Championship Tournament Structure:
As mentioned above, there are three different finals tournaments a coach can possibly play in. Due to the numbers of coaches in either league changing from season to season, the number of coaches able to participate in any given tournament may change. With the exception of the Underbowl, attendance in the Finals Tournaments is mandatory if you qualify, and a coach may only compete in one of the 3 tournaments.
The Thunderbowl Championship Tournament is an 8-16 man, 3-4 round KO style tournament to determine the overall winner of the B League. 'The Thundercup' or 'Thunderbowl' has the same rewards as The Blood Bowl, see page 33 of the LRB5.
The Powerbowl Tournament is an 8-16 man, 3-4 round KO style tournament to determine the overall winner of the C-League. The Powerbowl holds the same rewards as The Chaos Cup tournament, see page 32 of the LRB5.
The Underbowl Tournament is open to any coach who fails to qualify for their respective leagues' finals tournament. Like the other two tournaments it is KO style. Since it is an optional tournament, the number of coaches competing and rounds played changes from season to season. The final match of The Underbowl holds the same rewards as The Spike! Magazine Trophy tournament, see page 32 of the LRB5.
In all semi final and final matches, the Gate and Winnings are doubled. (That is, your total earnings would be equal to ((D6 + Fame Bonus) * 2) + Win/Tie Bonus - Spiraling Expenses). In addition, the winners of the Thunderbowl, Powerbowl, and the Underbowl final both receive a Trophy Re-roll at no cost, although it counts towards their team rating as if it were a normal team re-roll. At the end of the next seasons' championship tournaments, the trophy re-rolls are 'passed on' to the new champions and removed from the previous winners' rosters. Otherwise, trophy re-rolls work exactly like Team Re-rolls.
Challenger Circuit:
The Thunderbowl Challenger Circuit is played bi-yearly on the Cup Day year end championship Game Days only in January and July. The games are not mere exhibition games - they carry the awards and permanent blood like any other official sponsored TB League match. There is no schedule in the Challenger Series - find another opponent that fits the criteria below and you are ready to rock. The Challenger Series is open to all current Thunderbowl members and alumni alike under the following conditions:
1. The coach has been knocked out of the Thunderbowl, Powerbowl or Underbowl play-offs. Under these conditions the player may choose to enter any team that has played in the BC-League at one time or another and can currently be found on TBSN.
2. The coach is still in the play-offs, has a bye-round with his present team, and is entering a team in the Challenger Series that is not currently participating in the TBL play-offs, in other words a retired team the bye-round coach owns.
3. The coach is an alumni player and has come out to play other alumni player in the Challenger Series with former TBL franchises owned by the respective coaches; or has come to play a current Thunderbowl member that has been knocked out of the play-offs where either coach can pick whatever TBSN franchise they own; or they play a current Thunderbowl member who is in a bye-round but is entering a retired team in the Challenger series.
4. No make-up Games. The Challenger Series is only endorsed by the TBL during Cup Day.
5. No coach may play more than 4 Games in the same day. If this means that the coach played 2 Play-off games before being eliminated they could only play 2 Challenger Series games.
6. Provided none of the coach's teams violate any of the legalities above, a coach can play up to 4 different teams in the Challenger Circuit if they wish. A coach is not bound to one team - they may play their current team once it's knocked out of play-offs in one Challenger match, then a formerly retired team they own, then switch back or whatever if they like.
7. The Challenger Circuit is voluntary - meaning both coaches have to agree to play each other, and they also have to agree to what teams they will choose beforehand. No coach needs to accept a challenge, and no coach will ever be penalized for doing so in any way shape or form. A coach may also skip a round of the Challenger Circuit only to play in the next round with the match and the team he really wanted to play. It's a live official round of legal cherry picking.
8. No two teams can play each other twice in one day, nor 2 coaches play each 2 Challenger games - although they could play 1 play-off and one Challenger series against each other albeit completely different teams.
The Challenger Series rolls for money, experience, MVPS, Fan Factor, Gate and permanent injuries like any other official TBL game. Full inducements like Star Players, Cards, Babes, Wizards and the like are also in full use like any other game.
Post Season:
After completion of a Thunderbowl season, coaches may either:
a. Keep their current team and remain in the B-League if they began there at the beginning of the Thunderbowl season.
b. Keep their current team and move from the rookie C-League if they began there at the beginning of the Thunderbowl season, and move to the veteran B-League for next season.
c. Drop their current team into moratorium which can be resurrected at the beginning of any future Thunderbowl season, and enter the C-League with a new TV100 team.
