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PROAM ASSOCIATION RULES & REGULATIONS

The Virtual Basketball Association should be an open and welcoming environment, where all parties involved feel safe, have fun, and develop their skills. To create such an environment, we need to take personal responsibility for how we behave toward our fellow players, coaches, staff, volunteers, and spectators. By following the rules set out below, we make the VBA community a place for everyone. Note that these rules applies to outside play as well, and is not limited to VBA League play.​

1. ETHICS FOR PLAYERS

Players include those who are on the active rosters, those who are associated with the teams in other capacities and any player prospecting to be drafted to a team. As a player adhering to the rules below, you ensure that VBA events promote an open and welcoming vSports environment.

1.1. Player Code of Conduct

  • 1.1.1. Offensive expression. Avoid expressing ourselves in an offensive manner toward other players or their actions in the game, regardless of whether they are opponents or teammates.

  • 1.1.2. Offensive language. Avoid using language, nicknames or other expressions that insult another player’s gender, gender identity, origin, physical ability, sexual orientation, religion or age.

  • 1.1.3. Team dynamic. Always support your team, communicating positively and with respect.

  • 1.1.4. Violent language. Avoid using language or actions that refer to sexual violence or other violence.

  • 1.1.5. Violent actions. Avoid acting in a threatening or violent manner.

  • 1.1.6. Cheating. Avoid cheating, glitching or hacking.

  • 1.1.7. Private information. Avoid sharing our account information or any other private information that could put ourselves or our peers at risk.

  • 1.1.8. Harassment. You may not harass other players, team members, or other associated parties.

  • 1.1.9. Sexual Harassment. You may not sexually harass other players, team members or other associated parties. There is zero tolerance for any sexual threats or coercion or the promise of advantages in exchange for sexual favors.

  • 1.1.10. Discrimination and Denigration. You may not offend the dignity or integrity of a country, private person, or group of people through contemptuous, discriminatory, or derogatory words or actions on account of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, ability status, gender identity, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, sexual orientation, or any other reason.

2. ETHICS FOR ORGANIZERS

Organizers include both anyone who hold roles in making decisions for and overseeing elements of the VBA League. Organizers help participants make respectful decisions, which strengthen vSports, events and competitions. As an organizer adhering to the rules below, you ensure that our events promote an open and welcoming vSports environment.

2.1. Organizers Code of Conduct

  • 2.1.1. Player’s Code of Conduct. Abide by all standards outlined in Section 3.1.

  • 2.1.2. Act accordingly. Have a plan of action to deal with situations that arise when someone breaches the contents of the Ethics for Players

  • 2.1.2.1. For assistance in creating an action plan, see the section ”Tips for Organizers.”

  • 2.1.3. Moderating. Moderate public channels, such as social media or forums, in conjunction with your events, and not allow offensive comments or exchanges.

  • 2.1.4. Safe Spaces. Work proactively to create a welcoming environment where everyone feels safe, regardless of gender, gender identity, origin, physical ability, sexual orientation, religion, or age.

  • 2.1.5. Offensive Summoner names. Ensure that the players taking part in a tournament are not using nicknames, team names, skins, or anything else that may be offensive.

  • 2.1.6. Offensive and violent language. Have a zero tolerance policy for language, actions and behaviors that include elements of violence, including sexual violence.

  • 2.1.7. Reporting. Encourage bystanders and spectator to immediately report any abuse they witness.

3. CONSEQUENCES OF BREAKING THE CODE OF CONDUCT

3.1. Subjection to consequences.

Any player found to have violated or attempted to violate the Code of Conduct is subject to consequences. The nature and extent of the consequences shall be made in the sole discretion of the VBA League Commissioner, team GM, team owner, or all of the above.

3.2. Options for consequences. Failure to abide by the Code of Conduct may result in any of the following:

  • 3.2.1. Warnings. Low severity or first-time offenses may be offered a written warning, along with supplemental opportunities for mediation.

  • 3.2.2. Loss of playing time for current or future games. In this case.

  • 3.2.3. Player suspension for the entire, or part of a season. In this case, a single player may be suspended, while the team may continue to compete with a reserve.

  • 3.2.5. Player suspension from the league. In this case, this bars a player from attending the VBA events in totality.

  • 3.2.6. Team disqualification. In this case, if three or more players on a single team have violated the Code of Conduct, the entire team may be disqualified.

3.3. Administering consequences. The VBA league officials will review any reports of misconduct at meetings scheduled at their own discretion.

  • 3.3.1. Protocol for administering consequences. If a party is found guilty of misconduct, the protocol for administering consequences is followed as such:

  • 3.3.1.1. Email or other written notification. For written warnings, an email may be used to notify the guilty party.

  • 3.3.1.2. Phone call, voice chat. For consequences in relation to Section 1 & 2, the VBA League officials must speak with the guilty party via phone call or in-person.

  • 3.3.2. Right to publish. The VBA League officials reserve the right to publish or notify team members, including general managers, and the public on any consequences administered.

GAME DAY RULES & REGULATIONS

GameDay
  • All games must start EXACTLY on time. (10am, 11am, 12pm, 4:30pm PACIFIC TIME) The 4:30PM game can be played at 1PM PT, if both captains agree.

  • All players must be online and check in with their captains at 9:30AM PT on Game Day (Saturday), this includes P-Squad players.

  • All starting players must be in the ProAm Court by 15 mins prior to game time, if a starter is not present at this time, the Sixth Man is subbed in, if the sixth man is not present or two players are missing then P-Squad players can be added for that game.

  • Games can be restarted if anyone is kicked in the first 2 minutes, after the first 2 minutes the game continues.  If 2 or more players from the SAME TEAM are disconnected, FOR ANY REASON, the game continues, and the team missing the 2 or more players loses in a forfeit. If 2 or more players from EACH team is disconnected or the entire game gets disconnected, the game can be re-played AFTER the reset of the scheduled games.

  • All players that are not playing in a game, are expected to be in party, and not playing other games.  You can be playing MyCareer games but must accept an invite if needed to sub in. If you leave the party (except for players IN THE GAME, that leave to party for connection stability reason) someone still in the party will take your play in the sub list.

  • There is ABSOLUTELY NO QUITTING GAMES, that means physically leaving games or just not continuing to play to your best abilities in a game.

  • No one other than the HOME TEAM captain is allowed to stream the games live, links to all games will be included in the box scores for each game and can be added to personal sites after the game.  Or you can clip save it to your PS4 and upload it to your site later.  When streaming or clip recording, please make sure that all chat audio is disabled if you plan to upload it later. 

GENERAL RULES & REGULATIONS

General
  • All players MUST use their registered build in all VBA League games and practices.  Registered builds can NOT be changed or substituted for either another POSITION or ARCHETYPE after the start of Summer League.  Changing or updating your registered build will void any playing contract, void any owed payout and reset your VBA career status.  Neither your build nor archetype can be changed while you are an active member of a team, for any reason.  If you lose your registered build, you will be placed in IR and lose your payout for the ENTIRE season.

  • All Registered players must use a build that is rated 92 or less, and must be at least 80 to play on a regular season roster.

  • If your MyPlayer file gets corrupted (or you lose it for ANY reason), you need to recreate the SAME EXACT build. If it happens during the regular season, it could mean losing your position on the depth chart and going on a virtual "IR (injured reserve)" until you can regain your spot.

  • If you leave you ProAm team for ANY reason during the regular season, summer league or spring league with out the explicit permission from the team, you will be suspended from the league for the remainder of the season and suffer any consequences from he suspension, up to and including loss of payout.

PLAYER FEES & FINES

Fees
  • If you comply with all of the Eligibility Requirements the league rules, playing in the VBA will be FREE for players.

  • Build Change Fee - New Players have all of the Spring League to change their build (position and/or archetype), this applies to ONLY new prospects.  Free Agents (restricted or unrestricted) and Active Players (players currently assigned to teams) cannot change their build/archetype, even in the spring league, without forfeiting their current  status (reverting to prospect) and paying a $50 Build Change Fee (BCF).

  • Eligibility Fee - Any player missing eligibility requirements after the last day of spring league will assess a $25 Eligibility Fee.

  • Draft Registration Fee - Any player that misses the summer league and wants to declare for the next draft must pay a $25 Declaration Fee and participate in the draft combine.  Any player that misses the summer league AND the draft combine, and wants to declare for the next draft must pay a $50 Declaration FeePaying the declaration fee does not guarantee that you will be drafted, just that you are eligible if a team wants to take a chance on drafting you.

  • There is a $25 fee to be re-activated from the inactive list

VBA WAIVER SYSTEM

Waiver

What Players Must Pass Through Waivers?

When a VBA team releases a player with less than three years of league play, that player is subject to the waiver process.

 

How Do Waivers Work?

The VBA’s waiver process is a system that restricts where new players can sign. Any player with less than three years of ACTIVE VBA league play when waived, must first pass through waivers. Any player on waivers is subject to having their contract claimed by any other VBA team in their declaration area.

 

On cutdown day (MONDAYs) all waived/cut players subject to waivers on waivers until picked up. All teams hoping to claim any player on waivers must submit a claim prior to 6pm PT (9pm ET) in the Coaches Corner.

 

Waiver Priority Order:

During the sprint series, the waiver priority order is based on the current VBA standings in reverse order, so that the team with the worst record gets priority on all waiver claims, the team with the next worse record gets second priority on all waiver claims, and so on until a team has max roster (7 players).

PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

PartGuide

TIPS FOR BECOMING A BETTER PLAYER

The following tips are good to remember when tournaments and games are at their most intense. vSports can create joy, frustration, anger, and happiness. What is important is how we deal with these feelings and that we make an effort to contribute to a more welcoming environment. In addition to making vSports a better place, your own performance will benefit from a positive mindset – put simply, you will win more if you are a constructive player! If you currently are or are aiming to become a professional player, it is also easier to get sponsorship if companies feel that you are well-behaved, responsible, well-spoken, and mature.

I. Online is the same as offline

Remember that it is each player’s responsibility to behave in a way that creates a good environment in chat rooms and in the game. Treat teammates, opponents, and admins in the same manner both online and offline, based on how you would behave if you met them in an everyday situation, even when playing/talking/chatting online.

II. Accept when others feel offended

Accept that people can feel offended about things that you yourself would not react to. People have different backgrounds and experiences, and this makes us perceive language in different ways. Even if you are accustomed to a way of joking or talking during contests, it is not certain that everyone involved in the game will experience it the same way. Keep in mind that even those who cannot directly communicate with you (other players and the audience) are affected.

III. Encourage instead of mock

Remember - we are all human, and we all make mistakes. We were all new to a game, at some point. To be constructive and give helpful hints instead of showing frustration helps new players, and contributes to creating a positive environment, as well as increasing the chances of victory.

IV. Show empathy

If you are angry, try to control it before directing your anger at another player. There are no rights and wrongs when it comes to feelings, and you will experience both anger and joy when playing. However, there are rights and wrongs when it comes to how emotions such as anger are expressed - think about how it feels when another player takes their anger out on you. One rule to remember is to treat people the same way online as you would offline.

V. You win more matches with positive words

When you play in a team, try to be positive and lift your teammates with constructive dialogue and encouragement. It’s much easier to win if the dialogue in the team is open and tolerant – statistics show that players with constructive attitudes during difficult moments in the matches win 10% more than the average!

VI. Be a good winner

It’s a great feeling to win a game or a contest, and you should enjoy that feeling! But at the same time, don’t rub your opponent’s nose in it. Think about the frustration you feel when nothing works and a game ends in defeat – in that situation, taunting can be tough to take.

VII. Influence others

Spectators and players that see you behave well toward other players, coaches, and admins will be inspired to do the same. Even outside the game, such as on social media, the way you conduct yourself makes an impression, good and bad. Your behavior makes a difference – so choose to be a good role model.

VIII. Analyze instead of complaining

If you are angry at a loss, do not take it out on your teammates or find ways to pass the blame - try instead to look at the statistics or the replay and consider how you could have played differently. You’ll often find that the skill of your opponents was probably a much bigger factor in the defeat than the performance of you and your fellow players. Also, find ways to analyze your own game with an open mind and consider that there are ways in which you personally can improve on mistakes you made.

IX. Respect coaches and admins

If you participate in a practice, game or tournament, treat the coaches and admins in a respectful manner. You are of course entitled to criticize what you see as a miscarriage of justice, but flaming or acting aggressively toward coaches or admins during a practice, game or tournament does not benefit anyone - the verdict will not change and you will lose focus on your performance.

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