(Based on BWF World Ranking System)

This ranking system has been approved by the USA Badminton Board of Directors
and replaced the previous ranking system on November 1, 2002

(Last modified on October 17, 2004 by the USAB Board; BWF Ranking Points processing modified on February 4, 2005 to maintain ranking points structure approved by the USAB Board.)

1. Definition
The USAB Ranking is the official list of players/pairs in order of strength. There is one list for each of the five badminton events. The system used to rank players/pairs is explained below:

Players/pairs:

• Win ranking points by playing in tournaments that are graded.
• Are ranked if they have played in two or more graded tournaments in the last 12 months*.
• Win ranking points by playing in and winning matches in tournaments.
• The higher the level of tournament, the more points are won.
• The further advanced in a competition, the more points are won.
• Can be seeded based on their USAB Ranking.

 

2. Events included in the USAB Rankings
The Rankings are compiled from the results of events that are sanctioned by the USAB as ranking tournaments held over the last 12-month period*.

BWF Ranking Points from BWF Ranking Tournaments after June 5, 2004 are included in the USAB Rankings in the same manner as USAB Ranking Points from USAB National Ranking tournaments as long as the ranked player has a BWF World Ranking. In the case where a tournament is both a USAB National Ranking Tournament and a BWF Ranking Tournament, the player will only earn the USAB Ranking Points for the USAB National Ranking tournaments. BWF Ranking Points from BWF Ranking Tournaments after February 3, 2005 are divided by 10 before being included in the USAB Rankings.

Procedure for qualifying a new tournament to be a USAB National Ranking tournament:

a. the tournament organizer needs to submit information about the tournament at least sixty days before the starting date of the tournament to the USAB Ranking Committee for a recommendation to the Board, which will decide whether the tournament becomes a USAB National ranking tournament.

b. If the tournament is not a Classic or a BWF-sanctioned tournament, then the Board could consider requiring the tournament organizer to guarantee the award cash prizes and their proper distribution to the winners by sending the prize money to USAB for distribution before the Board will approve the tournament as a USAB National ranking tournament.


* - Note: The USA Badminton Board of Directors decided at the recent Fall 2002 Board Meeting not to retroactively apply this ranking system to results prior to November 1, 2002. The first rankings list to be generated using this ranking system will only use the results from the V Southern/Pan Am Classic and the 2002 SCBA Classic.

3. USAB Ranking Lists
The Rankings are updated on Friday if there's any change a player's ranking points during that week.

4. Points system
Players/pairs win points according to how far they progress in the draw of a particular event.

If a player/pair:

• Had a bye in the first round and lost in the second round - they receive first round loser's points.
• Had a bye in the first round, won in the second round and lost in the third round - they receive third round loser's points.
• Had a walkover in the first round and lost in the second round - they receive second round loser's points.
• Had a bye in the first round, walkover in the second round and lost in the third round - they receive third round loser's points.
• Defaulted in the first round of play - they do not receive any point.

Clarification: points can only be earned in the actual draw of a particular event, not for any alternate or secondary draw such as a consolation draw.

5. Ranking

• 10 or fewer tournaments in the last 12 months

If a player or pair has competed in the same event at 10 or fewer tournaments then the ranking is determined by adding the points won at the tournaments.

• 11 or more tournaments in the last 12 months

If a player or pair has competed in the same event at 11 or more tournaments, only the 10 highest points scored in tournaments during the previous 12 month period count towards their ranking.


6. Points lists
Players/pairs are ranked using points. The player/pair with the highest calculated points will be ranked number one and so on.

If two or more players/pairs have identical points, then the players/pairs who have played in the most tournaments will be ranked higher. If players/pairs have identical points and have played in an identical number of tournaments, then these players/pairs are ranked as equals.

So, if say 5 players are ranked 1 to 5, and then there are three players with equal points and number of tournaments, the ranking would be: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 9, 10, etc.


7. Ranking Tournament Levels
US Open and US Adult National - 6*.
Classics - 1* + additional * based on prize purse chart.
BWF ranking tournaments - 1* + additional * based on prize purse chart.
Classic & BWF ranking tournaments - 2* + additional * based on prize purse chart.
Other ranking tournaments - * based on prize purse chart:

Level	Open Prize Purse	Level	Open Prize Purse
1*	$4,000 - $7,999	4*	$16,000 - $19,999
2*	$8,000 - $11,999	5*	$20,000 - $23,999
3*	$12,000 - $15,999	6*	$24,000 and Up

Only prize purse in cash for Open ("A") division will be used to calculate ranking tournament levels.

Here are the points awarded:

Place	6*	5*	4*	3*	2*	1*
Winner	540	480	420	360	300	240
Runner-Up	459	408	357	306	255	204
3-4	378	336	294	252	210	168
5-8	297	264	231	198	165	132
9-16	216	192	168	144	120	96
17-32	135	120	105	90	75	60
33-64	54	48	42	36	30	24
65-128	27	24	21	18	15	12

8. Seeding
When seeds for tournaments are being decided, the most recently published USAB Ranking list is used. Seeding shall be done in accordance with USAB Competition Regulations.

Singles
The seeds for singles events are decided using the USAB Ranking list.

Doubles
The seeds for doubles events are decided using the USAB Ranking list.


9. Criteria For USAB Ranking Tournaments

• the number of entries in each event in the main competition must be at least:

Men's singles	8 players
Women's Singles	8 players
Men's Doubles	8 pairs
Women's Doubles	8 pairs
Mixed Doubles	8 pairs

• If the minimum number of entries is not met in an event, the event will not be included in the USAB Ranking

Organization

• Ranking tournament organizers must provide both the USAB National Office and the Ranking Committee Chair with the complete list of the tournament players and the events they are participating in at least 7 days before the tournament start date.
• Separation of players between the main draws shall be made according to the latest USAB Ranking.
• Seeding shall be made according to the latest USAB Ranking.
• Draw shall be made according to USAB Competition Regulations.
• Referee for ranking tournament shall be appointed by the USAB.
• In the event the Ranking Committee does not respond to the tournament organizers with the seeding information in a timely manner, the USAB referees shall see players based on the USAB National Ranking Lists that are currently on the USAB website. The referee and tournament organizer shall then fill any other seeds to include Shadow seeds.
• The US Open Badminton Championship event is governed by Badminton World Federation tournament rules and is exempted from these organization rules as appropriate.

Results

• The draw must be faxed or e-mailed to USAB as soon as it has been made.
• The final results must be faxed or e-mailed to USAB showing full player names and USAB number within 48 hours of the conclusion of the event.