MLB The Show 21 Summer Circuit: Everything You Need to Know
The MLB The Show 21 Summer Circuit has begun! See below for the Frequently Asked Questions about the Exhibition and Competitive Tournaments.
Be sure to join the Battlefy MLB The Show 21 Tournament Support Discord Server for direct responses from tournament admins, and click here to sign up.
Exhibition Rules
Exhibition Tiebreakers
Exhibition Prizing*
Exhibition Schedule
Exhibition Age Requirements
Exhibition Guide
Exhibition Squad Requirements
Exhibition In-game Settings
Exhibition Format
How does the Swiss tournament format work in the Exhibition Tournament?
Competitive Rules
Competitive Tiebreakers
Competitive Prizing**
Competitive Schedule
Competitive Age Requirements
Competitive Guide
Competitive Squad Requirements
Competitive In-game Settings
How does the Swiss tournament format work in the Competitive Tournament?
Competitive Format
Competitive Points Earned
Grand Finals
How to Qualify for Grand Finals
Grand Finals Seeding
Grand Finals Tiebreakers
Grand Finals Prizing
Grand Finals Schedule
Is the Grand Finals being streamed?
How to check if my squad is tournament eligible
How to check if my opponent’s squad is tournament eligible
Stadium Requirements
How do Inside Edge Boosts and Parallel upgrades
Country Eligibility
How do I accept a cross-platform game challenge?
How do I add a cross-platform opponent as a friend?
How to Challenge Opponents in Play vs. Friends Mode
Does Crossplay need to be enabled?
Am I Home or Away?
Is the tournament free to enter?
How to Upload Score to Battlefy
Can I stream in the tournament?
Battlefy Guides
How do I report an issue?
Exhibition
Where can I find the Exhibition Tournament Ruleset?
https://cdn.battlefy.com/mlbtheshow/summer-exhibition-2021-official-rules.pdf
How do tiebreakers work in the Exhibition Tournament?
- Tiebreaker 1: The Entrant’s Opponent’s Match Win Percentage.
An Entrant’s match-win percentage is that Entrant’s accumulated match points divided by the total match points possible in those rounds. If this number is lower than 0.33, use 0.33 instead. The minimum match-win percentage of 0.33 limits the effect low performances have when calculating and comparing opponents’ match-win percentage. - Tiebreaker 2: The Entrant’s Game Win Percentage.
Similar to the match-win percentage, an Entrant’s game-win percentage is the total number of game points he or she has earned divided by the total game points possible (generally, 3 times the number of games played). Use 0.33 if the actual game-win percentage is lower than 0.33. - Tiebreaker 3: The Entrant’s Opponent’s Opponent’s Match Win Percentage.
- Tiebreaker 4: Total runs scored. Whichever player scored more runs in their matches.
What are the prizes for the Exhibition Tournament?
- Grand Prize: One winner will receive 600,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- First Place Prize: One winner will receive 300,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Second Place Prize Tier: Two winners will receive 150,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Third Place Prize Tier: Four winners will receive 67,500 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Fourth Place Prize Tier: Eight winners will receive 24,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
What is the Exhibition Tournament Schedule?
Exhibition 1: July 31 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Exhibition 2: August 1 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Exhibition 3: August 14 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Exhibition 4: August 15 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
How old do I need to be to compete in the Exhibition Tournament?
Players must be at least 13 years of age at time of entry for the Exhibition Tournaments
Is there a Battlefy Player Guide for the Exhibition Tournament?
Yes, click here to access the Exhibition Tournament Player Guide
What are the Squad Requirements for the Exhibition Tournament?
Squad requirements are the same for Competitive and Exhibition Tournaments.
Position Players:
3 x 95+ overall ratings players (or below)
3 x 85-94 overall ratings players (or below)
The rest 84 or below overall rating
Starting Pitchers Limit:
2 x 95+ overall rating starters (or below)
1 x 85-94 overall rating starter (or below)
The remaining 2, 84 or below overall rating
Bullpen Limit:
2 x 95+ overall rating bullpen pitchers (or below)
2 x 85 – 94 overall rating bullpen pitchers (or below)
4 x 84 or below overall rating bullpen pitchers
Community Parallel and Inside Edge boosts count towards overall ratings.
If an 84 overall player card has an Inside Edge boost of +2 and a Parallel boost of +1, that player would be considered an 87 overall card and fall under the 85 – 94 tier.
If a player boosts up a card in their lineup which would take them out of the specified tier limits, within the duration of the tournament, then they will need to replace that card with an eligible one before their next tournament match.
What settings do I need to play on for Exhibition Tournaments?
Cross play: ON (network setting)
Add friends: ON (network setting)
Messaging: ON (network setting)
Mode: Diamond Dynasty
Hitting: Hall of Fame
Pitching: Hall of Fame
Guess Pitch: OFF
Quick Counts: OFF
Strike Zone: ON
Hot Zone: OFF
Balks: OFF
Umpire Accuracy: Perfect
Umpire close plays: OFF
Ejections: OFF
Injuries: OFF
Presentation mode: Fast Play
Created ballplayers are not permitted.
The settings are the same except Hitting and Pitching are on Legend for Competitive Tournaments and Hall of Fame for Exhibition Tournaments.
What is the format for the Exhibition Tournament? How many innings do we play?
Players will play in 9-inning games in the Swiss tournament system. The number of rounds played will vary depending on the number of players and results of each round. However, no more than 6 rounds will be played. Players will be eliminated after two losses.
How does the Swiss tournament format work in the Exhibition Tournament?
A Swiss tournament format tries to ensure players will compete against those with an equal record. Players will play a maximum of six games total (all 9-inning games) and will be eliminated after two losses. Players will need to wait until each round is complete before the next round can start.
Competitive
Where can I find the Competitive Tournament Ruleset?
https://cdn.battlefy.com/mlb-the-show-21/summer-circuit-2021.pdf
How do Tiebreakers work in the Competitive Tournament?
Day 1 and Day 2 ties will be broken using the following rules:
- Tiebreaker 1 – The Entrant’s Opponent’s Match Win Percentage
Opponent’s Match-Win Percentage: An Entrant’s match-win percentage is that Entrant’s accumulated match points divided by the total match points possible in those rounds. If this number is lower than 0.33, use 0.33 instead. The minimum match-win percentage of 0.33 limits the effect low performances have when calculating and comparing opponents’ match-win percentage. - Tiebreaker 2 – The Entrant’s Game Win Percentage
Game-Win Percentage: Similar to the match-win percentage, an Entrant’s game-win percentage is the total number of game points he or she earned divided by the total game points possible (generally, 3 times the number of games played). Again, use 0.33 if the actual game-win percentage is lower than that. - Tiebreaker 3 – The Entrant’s Opponent’s Opponent’s Match Win Percentage.
What are the prizes for the Open Qualifier?
- First Prize: One winner will receive 1,050,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Second Prize: One winner will receive 600,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Third Prize Tier: Two winners will each receive 150,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Fourth Prize Tier: Four winners will each receive 67,500 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Fifth Prize Tier: Eight winners will each receive 24,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Sixth Prize Tier: Sixteen winners will each receive 11,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Seventh Prize Tier: Thirty-two winners will each receive 5,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
What is the Competitive Schedule?
Open Qualifier 1
- Day 1: July 24 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
- Day 2: July 25 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Open Qualifier 2
- Day 1: August 7 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
- Day 2: August 8, at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Open Qualifier 3
- Day 1: August 21 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
- Day 2: August 22 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Grand Finals
- Day 1: August 28 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
- Day 2: August 29 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
How old do I need to be to compete?
Players must be at least 18 years of age at time of entry for the Competitive Circuit
Is there a Battlefy Player Guide for the Competitive Tournament?
Yes, click here to access the Competitive Tournament Player Guide
What are the Squad Requirements?
Squad requirements are the same for Competitive and Exhibition tournaments.
Position Players:
3 x 95+ overall ratings players (or below)
3 x 85-94 overall ratings players (or below)
The rest 84 or below overall rating
Starting Pitchers Limit:
2 x 95+ overall rating starters (or below)
1 x 85-94 overall rating starter (or below)
The remaining 2, 84 or below overall rating
Bullpen Limit:
2 x 95+ overall rating bullpen pitchers (or below)
2 x 85 – 94 overall rating bullpen pitchers (or below)
4 x 84 or below overall rating bullpen pitchers
Community Parallel and Inside Edge boosts count towards overall ratings.
If an 84 overall player card has an Inside Edge boost of +2 and a Parallel boost of +1, that player would be considered an 87 overall card and fall under the 85 – 94 tier.
If a player boosts up a card in their lineup which would take them out of the specified tier limits, within the duration of the tournament, then they will need to replace that card with an eligible one before their next tournament match.
What settings do I need to play on for Competitive Tournaments?
Competitive Tournaments
Cross play: ON (network setting)
Add friends: ON (network setting)
Messaging: ON (network setting)
Mode: Diamond Dynasty
Hitting: Legend
Pitching: Legend
Guess Pitch: OFF
Quick Counts: OFF
Strike Zone: ON
Hot Zone: OFF
Balks: OFF
Umpire Accuracy: Perfect
Umpire close plays: OFF
Ejections: OFF
Injuries: OFF
Presentation mode: Fast Play
Created ballplayers are not permitted.
How does the Swiss tournament format work in the Competitive Tournament?
A Swiss tournament format tries to ensure players will compete against those with an equal record. On Day 1 of the Competitive tournament, players will play six games total (all 3-inning games). Players will need to wait until each round is complete before the next round can start. The 128 players (plus those tied with 128th place) who have the best record at the end of those six games go through to Day 2. The rest are eliminated.
What is the format for the Competitive Tournament? How many innings do we play?
- Day 1: No elimination. Six-round Swiss format (all 3-inning games)
- Day 2: Single-elimination.
- Round of 128 through Round of 16 (3-inning games, best-of-3 series)
- Round of 8 through Round of 4 (9-inning games, best-of 3 series)
- Finals (9-inning games, best-of-5 series)
How do I earn points in the Qualifiers towards the Grand Finals?
The results of Day 2 of the Qualifier will determine the number of points players are awarded based on their last round played.
- Last round played: Round of 32 – 15 points
- Last round played: Round of 64 – 7 points
- Last round played: Round of 128 – 2 points
Grand Finals
How do I qualify for the Grand Finals?
Players may qualify for the Grand Finals by:
- Placing within the Top 16 in the matches in one of the Open Qualifiers (48 slots)
- Being one of the Top 16 ranked players in overall points after the third Open Qualifier occurs
The results of Day 2 of the Qualifier will determine the number of points players are awarded based on their last round played.
- Last round played: Round of 32 – 15 points
- Last round played: Round of 64 – 7 points
- Last round played: Round of 128 – 2 points
Players who already qualified (Top 16) on Day 1 won’t be able to participate in another Open Qualifier to ensure other players who haven’t qualified have a fair opportunity to qualify for the Grand Finals. A total of 64 players will qualify for the Grand Finals.
How does seeding work in the Grand Finals?
Players who qualify for the Grand Finals will be seeded based on their ranking in the Open Qualifying Events. The qualifying players from the earlier events will be seeded higher. For example: the winner of Qualifier 1 will be #1 seed in the Grand Finals. The winner of Qualifier 2 will be #2 seed, etc. Second place from Qualifier 1 will be #4 seed.
How do tiebreakers work in the Grand Finals?
- Tiebreaker 1: Highest placement from all Stages
- Tiebreaker 2: Best placement in order of Stages (e.g., placing 17th in Q1 is higher than placing 17th in Q2)
- Tiebreaker 3: Head to head results vs. all tied Entrants
- Tiebreaker 4: Play-in with random seeding in a format to be determined once the number of ties and number of slots have been determined
What are the prizes for the Grand Finals?
- First Prize: One winner will receive: $15,000 USD, one $1,000 gift card voucher to the MLB Shop, one authentic baseball used in an MLB 2021 Home Run Derby.
- Second Prize: One winner will receive: $5,000 USD, one $750 gift card voucher to the MLB Shop, one authentic baseball used in an MLB 2021 Home Run Derby.
- Third Prize: One winner will receive: $3,000 USD, one $500 gift card voucher to the MLB Shop, one authentic baseball used in an MLB 2021 Home Run Derby.
- Fourth Prize: One winner will receive: $2,000 USD, one $250 gift card voucher to the MLB Shop, one authentic baseball used in an MLB 2021 Home Run Derby
- Fifth Prize Tier: Four winners will each receive 67,500 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Grand Finals Sixth Prize: Eight winners will each receive 24,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Grand Finals Seventh Prize Tier: Sixteen winners will each receive 11,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
- Grand Finals Eighth Prize Tier: Thirty-two winners will each receive 5,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs
What is the Grand Finals Schedule?
- Day 1: August 28 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
- Day 2: August 29 at 9:00am PT / 12 Noon ET until all matches are complete
Can I watch the Grand Finals?
Yes. Day 2 of the Grand Finals will be streamed on the San Diego Studio Twitch channel.
Miscellaneous
How to check if my squad is tournament eligible
Go to Diamond Dynasty and select Manage Squad. If your squad is eligible a green “Tournament Eligible Squad” button will appear on the lower left.
How to check if an opponent’s squad is tournament eligible
Pause Game > Manager Tab > Bottom left will show the opponent’s squad. If it’s eligible it will show a green “Tournament Eligible Squad” button.
Which stadiums are allowed?
All MLB and Minor League Stadiums are allowed. Created stadiums are not permitted.
Do Inside Edge Boosts and Parallel upgrades count towards overall player ratings?
Yes. Community Parallel and Inside Edge boosts count towards overall ratings.
If an 84 overall player card has an Inside Edge boost of +2 and a Parallel boost of +1, that player would be considered an 87 overall card and fall under the 85 – 94 tier.
If a player boosts up a card in their lineup which would take them out of the specified tier limits, within the duration of the tournament, then they will need to replace that card with an eligible one before their next tournament match.
Who are the tournaments open to?
Both the Competitive & Exhibition Tournament are open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada. Players must be at least 18 years old for the Competitive Circuit and at least 13 years old for the Exhibition Tournaments.
How do I accept a cross-platform game challenge?
Whenever sending an invitation cross-platform, you do not receive a notification unless you click Game Challenges. Access Game Challenges by clicking on your icon in the upper left, then click RB/R1 to go to My Profile, then select the bottom left button Game Challenges.
How do I add a cross-platform opponent as a friend in MLB The Show 21?
To add your opponent, go to Play vs. Friends in Diamond Dynasty mode. When there, select R1/RB to go over to Requests, and select SEND NEW FRIEND REQUEST.
How do I Challenge Opponents in Play vs. Friends Mode?
Once you’re friends with your opponent (see above), go to Play vs. Friends in Diamond Dynasty mode. Select your opponent and use the required settings.
Does Crossplay need to be enabled?
Yes, crossplay must be enabled to play in both the Competitive and Exhibition Tournaments.
How do I know if I’m Home or Away?
The higher seeded player will be the home team for the first game. If multiple games are played, players will alternate Home/Away status.
Swiss Bracket:
- Player on the left of the match is the higher Seed
Elimination Bracket:
- Alternate hosts for each game
- High Seed is home for Game 1
- Low seed is home for Game 2
- High seed is home for Game 3
- Player on the top of the match is the higher Seed
- Player closest to 0 seed is the higher Seed
Is the tournament free to enter?
Yes! Both the Competitive and Exhibition tournaments are free for eligible participants to enter. See minimum eligibility requirements below.
Additionally, everyone who plays all their games in any of the tournaments until they are eliminated will receive 1,000 MLB The Show 21 Stubs.
How do I upload my score?
Once you beat your opponent take a screenshot or photo of your victory screen in-game that shows your Player ID and the score. Go to your Battlefy Match Page and select the Report Score button. Then click ‘Report Score Game 1’ and choose the winner. Repeat this step for each game as necessary.
Can I stream in the tournament?
Yes, but please add at least a one-minute stream delay.
Are there any guides for how to use Battlefy?
https://help.battlefy.com/en/articles/4662216-game-day-guide-match-page
How do I report an issue during a tournament?
Head over to Battlefy and go to your Match Page. Select Report Match Issue on the Match Page to notify admins. Communicate with admins via the match chat on the Match Page. If you have any issues please join the official tournament support Discord server where admins will also assist you.
*MLB The Show 21 Exhibition Tournaments: Access to MLB The Show 21 game and corresponding console, system account, and online multiplayer subscription required. Must be 13+ and a resident of the US, D.C., or Canada. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. See full rules: https://cdn.battlefy.com/mlbtheshow/summer-exhibition-2021-official-rules.pdf
**MLB The Show 21 Summer Circuit – Access to MLB The Show 21 game and corresponding console, system account, and online multiplayer subscription required. Must be 18+ and a resident of the US, D.C., or Canada. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. See full rules: https://cdn.battlefy.com/mlbtheshow/summer-circuit-2021-official-rules.pdf