shallenge site. You MUST first register for the site before you can play the Hoops Challenge game. Registration is quick, painless and best of all free. Joining a league is necessary only to play the Hoops Challenge.
2.2 Why do I have to join a league?
The leagues are created for your benefit. With the scoring system that is being used, even in a group of twenty players, several ties will occur. If leagues were not used, too many people would tie with each other and the game would not be as fun.
2.3 Should I create a public league or a private league?
A group of people who want to compete only with themselves should have a private league so that only those with the password to the league can join. If you do not want to place this restriction on the league, you can create/join a public league.
2.4 Can I join more than one league?
Yes! The site now supports both joining multiple leagues and joining a single league multiple times (if the league owner allows it).
Currently the number of entries a single player may have in the entire tournament is capped at ten until we have had some time to see the effect multiple entries has on the Challenge. League owners may also set the maximum number of entries per player in their league. The choices currently include either unlimited entries or from one to five.
2.5 Can I create a league but not join it?
Yes, once you create a league, as long as you do not submit the 'Join League' form on the subsequent page, you will not be added to that league. Also, you may delete your entry from any league (see below).
2.6 Can I change the settings of a league I created?
Yes, you may change the league name, whether it is public or private, the number of allowed entries, and the password (private leagues only). Click on the league's name, either from the Home page or from the List Leagues page. You will see 'Settings' in the upper left corner of the table. Click on the link to go to a new page where you can change the settings.
2.7 Can I delete a league I created?
No, you may join a different existing league or create a new league. When the contest begins, all incomplete entries and all leagues with 0 players are automatically deleted by the system.
2.8 Can I change the name of my entry?
Yes, on the Home page, you will see Actions on the right side of the page. Mouse over the choices until you see the 'Change entry settings.' Click on that action and you will be taken to a new page that will allow you to enter a new name for the entry.
2.9 Can I delete an entry?
Yes, on the Home page, you will see Actions on the right side of the page. Mouse over the choices until you see 'Delete entry.' Click on that action and you will be taken to a new page that will allow you to delete the entry.
2.10 Can I find out who is registered for a league?
You can click on the league name on the 'List Leagues' page. This will list all of the users in that league.
2.11 Can I play only the Final Four round or do I have to play the entire game?
You must choose a winner for every game, not just the Final Four. When the contest begins, all incomplete entries are automatically deleted by the system.
2.12 Why does it say my picks are '*INCOMPLETE*' even after I chose a winner for every game?
Make sure that you clicked 'Save Changes' before leaving the region/Final Four editor. Also make sure you have entered your guess for the total number of points scored in the Championship game. This guess is located on the Final Four editor screen.
2.13 Why are my changes to my tournament picks not being saved?
You must click 'Save Changes' before leaving a page to save the changes. Otherwise, the changes will not be saved.
2.14 Can I change my picks?
Picks can be entered and modified from midnight Selection Sunday until the tipoff of the first tournament game. Once the first game begins, picks cannot be changed.

3. Scoring

3.1 How is the game scored?

Contestants are awarded points for each correct pick, with more points being awarded for correct picks in the later rounds. Points will be awarded as follows:

Round Points per correct pick
Round of 32 1
Sweet Sixteen 2
Great Eight 4
Final Four 8
Semifinal 12
Championship 16

In addition to round points, upset points will be awarded for correctly picking upset wins. Upset points awarded are equal to the round the upset occurred in.

For example: You correctly picked the #8 seed to beat the #1 seed in the second round. You are awarded 2 points for the round and an additional 2 points for the upset, totalling 4 points.

The contestant with the most points at the end of the contest term will be declared the contest winner. Tiebreakers shall be determined by the following criteria in order of precedence:

  • Most correct picks
  • Most upset points
  • Closest guess to the total number of points scored in the Championship Game
3.2 How can I find out how I'm doing in the Challenge?
Once the contest has started, your Hoops Challenge home page will list all of your entries and your leagues.
'My Hoops Challenge Entries' shows how your entries rank versus both the players in the entry's league and all Hoops Challenge entries. Clicking on the Entry name shows the picks for that entry.
'My Hoops Challenge Leagues' shows each of the leagues in which you have at least one entry. The average score of all entries in that league is provided. Clicking on the league name shows all of the entries in that league with scoring detail for each entry.
Also on this page are links to List Leagues and the Leaderboard. List Leagues shows all leagues in the contest sorted by the average score for all entries in each league. You can sort on this field to compare the leagues. The Leaderboard shows the entries ranked in the top 25of all entries in the contest. The leaderboard will show at most 200 entries, so if there are more than that number in the top 25 ranks, it will warn you that not all entries are being displayed. The leaderboard will always show all of your entries with their overall ranks.
3.3 Does Hoops Challenge award prizes?
Sorry folks... No prizes this year. Sponsorship for this site is still too low to support prizes.