Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 
1. SPONSOR
The National Women's Collegiate Volleyball Bracket Challenge (the "Challenge") is sponsored by REN Athletics ("Sponsor”).  

2.ELIGIBILITY
The Challenge is open only to legal residents of the United States who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry. The Challenge is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.

Participants must have access to the internet and a valid email address to participate.

IMPORTANT RESTRICTIONS: The following individuals are NOT eligible to participate in the Challenge:

Any individual associated with a collegiate volleyball program participating in the December 2024 national championship tournament, including but not limited to:

Players
Coaches
Athletic trainers
Team managers
Athletic department staff
Officials or referees assigned to tournament matches
Conference administrators

Immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) of players or coaches participating in the tournament
Individuals who have access to non-public information about any participating teams or players

By entering the Challenge, participants certify that they are not subject to any of the above restrictions and acknowledge that participation could result in loss of collegiate athletic eligibility or employment if they fall into any of the restricted categories.
  
3. ENTRY PERIOD
The Challenge entry period begins on Sunday, December 1st, 2024, at 9:00 PM Eastern Time ("ET") and ends on Thursday, December 5th, 2024, at 3:00 PM ET ("Entry Period"). Entries submitted before or after the Entry Period will not be eligible. Sponsor’s servers are the official time-keeping devices for the Challenge.
  
4. HOW TO ENTER
To participate in the Challenge:

Visit the Challenge website during the Entry Period
Complete the registration process by providing required information (first name, last name, username, email address, date of birth, and confirmation of U.S. citizenship)
Fill out your tournament bracket predictions – you must complete the entire bracket.
Submit your completed bracket before the Entry Period closes

Note: If entering using your wireless mobile device, standard message and data rates may apply. Please consult your wireless service provider regarding its pricing plans prior to entering via your wireless mobile device.

LIMIT ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON. Any attempt by any entrant to enter more than the stated number of brackets by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will make that entrant’s brackets ineligible for the Challenge and that entrant may be disqualified.
  
5. TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The Challenge follows a 64-team single-elimination tournament format for the women's collegiate volleyball championship tournament. Participants will predict the winners of each match throughout the tournament, including the Semifinals and Championship Game.  
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6. SCORING SYSTEM
Points are awarded as follows:  

First and Second Rounds

Basic correct pick: 1 point
Upset bonus: +2 points for correctly picking a lower seed to beat a higher seed
Total possible per game: 3 points (1 for correct pick + 2 for upset)

Middle Rounds (Round of 16 & Quarterfinals)

Correct pick: 2 points

Semifinals

Correct pick: 4 points

Championship Match

Correct pick: 8 points

Bracket Structure

7. TIEBREAKERS
In the event of a tie, winners will be determined in the following order:

Predicted number of sets played in the championship match (choices: 3, 4, or 5 games)
Predicted final set score in championship match

If match concludes before a 5^th game, what do you predict the final score to be (Winning team’s score must be at least 25)
If match concludes in a 5th game, what do you predict the final score to be (Winning team’s score must be at least 15)

Predicted total score of all sets (combining both teams) played in championship match (closest to but not over)

Your predicted total must be equal to or less than the actual total. If you predict higher than the actual total, you cannot win this tiebreaker.

Final Tiebreaker Note: In the event that multiple participants remain tied after all three tiebreakers have been applied, the $20,000 prize will be split equally among the tied winners.

8. PRIZES
Total Prize Pool: $20,000, distributed to the first place winner.

9. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION
The winner will be determined based on the highest total points accumulated throughout the tournament. The winner will be announced on Sunday, December 22nd, 2024, at 6:00 PM ET.
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The potential winner will be notified via email and must respond within 72 hours of notification. The winner must provide valid identification (Driver's License, Birth Certificate, or Passport) to verify age and residency before prize distribution.
In the event that the tournament does not conclude with a clear champion, for any reason whatsoever, no prize will be awarded this bracket challenge.

10. PRIZE CLAIMS
The winner will be required to complete, sign, and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Release, and Publicity Release (where permitted by law) and any other documents required by Sponsor within 5 days of notification. Failure or refusal to comply will result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate winner.

11. TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The winner is solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes associated with the prize. A 1099-MISC form will be issued to the winner for the value of the prize.

12. GENERAL CONDITIONS
By participating, entrants agree to:

These Official Rules and Sponsor's decisions, which are final and binding
Release and hold harmless Sponsor and its affiliates from any claims, losses, or damages arising from participation
Allow use of their name, likeness, photograph, social media presence, voice, opinions and/or hometown and state and entry for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without additional compensation
Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations

13. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY
Sponsor is not responsible for:

Technical failures of any kind
Unauthorized human intervention
Technical or human error in the administration of the Challenge
Late, lost, undeliverable, damaged, or stolen entries

14. DISPUTES
Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that:

Any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Challenge or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas or the appropriate Texas State Court located in Collin County, Texas
Any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Challenge, but in no event attorneys’ fees
Under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.

All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Challenge, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Texas without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of Texas or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Texas.

15. PRIVACY
Personal information collected from entrants will be used solely for administering the Challenge and is subject to Sponsor's Privacy Policy.

16. WINNER LIST
For the name of the winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: REN Athletics, 4100 Eldorado Pkwy, Ste 100-182, McKinney, TX 75070 or email bracketchallenge@renathletics.com. Requests must be received within 90 days of the end of the Challenge.

17. CONTACT
For questions regarding these Official Rules or the Challenge, please email bracketchallenge@renathletics.com

*Disclaimer
This Challenge is not sponsored or administered by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.