Plan and run an event

Every Snapdown event follows the same broad lifecycle. A league event and a standalone tournament differ mainly in where their participants come from; both can use the same divisions, competition methods, publishing tools, and event-day screens.

Use this page to decide what comes next. Each stage links to the detailed guide for the work you actually need to do.

1. Plan the event

Create the event, choose whether it lives independently or in a league, and set the event basics. The event’s competition setup determines which later choices you will see.

• Choose the right Snapdown event setup if you are deciding between a league and a standalone event, or between individual competition and team duals.
• Configure your event for the event settings and defaults.
• Configure your league when the event belongs to a recurring league.

2. Set divisions and eligibility

Set divisions, fixed weight classes when you use them, and the eligibility rules that determine where participants belong. Do this before registration, imports, or roster selection so entries land in the right place.

See Set up divisions and weight classes.

3. Prepare participants

Choose the source that fits this event. The outcome is the same: a roster ready for the competition you plan to build.

• League roster: Select wrestlers for a league event.
• Public entries: Set up online registration.
• Existing spreadsheet or a controlled entry list: Add wrestlers to a standalone event.
• Event-day additions: Take walk-up registrations at the door.

4. Build and review the competition

Use the competition method chosen for each division. You can keep an event simple, or use different methods for different divisions when the event needs them.

• Choose a matchmaking format and generate matchups for automatic groups and mini-brackets.
• Build individual weight-class brackets for fixed-weight competition.
• Build a single dual or dual tournament for team-versus-team lineups.

Review the brackets or matchup groups before publishing. If current weights or a confirmed attendance list matter to the competition you are building, complete that event-day preparation before you build the affected groups.

5. Publish the matches you are ready to run

Publishing turns the prepared competition into the matches and queues the room will use. A straightforward event can use automatic scheduling across its mats. For a more deliberate operation, you can build and publish selected divisions or brackets in separate waves, assign them to specific mats, and leave later groups unlaunched until their turn.

• Use automatic match scheduling across mats
• Schedule divisions in separate sessions or mat groups
• Create a custom tournament flow and finals schedule

Snapdown does not have a separate session record. A session is an operating plan: configure the needed divisions, build their competition, then select and publish the divisions or brackets that are ready to run.

6. Run the room

Use the event-day screens to load matches, score them, show the room what is next, and respond to changes.

• Run your tournament from weigh-ins to results
• Run the Mat Control Center
• Score matches at a table
• Set up the Bout Board

When an event changes after publishing, use the focused troubleshooting guide for the specific change rather than rebuilding more than necessary.