Playoff Average Tiebreaker "Extra Point" math

Competition Rules/Strategy
1

While studying to be a referee for this year’s game, I’ve come up with an odd question. I can’t ask it on Q&A since I’m not really on a team anymore, but I’ll post it here and I’m hoping somebody would be so kind as to ask it on Q&A for me (or point out to me something blindingly obvious that I’m missing, which is also entirely possible). Thanks.

Section 5.4.3 “Playoff Advancement” says “In the case where the average score of two (2) or more ALLIANCES is equal, the tie is broken by awarding an additional point to the ALLIANCE’s average score using the tiebreaker rules shown in Table 5-2.” Does that mean that if alliance 1 has a Playoff Average of 100.00, and alliances 2 and 3 each have a Playoff Average of 99.50 but alliance 3 scored more Auto points than alliance 2, that alliance 3 would end up as seed #1 for the next round due to having an effective average of 100.50 due to the extra point added to break the tie?

I’m assuming that’s not what was intended, but the “awarding an additional point” seems like it may end up doing something like that. It gets even weirder if there are three or more alliances tied at the same Playoff Average.

2

I’m pretty sure that in your case Alliance 1 would be first seed since they do not need a tie to be broken, then Alliance 3 because they won the tie breaker against Alliance 2, and then finally Alliance 2 would be third seed.

Tie breakers do not add points to your qualification average, they are just considered second when determining playoff seed.

3

The way the rules are written, that would appear to be the way the rules read- that that extra added point could shake up alliance rankings by multiple spots. However I’m not sure that was the intent of the rule.

This would be a good Q&A. Nice catch!

4

I would think it would be an “extra point” to just break the tie, but the alliance would retain its same position in reference to the other alliances.

But, like other have said, good catch for a Q&A question.

5

Since the FMS system determines the order, it will probably work the way you think it should (cannot increase your alliance position).

Another question is: If, after all the tie breakers, two or more alliances are still tied, then another match is played.

This is required if it would eliminate a team from the Finals.

But, what if the top 2 alliances are tied (and or more teams are advancing)? Since the only thing affected is pairing due to placement, would a match be played, or Random?