MRT/KOR The Prequel to the Sequel: A BoF 79 Bid (GroupStage)

[Mertagne]

THE PREQUEL TO THE SEQUEL
MERTAGNE AND KO-OREN BID TO HOST THE 79th BAPTISM OF FIRE

Banner image courtesy of The Plough Islands, Anaia's resident cartographer.

FORMAT:
Based on previous BoFs, we are anticipating numbers between 28-36. These are good numbers for a tournament with a group stage (spoilers!)

Assuming the minimum of 28 nations sign up, 4 groups of 7 nations will play in a single round robin, before the top four teams from each group advance to a round of sixteen, with single elimination proceeding from there. In the event of more sign-ups an analogous format will be employed, prioritising large group sizes to ensure that these first timers get plenty of games in their first tournament. Tiebreakers, in order, will be: points, goal difference, head-to-head result, then an IC coin flip (OOC scorinated game). Tiebreakers will be applied until one nation is eliminated, then will be reapplied (starting from the beginning) as needed until all ties are broken.

RP BONUS AND SCORINATION:
Scorination will be performed in xkoranate using the SQIS formula, with additive style mods. One matchday will be scorinated every 48h. A generous roster bonus will be provided, which will be worth up to 2 matchdays’ worth of RP bonus.

Cutoffs will aim to be between 19:30 - 20:30 UTC for both hosts, as they are in similar parts of the world.

IC INFORMATION:
Mertagne is a nation situated on the continent of Calania, in central Anaia. The recently refurbished bicameral legislature is continuing to tackle the problems of a nation shortly over a decade out of a period of international isolation. The nation has an increasingly rich sporting history, with great success at the youth levels in football that is burgeoning to catapult to the senior international level, as well as moderate success in other sports and regional activity. The nation is rapidly becoming more well equipped to deal with a frankly unexpected increase in tourism, utilising its central Calanian location, in which it rubs shoulders with international heavyweights such as Starblaydia, Krytenia, and Huayramarca, to create transport and business links with the world over. Legislatively and culturally, Mertagne is a nation of opposites - from its rural-urban divide to its regionally divided legislature.

Ko-oren is an island nation in western Anaia, whose government is meritocratic with an incentive to provide services and education at the highest level to all of its citizens - not just the most well-off ones. Education and environment are the pillars of most policies: education to help a new generation blossom (and to encourage the use of our nation's eleven main languages), and the environment as we feel the obligation to protect the many different climate areas, from the frozen tundras up north to the subtropical rainforests in the east. We play sports, almost all of them, with a history in football (association, American, rugby union, rugby league, Australian), bat-and-ball games (cricket and baseball), and the hockeys (field and ice). We're starting to build an Olympic tradition as well. As far as legislation goes: some in the Multiverse think that we are very much no-fun-allowed, but we beg to differ.

Both nations are fully equipped to host the throngs of fans that are sure to come along for the ride as teams make their first foray into WCC football. Full IC information, including stadiums, will be provided in the tournament thread.

EXPERIENCE:
Mertagne is an increasingly experienced host who hosted the Baptism of Fire 78 and the Cup of Harmony 83, which occurred just last cycle. If it was good enough then, it's even better now!

Ko-oren is an experienced host who hosted the ODI World Trophy and the CAFA just last month. In the last 3-4 years, there's some rugby union World Cups, a World Bowl, a T20 World Cup, and a field hockey World Cup.

[Strike]

First Question for Mertagne: Are you aware there is a competing bid including yourself as a co-partner?

[Mertagne]

First Question for Mertagne: Are you aware there is a competing bid including yourself as a co-partner?

I am aware of a separate bid including myself as a partner. Seeing that we use single transferable vote for determining the host of this tournament, I believe that doing so hasn't detracted any potential votes for either the Ko-oren & Mertagne bid or the Mertagne & Ko-oren bid. We're confident that each of these bids brings something to the table that we are both fully committed to seeing through, and therefore we are happy to let the community decide which way they want us to approach the tournament (if at all)!

[Graintfjall]

I realize we have only had signups open a few days and may yet get a rush of interest, but what would your proposed format look like if there really were only about 10 BoF entrants?

[Mertagne]

I realize we have only had signups open a few days and may yet get a rush of interest, but what would your proposed format look like if there really were only about 10 BoF entrants?

This is a very interesting question, which shows great forward thinking. In the event that we get few signups, we will prioritise a larger group stage over a larger number of groups. To use your example of 10 entrants, we would likely utilise a 2x5 group stage with the top two teams qualifying directly for a semi-final. In the event of 12, we'd look at 2x6 over something like 4x3.

I like to imagine we'll continue to get a steady trickle of signups. In the event that numbers are close to a preferred number of signups, we will remind nations that have signed up for the WC and are also eligible for the BoF that they can sign up for that too in the signups thread, which may bring the numbers up a bit.