World Baseball Classic 50- Signups (CLOSED!!)

[Valanora]

No promises to RP, but sure, let's have a go

[Sevendia]

currently scoring, but def IN.

Edit: A puppet, to be named later, will follow.
Edit 2: This puppet exists now. Sevenia.

Looks like I cant actually remember the name of my own puppet, but Sevendia it is. In.

[Silver Beach]

Here to build upon our 4th place finish at WBC 17 as a puppet of Banija.

[Megistos]

here

[Hampton Island]

We'll be back. With new bears.

[Rwekazaland]

In

[Equestrian States]

The Pony Principality of Equestria
Official Bid to Host the 50th World Baseball Classic

Sports & Baseball in Equestria
Equestria made its NS Sports debut in early January 2012 at the 45th Baptism of Fire, followed several months later by its international baseball debut in the 22nd World Baseball Classic. Since then, the Phoenixes (as the national team is called by its fans) have experienced almost literally every high and low that a team can face: from serving as an unranked punching bag to being unofficial world champions after an upset over Western Cuba, from finishing in fourth place at the Equestrian-hosted 25th Classic to finishing near the bottom of their group. Equestria isn't considered by many to be a power in the sport, but have nonetheless maintained a consistent presence in the World Baseball Classic over the years.

Resumé
The user behind Equestria is one of NS Sports' more experienced hosts, having run multiple WCC events as well as numerous other lesser tournaments such as the Di Bradini Cup, World Bowl, World Cup of Hockey, and International Basketball Championships. Most relevant to this bid: the user has previously hosted three World Baseball Classics, the 25th, 29th, and 41st editions of the competition.

Format
Group Play
Right now, it looks like this will be a fairly large edition as far as participants go, though I'm not quite sure how many more teams to expect. As such, I'll refrain from defining the exact formats I'll be using until a bit later in the sign-up process (likely around the same time that host voting would start). However, I can say that I will be looking to use an even number of groups with no more than six nations in each. The group stage will be played in the three-games-home-and-away double round robin format in the participating nations, and at least the top two teams in each group will advance to the playoffs (third place teams may earn playoff berths if necessary).

Playoffs & Tournament Play
All playoff and tournament games will be played in Equestria. Teams will be seeded based on their group records, and group winners are assured the top seeds over other teams. Round winners will not be reseeded each round, with the exception of any teams advancing via play-in games.

Once I have determined the number of groups that I will be looking to fill, I will post a more detailed plan on the exact format of the playoffs. Regardless of tournament size, any play-in series (Ro20, Ro24, etc.) will be best of three. With the exception of the finals, all other series (including the third-place series) will be best 3-of-5. The championship will be decided in a best 4-of-7 series.

Tiebreakers
Overall Record
Head-to-Head Record
Overall Run Differential
Overall Run Differential/9
One Game Playoff

Scorinator
If chosen, I will use the latest version of xkoranate (0.3.3) with Saintland's modified NSFS formula. This bid will also use a cumulative RP bonus, with the bonus degrading by half following the group stage. RPs will be judged based on quality and creativity over quantity and frequency. A roster bonus will also be available, as usual.

Questions?
Got a question? Feel free to ask it here, or shoot me a TG if you prefer. I’ll try to answer it as best I can.

[Northwest Kalactin]

Equestria, may I ask why you chose xkoranate over Baseinator? Not saying it is a bad choice, but want to know your reasoning behind it. This can also be asked to other prospective bidders that choose xkor over Baseinator.

[Zwangzug]

EQS, your hosting record in baseball and other sports is indeed very experienced and impressive, so I don't have any reservations about your technical qualifications. However, I know that some of the recent tournaments you've hosted have experienced significant delays due to RL issues. Do you think there's a significant possibility that similar issues could reoccur in a WBC, and if so, do you have a backup plan for communicating with the forum/finding alternate scorinators if need be?

[Equestrian States]

Equestria, may I ask why you chose xkoranate over Baseinator? Not saying it is a bad choice, but want to know your reasoning behind it. This can also be asked to other prospective bidders that choose xkor over Baseinator.

The main reason I picked xkoranate was because it's simply what I'm most comfortable with using. I've played around a little with Baseinator, but I'm not sure that this would be the best time for me to adapt to hosting with a new scorinator. I'd be willing to give Baseinator a go in the future, just not this time around.

EQS, your hosting record in baseball and other sports is indeed very experienced and impressive, so I don't have any reservations about your technical qualifications. However, I know that some of the recent tournaments you've hosted have experienced significant delays due to RL issues. Do you think there's a significant possibility that similar issues could reoccur in a WBC, and if so, do you have a backup plan for communicating with the forum/finding alternate scorinators if need be?

Fair question. With the IBC in May, it was a one-two punch of covid in the family and getting let go from my job. Then with the AOCAF in August, it was travel and starting a new job which threw off my usual late evening scorinating routine. I don't anticipate either of those being an issue this time around. I did consider poking around for a co-host, but nobody else (at least that I'd seen) had indicated interest, so I decided to start off with a solo bid. I would still be open to taking on a co-host for the bid, however, and if something else major was to come up and I couldn't continue, I'd look for someone experienced to hand the tournament off to.

[Cassadaigua]

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC 50
Official Hosting Bid

I. Introduction

The Cassadagan Association for Baseball would like for the World Baseball Classic to return to Cassadaigua for the first time since WBC 45. World Baseball Classic Council, we present this bid to you for your consideration. This is a monumental edition for the Classic, so we would love to have this honor.

II. Format

Any workable number will be used that will allow for even group sizes. 48 signups would see eight groups of six. 54 would see nine groups of six; 56 would see eight groups of seven, etc.

The three game series format will be used once again.

Playoffs? Playoffs?!? All series will be best of five, with the exception of the final which will be best of seven.

If signups are 48 and under, there will be sixteen playoff teams. If more then 48 signups, the playoff field will be expanded, likely to 20 or 24.


Tiebreakers?
Head To Head Record
Head To Head Run Differential
Overall Run Differential
The old school Overall Run Differential/9
Tiebreaker Game

III. Scorination

xkoranate 0.3.3, with Saintland’s NSFS formula, will be used. This is due to my personal preference, and that it is has always been trusted in the past.

RP bonus will be generously provided. That is what we are here for. It’s cumulative until the playoffs, but I will cut it in half prior to the playoffs. Roster bonuses will also be provided, naturally. Along the lines of something that was seen in World Cup 86, there will be a 10% KPB penalty to any nation not providing a roster by MD1, and this will increase to 25% if not provided by the midway point. Any penalty for not providing a roster will be rescinded if and when said nation provides a roster. I appreciate the varying RP styles and themes that occur on NS Sports, all styles are welcomed. Quality is preferred over quantity.

IV. Experience

I've done this before! World Baseball Classics 18, 26, 40, 43, and 45 were also hosted by us, and then some other neat things as well, including being entrusted to co-host the World Cup on three occasions (54, 67, 84), and four overall World Cup Committee sanctioned tournaments. I’ve also done a World Bowl, an IBC, and a fair amount of NSCAA basketball. Other smaller things as well.

V. Conclusion

Thank you for reading my bid and considering it. I will gladly answer any questions that anyone may have.

Let’s do it!

[Super-Llamaland]

Thanks to both EQS and Cass for providing host bids. I don't have a vote right now, but would trust either of you to run a successful WBC.

Playoffs & Tournament Play
All playoff and tournament games will be played in Equestria. Teams will be seeded based on their group records, and group winners are assured the top seeds over other teams. Round winners will not be reseeded each round, with the exception of any teams advancing via play-in games.

To clarify, does this mean reseeding will happen between a possible Ro20/Ro24 series and the round of sixteen, or did you only mean for this to apply to tiebreaker playoff games?

Any workable number will be used that will allow for even group sizes. 48 signups would see eight groups of six. 54 would see nine groups of six; 56 would see eight groups of seven, etc.

Would any changes be made to the format to accommodate groups of seven or larger, or would you keep the three-game series double round robin for those sizes? Also, is seven the largest group size that you would consider?

[Equestrian States]

Playoffs & Tournament Play
All playoff and tournament games will be played in Equestria. Teams will be seeded based on their group records, and group winners are assured the top seeds over other teams. Round winners will not be reseeded each round, with the exception of any teams advancing via play-in games.

To clarify, does this mean reseeding will happen between a possible Ro20/Ro24 series and the round of sixteen, or did you only mean for this to apply to tiebreaker playoff games?

Yes, reseeding would only happen between a possible Ro20/Ro24 series and the Ro16.

[Cassadaigua]

Any workable number will be used that will allow for even group sizes. 48 signups would see eight groups of six. 54 would see nine groups of six; 56 would see eight groups of seven, etc.

Would any changes be made to the format to accommodate groups of seven or larger, or would you keep the three-game series double round robin for those sizes? Also, is seven the largest group size that you would consider?

I would keep the three game series double round robin format in all arrangements.
Eight is the largest I would consider. (Groups of 7 or 8 would have the same amount of matchdays). That said, I would like to keep group sizes six or under, but would go up to eight.

[New Waldensia]

If this is still open, New Waldensia will send a team.

[South Covello]

In. Soco es loco por beisbol.

I could have sworn I just posted a signup two seconds ago but it's not showing up so apologies if it shows up twice.

[Marigred]

In

[The Fortem]

Not too late to sign up so I'm in.

[Velarland]

In

[World Baseball Classic]

Signups are updated through Velarland. Up to 59 but room for so many more!
Very much still open for more signups. Keep them coming, let's play ball!

[Squidroidia]

Did somebody say baseball?

[Sicoutimont]

Many things have changed in this county over the years, but love for baseball is definitely not one of them. Couldn't miss the 50th edition, after all. In.

[Npc West Florida]

I’m in

[Thea Liters]

We join

[South Newlandia]

First of all, thanks to both of EQS and Cass for posting very qualified host bids, I would fully trust both of you to succesfully run this tournament. Nevertheless, I do have a few questions.

The first one is purely technical. Cass, in the OP, you state that the host vote will be from October 25 until November 1st. Does that mean that the 25th is also the host bid deadline, and if that is the case, would there be an extension of the vote in the (probably unlikely) case that someone submits a last-minute bid? Or is the host bid deadline earlier, to allow for a period for questions to be asked before the actual host vote begins?

My second question, for both bidders, is about possible group sizes. Clearly, the standard 48-team layout will not be working, and I am curious about what possible group sizes would be considered, specifically regarding potentially uneven groups of five or seven.

Any workable number will be used that will allow for even group sizes. 48 signups would see eight groups of six. 54 would see nine groups of six; 56 would see eight groups of seven, etc.

I am curious if you, and if yes, in what cases, would want to add/subtract one (or more) puppets to reach a "better" number of participants, specifically within the likely number of participating teams between ~60-70. For example, if we would end up with 63 signups (9 groups of 7), would you be considering adding an extra puppet to reach 64 teams and the (in my opinion) better layout of 8 groups of 8?

EQS has already mentioned that they would outline some more precise formats later in the sign-up process, so I am likely just a bit early here. Considering that you would cap the amount of teams in a group at 6, so the specific cases do vary, but in general, I have the same question for you as well. (A possible example would be 65 (13x5) to 66 teams (11x6)).

And just to clarify, both of you would likely not use groups of four, right?

Thanks in advance for your answers, and I am looking forward to a great WBC50!