For Tournament Organizers
Your complete command center manual. From setup to championship point.
1 Creating a Tournament
Start by visiting /manage and clicking New Tournament.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Your tournament's display name (e.g., "Summer Bash 2026") |
| Date | When the event takes place |
| Courts | Total number of courts available for matches |
2 Security & Scoring Access
Who Can Score Matches?
Rally HQ uses two authentication methods for public scoring. Both are automatically set up when you create a tournament.
A 4-digit PIN is auto-generated for your tournament. Find it in Settings and share it with designated scorekeepers.
Captains can score any match without a PIN. Their team portal link serves as authentication. Great for self-officiated games!
You always have full control: As the organizer, you can score from the Manage dashboard without any PIN — your login is your authentication.
3 Check-In Process
Game day tip: Set up a check-in station where captains confirm their team is present. This helps you know which teams are ready before starting pool play.
Confirm arrivals
As teams arrive, verify they're on your roster. Mark any no-shows or late arrivals.
Finalize pools
If a team doesn't show, reassign pools before generating the schedule. Uneven pools are okay.
Brief your scorekeepers
Give them the court links and PIN. Walk through the scoring flow if they're new.
4 Scoring Rules
Rally HQ supports flexible scoring formats. Configure these in Settings.
| Format | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Single game to 25 | Quick pool play matches, time-limited events |
| Best of 3 | Bracket play, championship matches |
| Point cap (e.g., 21) | Recreational leagues, faster turnaround |
Win by 2: Standard volleyball rules require winning by 2 points. Rally HQ enforces this automatically.
5 Running the Event
Pool Play
Assign teams to pools in the Pools tab. Aim for 3-4 teams per pool to ensure everyone gets enough play time.
- Matches are scheduled automatically based on court count
- Each pool uses a round-robin format (everyone plays everyone)
- Standings update in real-time as scores come in
Bracket Play
Once pool play is done, go to the Bracket tab. The system automatically seeds teams based on record.
- Click Generate Bracket to build the elimination tree
- Pool winners get top seeds (1, 2, 3...)
- Second-place finishers follow (4, 5, 6...)
Going Live
On game day, toggle Tournament is Live in Settings. This shows the LIVE badge to spectators.
6 Handling Ties
Automatic Tiebreakers
Rally HQ breaks ties automatically. You don't need to intervene unless there's a special circumstance.
7 Troubleshooting
- Ensure all pool play matches have final scores
- Check that you have at least 2 pools
- Verify teams are assigned to pools (not unassigned)
- Both captains should agree on the final score
- You can edit any match score from the Schedule tab
- Changes are logged for transparency
- Double-check the PIN is correct
- Make sure they're using the right court link
- Try refreshing the page on their device
8 Managing Leagues PRO
Pro feature: Leagues are available with a Pro subscription. They're perfect for recurring events like weekly beach volleyball or indoor rec leagues.
Understanding the Structure
Leagues have a hierarchical structure: Event → Season → Weeks.
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Event | The overall league (e.g., "SoCal Beach League") |
| Season | A time period (e.g., "Spring 2026") |
| Week | Individual tournament within the season (Week 1, Week 2...) |
Team Rosters
Teams register once for the league and their roster persists across all weeks. No need for teams to re-register every week!
- Teams register at
/events/[slug]/register - Their roster is automatically copied to each week's tournament
- Standings track their cumulative record across the season
Season Standings
Standings update automatically as matches complete. The public standings page shows real-time rankings.
Weekly Workflow
9 Billing & Plans
Access your billing dashboard from /manage by clicking Billing in the header.
- View your plan — See your current tier (Free, Plus, or Pro)
- Payment history — All past invoices with download links
- Tournament passes — List of tournaments unlocked with Plus
- Manage subscription — Update payment or cancel via Stripe
Secure payments: All payment processing is handled by Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Know Your Legal Responsibilities
As an organizer, you're responsible for participant data, safety, insurance, and payment handling. Rally HQ is software—you run the event.
Read the full responsibility summary