2025-26 RBD Premier League Rules

Written By Brian Hollowell

Introduction

Welcome to the 5th annual RBD Premier League!  Stuart Harkness won last year’s edition and is back to defend his title, while Michael Deal continued his trophy streak by claiming his 2nd consecutive Copa de Pantera midseason tournament.

The overall format is similar to past seasons.  Other than the pre-season auction to assign clubs to the Players (Owners), the league is passive, with minimal Player input required.

Scoring format will be the same as last season, with slight adjustments to the ceiling and floor for season goal difference.

After a mostly successful debut last year, team selections will again be from both the English Premier League (EPL) and Italy’s Serie A.

 

League Details

Ante

$50 (one entry per person)

 

Payouts

  • 50% of total pot: League champion

  • 30% of total pot: League runner-up

  • 20% of total pot: Copa de Pantera champion

 

Pre-Season Auction

Note that the EPL Season starts on Friday, 15 August 2025, with the Serie A Season starting on Saturday, 23 August 2025.

  • Date and Time: TBD

  • Location: Zoom (details to be provided to confirmed entrants)

 

Auction Order

The auction order shall be determined just prior to the auction by randomized numbers.

 

Auction Structure

  • Players are not permitted to trade their auction positions or team selections

  • All Players shall end the auction with exactly 5 teams

  • All Players shall begin the auction with 1000 Credits

    • The minimum bid price for any team shall be 5 Credits

    • Credits may not be traded or exchanged between Players

  • Raise-or-pass format

    • Once a Player passes on a team, they may not place another bid on that team

  • Players with a zero Credits balance and/or 5 assigned teams shall not be able to place any further bids

  • Players shall not be permitted to submit a bid if the active auction price:

    • exceeds the Player’s balance of available Credits

    • would prevent the Player from selecting exactly 5 teams

  • It is not required to use the full allotment of Credits.  However, upon the conclusion of the auction, any unused Credits shall have no value

 

Scoring Structure – RBD Premier League

Over the course of the season, each team plays one home game and one away game against the 19 other teams in their league for a 38-game regular season.  Players shall accumulate RBD Points as follows:

  • 3 points per league Win

  • 1 point per league Draw

  • 0 points per league Loss

  • 1 point per season total Goal Difference (GD)

    • Season Ceiling of +36 GD (lowered by 4 from last season)

    • Season Floor of -18 GD (raised by 2 from last season)

  • No Upset Bonus Points will be awarded

  • No RBD points are deducted if a team has a league points deduction due to league discipline (such as financial non-compliance)

 

Scoring Structure – Copa de Pantera

For designated match rounds, Players will participate in a seeding round followed by head-to-head matchups with other Players.  Players shall accumulate CdP Points as follows:

  • 2 points per league Win

  • 1 point per league Draw (any scoreline)

  • 1 point per Goal Difference (no cap)

In the event of a tie during a CdP Match, the tiebreaker order shall be:

  • League Wins for the matches comprising the CdP match round

  • Total Goal Difference for the matches comprising the CdP match round

  • Total Goals For for the matches comprising the CdP match round

  • Rock-Paper-Scissors, best of 3

Brian Hollowell
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Season 4 Wrap-Up