Wild Card Information
Teams that win their local league qualify to advance to the next level of competition – either Flight Playoffs or District Championships, depending on league structure. When necessary to complete the field for Districts, wild card teams may be invited. These invitations are made at the sole discretion of the Championship Committee and are based on the number of teams needed for ideal flight sizes.
Wild Card Selection Summary:
- In leagues without Flight Playoffs, wild cards (if needed) will be selected from 2nd place teams (see Selection Procedure chart below).
- In leagues with Flight Playoffs, wild cards (if needed) will be selected from the Flight Playoff losing teams. This is done because those teams finished ahead of 2nd place teams in the local league.
- Wild card teams are randomly drawn from the eligible pool. Local league records are not compared since there is no cross-flight competition during the local league. Local league flights / sub-flights may not be comparable in strength.
- If a qualifying team or wild card team is unable to participate, replacement is not automatic. The Championship Committee will determine if and how the spot will be filled.
USTA Colorado league staff will contact team captains directly if their team is selected for a wild card. Note: Requesting a wild card does not increase chance of getting a wild card.
| Wild Card Selection Procedure All leagues WITHOUT Flight Playoffs Wild card teams will be randomly drawn from a statewide pool of 2nd place teams based on this chart. | ||
| If level has… | Denver-Metro receives… | Outlying Areas receive… |
| 1 wild card | 75% chance | 25% chance |
| 2 wild cards | 1 + 50% chance for 2nd | 50% chance for 1 wild card |
| 3 wild cards | 2 wild cards | 1 wild card |
| 4 wild cards | 3 wild cards | 1 wild card |
| 5 wild cards | 4 wild cards | 1 wild card |
Wild card policy updated in 2015.
Note on Advancement
USTA Colorado understands that many teams would love to see more opportunities to advance beyond the local league. However, due to the large scale of our events and the limited availability of court space, we must carefully manage the number of advancing teams (Background Info Here).
Flight Playoffs and Districts are structured as elimination rounds, designed to efficiently determine which teams will represent Colorado at Sectionals. While we recognize the excitement of reaching Districts, this stage is not designed to maximize participation but rather to identify a winning team in a fair and timely manner.
We appreciate your understanding and continued enthusiasm for league tennis, and we remain committed to providing a high-quality experience at every level of competition.