Tournament Director Guidelines

All Northeast NSA LLC tournament directors will following the following guidelines unless specific permission is received prior to advertising any NSA sanctioned tournament. Please contact Cheryl Collins to discuss any changes you would like to request (some information updated 9/20/2022). Some information updates will not be available until after the NSA annual meeting in November 2022.

Promotional Materials
"NSA" or "National Softball Association" will be included in all promotional materials used for the tournament, including announcements, tournament materials, and t-shirts, etc.

NSA Rule Book
All NSA rules will be followed at all times throughout the tournament. Any deviations must be approved in advance by the State Director. Please request any changes 3 weeks before the tournament date.

Entry Fees
No tournament director will charge in excess of $650 for a 4 game guarantee tournament when the tournament director pays the umpires or $400 if it is Pay As You Play (entry fees for other formats will be determined by the Northeast NSA LLC office).

Tournament Format
All NSA tournaments will use 4 game guarantee format that includes 3 round robin games and a single elimination bracket with the exception of showcase tournaments, one day tournaments, and the State Championships.

Round Robin Group Assignments
All NSA tournaments will use either a random drawing (or online randomizer) or date of entry to determine the group assignments for round robin play. No tournament director will set up brackets using any other method.

Time Limits
All NSA tournaments will use a 90 minute time limit throughout the tournament. Round Robin games can end in a tie. Elimination games need a winner -- International Tie Breaker rule is used after 7 innings or the 90 minute time elapses, whichever comes first. Tournament directors can use 90 minutes, finish the batter for round robin play but they must use 90 minutes finish the inning for bracket play.

Tournament Deadline
All NSA tournaments will establish a deadline date that is not more than 6 weeks prior to the tournament. Teams must receive a refund of the entry fee (less the $100 cancellation fee) if they cancel on or before the deadline date.

Tournament Adverse Weather Refund Policy
All NSA 4 game guarantee tournaments with the umpire fees included in the entry fee will adhere to the Northeast NSA LLC Refund Policy as outlined below: (refunds for other formats may vary as determined by Northeast NSA LLC.)
     No Games Played -- At least 75% of entry fee will be refunded--retained amount must be approved by Northeast NSA LLC.
     1 Game Played -- 50% of entry fee will be refunded
     2 Games Played-- NO REFUND REQUIRED

All NSA 4 game guarantee Pay As You Play tournaments will adhere to the Northeast NSA LLC Refund Policy as outlined below: (refunds for other formats may vary as determined by Northeast NSA LLC)
     No Games Played -- At least 50% of entry fee will be refunded--retained amount must be approved by Northeast NSA LLC
     1 Game Played -- 25% of entry fee will be refunded
     2 Games Played-- NO REFUND REQUIRED

Umpires
All NSA Class A and Open tournaments will use two NSA sanctioned umpires for EVERY tournament game (when available). Current umpire pay rates are $60 per umpire per game when 2 umpires are used ($80 per game if only one umpire is assigned). (Updated 9/21/22)

Umpire Assigning Fees
All NSA tournament directors will pay the NSA Umpire Assigning Fee to the tournament UIC or assignor before the first game of the tournament is played. The assigning fee is subject to change, but at this time it is $3.00 per game scheduled (2021).

Tournament Sanction Fees
All NSA tournament directors will pay an NSA Sanction Fee to the Northeast NSA LLC office (or other appropriate NSA Directors as necessary) within 3 days of the completion of the tournament. The current NSA Sanction Fee for 2021 is a total of $15 per team participating in the tournament.

Tournament Results
All NSA tournament directors will promptly forward the tournament results to the Northeast NSA LLC office (or other appropriate NSA Directors as necessary) within 3 days of the completion of the tournament along with the tournament sanction fee and other required fees. New tournament directors may be asked to pay these fees in advance of the tournament.

Balls
All NSA tournaments will use the NSA Stamped Optic Yellow leather ball applicable for the age division participating in the tournament. Softballs are available through the Northeast NSA LLC office for NSA tournament directors at discounted prices.

Awards
All NSA tournament directors will award, at a minimum, 14 individual trophies each to the first and second place teams in each age division. Championship trophies will measure 12" (individual). Runner Up trophies will measure 10" (individual). Awards not meeting these specifications should be of approximately the same total value (approx. $300 per age division).

Fields and Facilities
All NSA tournament games will be played on well maintained skinned infield softball fields. Fields will be maintained throughout the tournament by the tournament director or venue host. Maintenance will include grooming the infield prior to every game and lining the field every other game with field chalk as needed.

All NSA tournament venues will have sanitary facilities available on site. If porta potties are used, a minimum of one porta potty will be available for each field used during the tournament.

Determining Home Team
All NSA tournament directors will use a coin flip to determine home team for all round robin games. The highest seeded team has choice of home or away in all elimination games. The only exception to this rule is you should use a coin flip in any IF game.

Contingency Plan
All NSA tournament directors should prepare a contingency plan in advance of the tournament if there is a reasonable possibility of adverse weather.

Tournament Insurance
NSA requires that all NSA tournament directors secure Field Owners Insurance to cover all fields used during a tournament. The cost in 2021 is $40 per field owner (Town/City/Other). NSA requires all teams to carry NSA team insurance in order to participate in any NSA tournament. The Tournament Director is responsible for purchasing NSA Weekend Insurance Program insurance coverage for each team that does not carry NSA's Westpoint Team Insurance at a rate of $10 per team (as of 2021). This $10 per team should be included in the entry fee. This insurance must be purchased in advance of the tournament through NSA. Northeast NSA LLC assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with any NSA Sanctioned event. Information on tournament insurance is available from the Northeast NSA LLC office.

Venue Hosts
Any team acting as a venue host for Northeast NSA LLC will be responsible for field maintenance at the complex they are assigned to. In addition, they are responsible for cleaning up all trash at the complex. In exchange for the above maintenance, the venue host will be permitted to run a concession stand at the complex and retain all revenue received from the concession stand, they will be given priority field assignment for all round robin games in the tournament, and they will be awarded a berth to the next NSA World Series if the tournament they are venue hosting is a World Series Qualifier. No other consideration will be given in exchange for acting as a venue host.

World Series Berths
Any team acting as a tournament host (or venue host) for Northeast NSA LLC be awarded a World Series berth for the Classification and Age Division in the year they host. This host berth must be activated in the same year by participating in the State Championship in their home state, or any other NSA tournament if no State Championship is held that year.