9.3.4 Match Seeding Points

[Jonathan Norris]

Like alot of people I am still very confused with this seeding system, to me it looks like 'collusion' will be rampent and the winning team will be determined by a coin flip at the beginning of the match between the two alliances. Here's my logic:

Teams will be ordered first by seeding score. then the cooperation bonus is the tie braker. Therefore teams want the highest seeding score, making it far more important then the cooperation bonus. I would much rather loose a match help the other alliance and get double the seeding score then compete and get the cooperation bonus that only counts as a tie braker. here are the applicable rules:

9.3.9 Qualification Seeding
All TEAMS in attendance will be seeded during the qualification matches. If the number of TEAMS in attendance is 'n', they will be seeded '1' through 'n', with '1' being the highest seeded team and 'n' being the lowest seeded TEAM.
The Field Management System will use the following seeding method:
• TEAMS will be seeded in decreasing order by seeding score.
• Any TEAMS having identical seeding scores will then be seeded in decreasing order by their highest coopertition bonus.

9.3.7 Seeding Score
The total number of seeding points earned by a TEAM throughout their qualification matches will be their seeding score.

where seeding points are defined as:

9.3.4 Match Seeding Points
All teams on the winning ALLIANCE will receive a number of seeding points equal to the penalized score (the score with any assessed penalties) of the winning ALLIANCE.
All teams on the losing ALLIANCE will receive a number of seeding points equal to un-penalized score (the score without any assessed penalties) of the winning ALLIANCE.
In the case of a tie, all participating teams will receive a number of ranking points equal to their ALLIANCE score (with any assessed penalties).

9.3.5 CoopertitionTM Bonus
All teams on the winning ALLIANCE will receive a coopertition bonus: a number of seeding points equal to twice the un-penalized score (the score without any assessed penalties) of the losing ALLIANCE.
In the case of a tie, all participating teams will receive a coopertition bonus of a number of seeding points equal to twice their ALLIANCE score (with any assessed penalties).

so lets take two sernerios one where all the teams score for RED and one where they compete.

6 teams scoring for RED:
RED 20 points
BLUE 0 points

therefore the seeding points are:
RED 20 seeding points
BLUE 20 seeding points

Coopertition bonus would be:
RED 2*0 = 0
BLUE 0

In my interpretation the Coopertition bonus is totally separate from the seeding points, it says nothing about adding the Coopertition bonus to seeding score in the rules. This is where I think I may be wrong, someone please correct me if so.

the two alliances compete:
RED 10
BLUE 7

Seeding points:
RED 10
BLUE 10

Coopertition bonus:
RED 2*7 = 14
BLUE 0

To me with my interpretation I dont see a situation where teams would actually want to compete against one another... I'm not even going to get into the situation where the loosing teams actually receives more seeding points due to penalties on the winning team.

I am confused and don't see how this seeding system makes any logical sense, what am I missing?