HobbyLiga is a unique and very popular platform, because it connects a community of amateur players. Thanks to this community, you can play against new opponents every week, you can gain make new friends, you can improve you abilites, you can record detailed statistics, and you can utilize the benefits provided by our partners, or improve our sports grounds database. HobbyLiga is played in dozens of cities all over the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, France, Poland, or Italy. So you can play across all of Central Europe...
What is the difference between HobbyLiga and tournaments?
HobbyLiga is a long-term competition, in which 8 rounds are played over the course of 8 weeks. A tournament is usually a one-day event, where players can be eliminated after a single match :/
Can I play in HobbyLiga even if I am not that good at my sport of choice?
Of course you can! Many players, at first, are too shy to sign up because of their skill. But every one of them is glad to have done so in the end. Thanks to the Swiss system, we always choose opponents at a similar skill level. We also have different leagues for differently skilled players, including total beignners. Check out the videos on the main page. We even have a recording of a beginners' match there.
What are the levels?
In each city, we try to open a league for a) Beginners b) Intermediate players c) Advanced players. Our goal is to make sure everyone gets to play a quality match, regardless of their skill.
Is participation limited by age?
It is not. Although if children should participate, we encourage their parents to set up their matches for them and be present at the matches as well.
What is the prize for winning HobbyLiga?
The prize is different in each league, depending on who the league's parter is and who provides the prizes. The Playoffs Winner Trophy, a place in the Hall of Fame, and a virtual medal are, however, provided in every league.
How can I support HobbyLiga?
By signing up and actively sharing all the benefits of HobbyLiga. That is the best support we can get. In each league we are also looking for League Captains, who are our right-hands and take care of the smooth running of the league in a given city. Of course, we are always looking for new partners, sports grounds, and sponsors to collaborate with.
Entrance Fee
How much is the entrance fee?
The price of the base entrance fee is 300 CZK per season. That means you get to play at least 8 matches (plus playoffs, should you advance).
Is the price of sports grounds / courts included in the entrance fee?
It is not. The costs of sports grounds or courts are split equally between the players involved in the match.
Why am I paying the entrance fee?
The entrance fee goes to cover the costs of the services HobbyLiga provides to the players. It goes to pay programmers, developers, marketing experts, as well as the people who help us organize the leagues we run across Europe. We are constantly in the talks with new partners and sports grounds to make sure our players can get their money's worth back in the form of discounts and benefits.
What if I cannot play for a period of time?
You can just sign out of the rounds you know you will not be able to play in the 'Schedule' section. If you suddenly cannot play due to unforseen circumstances, it is OK. But it is fair to let your opponent know and suggest them to win the match by default.
Can I make the payment personally?
Unfortunately, you cannot. HobbyLiga is an online project and we are not phisically present in all the places, where leagues are organized.
What if I am not enjoying HobbyLiga?
In that case we will refund your entrance fee in its entirety. We will also be glad if you give us your feedback on why you did not enjoy HobbyLiga.
Signing Up
How long does HobbyLiga last?
HobbyLiga lasts for 8 weeks, during which you get to play a new opponent every week. If you place high enough, you advance into the playoffs, which can mean up to 3 extra matches.
How can I tell at which level I am?
It is up to each player to decide, which level they are. Usually, beginners are just starting to play the sport, intermediate players have experience but do not play regularly, and advanced players play regularly at least once a week.
Are the leagues split into male and female categories?
They are not. The players are divided based on their level of play, not their gender. We are all in the same league. :)
What if the minimum number players does not sign up?
In that case the league will be played using a round-robin system. This means that unlike in the Swiss system, players will sometimes play each other multiple times, within the season. If you are not interested in playing in such a system, you can always ask for a refund.
Can I change my level during the season?
Unfortunately, you cannot. You can only change your level during the first round BEFORE you play your first match.
Why is HobbyLiga only played in certain cities?
We only open leagues in cities, where enough players have shown interest in joining, which changes every season. But if you are interested in starting a league in your town or city, definitely let us know.
I cannot find my sport. Can I start a new league?
Don't see your favourite sport? Contact us! If it is possible, we will try to start a league in your sport or city of choice.
How will my personal data be processed?
Your data will only be used for the purposes of setting up matches and making communications between you and other players, or the organizers easier. This is why we only ask for very basic data.
How the League Works
How do I choose a sports ground if I don't know any?
Try asking your opponent. If they do not know either, you can always view different sports grounds on our website or ask in the discussion section.
When are the matches played?
Both the time and the place of the match are set by the the players themselves. We have shift workers, entrepreneurs, truck drivers, and students playing with us. It is always a matter of individual agreement.
Are referees present at the matches?
We are only an amateur league, therefore no referees are present at the matches. We trust you, the players, to agree even in the case of debatable scores and situations.
How do I contact my drawn opponent?
To contact you opponent, you can use our internal chat. After opponents are drawn, match chat windows are also created. Here you can set the date and location of the match. Each match also displays your opponents phone number and e-mail.
What if my opponent is not answering my messages?
Give them time, they could be dealing with something serious. If they still do not respond after a time, try calling them again. If all fails, you can claim a vicotry by default. We try to eliminate inactive players from the league as soon as we can.
Can a match be played after the round is over?
This always depends on the individual situation. Usually, we do not enter additional results at the end of the season, as it could mix up the final rankings, when the season is almost over. But if you, for example, cannot enter your results after the first round is over because you were ill, we can always work things out. :)
How are unplayed matches dealt with?
In the case of unplayed matches, we evaluate them based on the opinions of both player parties. Either one party can win by default (due to inactivity or long-term illness), or the match can be left undecided with no points being awarded (if both parties are equally responsible).
What is a Joker Card and how do i use it?
The standard time to play a match is 1 week (this can vary in, for example, doubles' leagues). Using a Joker Card will double the ammount of time you have to play the match. Each player has the opportunity to do this 4 times per season.
What is a "free draw"?
In the case of an odd number of players in a league, each round, one player will be left without an opponent. This player will get a "free draw". This means that the player will gain a vicotry without having to play a match, but does not increase "Opponent Strength". Each player can only get a "free draw" once a league. The player chosen is always the one at last position in the current round.
What is "Opponent Strength"?
Opponent Strength is the sum of all your opponents' points. This number changes over the course of the season, based on the other matches your opponents play. This is why it is, alongside number of points itself, one of the factors of determining the league leaderboard rankings.
How are leaderboard rankings determined?
Criteria are set in exactly the order shown in the leaderboard. The two most important ones are "Points" and "Opponent Strength". They are what usually determines the leaderboard rankings.
Who enters the match results into the system?
This is left up to the players. It is an unwritten rule, that the winner is the one to enter the results but we encourage players to enter the results continuously during the match and check them when the match is concluded.
What is ELO and how is it calculated?
ELO is a measure of a players performance. It is determined by a series of complex calculations. It increases when you win and decreases when you lose. The rest depends on what your opponent's ELO is. Essentially, the higher ELO the better the player should be. The higher the difference between 2 competing players' ELO, the more the side with a lower ELO stands to gain. Meaning: if you win against a player with a much higher ELO you gain more ELO and if you lose against a player with a much lower ELO you lose more ELO.
How are opponents drawn?
Opponents are chosen using the Swiss system, implemented from chess. The system takes the first player in the leaderboard and pairs them with the closest player with whom they have not yet played. After this pair is formed, to same process follows until all players are paired up.
Partners
Why become a Partner?
What are the goals of HobbyLiga and how is it unique?
The aim of HobbyLiga is to connect people with similar hobbies and interests. We create sports communities in the cities where our leagues are organized. And we allow people to express their passion for sports with other people. Its uniqueness lies in the amount of space we are able to cover across the largest cities in several European states.
How exactly does HobbyLiga work and who is the target demographic?
HobbyLiga is based on regular excercise. Every week, we give players information about the new round of the league and choose their opponents. Opponents are chosen according to the Swiss system and their performance. 8 rounds are played in the first stage, which is followed by a playoffs stage, where the best players compete. The target demographic are sports players of any age or gender.
Why should I become a Partner and how would I benefit from it?
HobbyLiga is a popular brand, beloved by players. Thanks to us, they are able to meet new people and play sports regularly. A potential Partner stands to gain a good reputation, as well as the promotion of their products and services to a well defined demographic of amateur sports players. We are a team of young people who have built HobbyLiga up from a local project to a European one. We take care of our own website and system and we are able to accomodate any individual needs you might have.
Partnership
How does the partnership work?
We are able to work with you on almost any reasonable partnership basis. Provide a discount for our players, put up our banners, and we will be sending players from all over the city to your courts. Do you have products that could interest our players? Provide them as a prize for our leagues and we will make sure the products are visible on our social media as well as our webiste. Want to work with us in another way? Contact us and we can work something out!
What are the conditions of becoming a Partner?
We are not opposed to any kind of collaboration. Of course we will not work with any subjects which violate human rights, promote addictive substances or political parties.
Who can I contact regarding partnership?
You can find the contact information of the relevant person in the 'Contacts' section.