Tournament Manager: The Ultimate Guide
Everything you need to know about running professional esports tournaments. From registration to broadcasting, master tournament management.
Whether you're organizing your first community scrim or managing a professional esports league, this guide covers the tools, techniques, and best practices used by top tournament organizers worldwide.
What is a Tournament Manager?
A tournament manager is specialized software that automates the organization and execution of competitive gaming events. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, Discord messages, and manual calculations, tournament managers provide a centralized platform where everything happens automatically.
For battle royale games like PUBG Mobile and BGMI, tournament management is particularly complex. With 16-20 teams per lobby, multiple matches per day, and point systems combining placement and kills, manual tracking becomes impossible at scale. This is where dedicated tournament manager software becomes essential.
Key Functions of Tournament Management Software:
- ✓Registration & Verification - Accept team sign-ups, verify player IDs, manage rosters
- ✓Bracket & Group Generation - Create balanced groups, seed teams, generate schedules
- ✓Score Tracking - Record match results, calculate points, update standings automatically
- ✓Live Broadcasting - Provide OBS overlays for professional streams
- ✓Communication - Send room codes, announcements, and results to teams
Essential Tournament Manager Features
The tools professional organizers rely on for successful events.
Automated Scoring
No more spreadsheets. Scores are calculated automatically using official point systems like PMGC, BMPS, or custom rules.
Live Standings
Real-time leaderboards update as matches progress. Teams and viewers see current rankings instantly.
OBS Overlays
Professional broadcast overlays for live streams. Show standings, eliminations, and team stats on your stream.
Team Management
Handle registrations, rosters, substitutions, and team communications from one dashboard.
Multi-Stage Tournaments
Create complex formats with qualifiers, group stages, playoffs, and finals - all connected.
Match Scheduling
Automated scheduling with timezone support. Send room codes and reminders to registered teams.
How Tournament Management Works
A step-by-step workflow used by professional esports organizers.
Create Your Tournament
Set up your tournament with custom rules, point systems, and registration settings. Define stages, groups, and match schedules.
Register Teams
Accept team registrations with player IDs, team logos, and contact information. Verify eligibility and manage rosters.
Generate Groups & Schedule
Automatically create balanced groups and generate match schedules. Assign teams to lobbies and set match times.
Run Matches & Track Scores
Execute matches with automated score tracking. Record placements and kills, calculate points in real-time.
Broadcast with Overlays
Stream your tournament with professional OBS overlays showing live standings, eliminations, and team stats.
Publish Results
Announce winners, distribute prizes, and share final standings. Export results for social media and records.
Tournament Formats Explained
Choose the right format for your event size and goals.
Group Stage
Teams compete in groups over multiple matches. Points accumulate across all games. Top teams from each group advance.
League Format
Extended competition over days or weeks. Consistent scheduling allows teams to plan and improves competitive integrity.
Super Weekend
Intensive 2-3 day format with multiple matches. Used in official PUBG esports for high-stakes competition.
Smash Rule (Match Point)
Teams must reach a point threshold AND win a match. Creates dramatic finishes and rewards consistent performance.
Round Robin
Every team plays against every other team. Ensures maximum matches and fair comparison.
Tournament Point Systems
Understanding how points work is crucial for tournament management.
PMGC Standard Point System (10-Point)
Used in PUBG Mobile Global Championship and most professional tournaments:
| Placement | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st Place (WWCD) | 10 |
| 2nd Place | 6 |
| 3rd Place | 5 |
| 4th Place | 4 |
| 5th Place | 3 |
| 6th Place | 2 |
| 7th-8th Place | 1 |
| 9th-16th Place | 0 |
| Per Elimination | +1 |
Example: 3rd place with 8 kills = 5 + 8 = 13 total points
Tournament Manager Use Cases
From casual scrims to professional leagues - one platform.
Community Scrims
Run daily practice scrims for your Discord community. Automate scoring so you can focus on gameplay.
Learn morePaid Tournaments
Host tournaments with entry fees and prize pools. Professional tools make your events credible.
Learn moreEsports Leagues
Manage ongoing leagues with standings, seasons, and playoffs. Track team performance over time.
Learn moreQualifier Events
Run qualification rounds for larger tournaments. Automatically advance top teams to the next stage.
Learn moreTournament Management Best Practices
1. Document Everything
Create clear rules for registration deadlines, match schedules, disconnection policies, and dispute resolution. Publish rules before registration opens and enforce them consistently.
2. Automate Where Possible
Use tournament manager software to automate scoring, standings updates, and communications. Manual processes introduce errors and delays. Let technology handle repetitive tasks.
3. Communicate Proactively
Send room codes 10-15 minutes before matches. Announce results within 5 minutes of match completion. Keep teams informed about any schedule changes immediately.
4. Build Community
Tournaments are more than just matches. Create Discord channels for team communication, post highlights on social media, and recognize standout performances. Community keeps players coming back.
5. Start Small, Scale Up
Begin with free community scrims to learn the workflow. Once you're comfortable, add entry fees and prizes. Build your reputation before attempting large-scale events.
Why Choose PROPUBG as Your Tournament Manager?
PROPUBG is built specifically for battle royale tournament management. Unlike generic bracket tools, we understand PUBG and BGMI scoring, formats, and broadcast requirements.
No credit card required. Host your first tournament today.
Official point systems built-in. Automatic calculations.
Professional overlays for live streaming tournaments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about tournament management answered.
What is a tournament manager?
A tournament manager is software or a platform that helps organizers create, run, and manage competitive gaming tournaments. It handles team registration, bracket generation, match scheduling, score tracking, and live standings - automating tasks that would otherwise require spreadsheets and manual work.
What does a tournament manager do?
A tournament manager automates the entire tournament workflow: accepting team registrations, generating brackets or groups, scheduling matches, tracking scores in real-time, calculating standings based on point systems, and providing broadcast-ready overlays for streaming. It replaces manual spreadsheets and reduces human error.
How do I become a tournament organizer?
To become a tournament organizer: 1) Choose your game and format, 2) Select a tournament manager platform like PROPUBG, 3) Set up registration and rules, 4) Promote your tournament on social media and Discord, 5) Run matches and track scores, 6) Distribute prizes and build your community. Start small with free tournaments to gain experience.
What is the best free tournament manager software?
PROPUBG is one of the best free tournament manager platforms for battle royale games like PUBG and BGMI. It offers automated scoring, live standings, OBS overlays, and team management - all free to start. Other options include Challonge for brackets and Battlefy for various esports.
How do tournament points work?
Tournament points combine placement points and kill points. The standard PMGC system awards: 1st place = 10 points, 2nd = 6, 3rd = 5, 4th = 4, 5th = 3, 6th = 2, 7th-8th = 1, plus 1 point per elimination. Total points determine rankings across multiple matches.
What equipment do I need to run a tournament?
Basic requirements: 1) Tournament manager software for scoring, 2) Discord server for communication, 3) Streaming setup (OBS + overlays) if broadcasting, 4) Room cards for custom matches (PUBG/BGMI), 5) Social media for promotion. Professional events add production equipment, commentators, and prize pool management.
How do I create tournament brackets?
Most tournament managers automatically generate brackets based on your format. For battle royale, you typically use group stages with point-based rankings rather than elimination brackets. PROPUBG creates groups, assigns teams, and calculates standings automatically based on the PMGC point system.
Can I run tournaments for free?
Yes, many tournament managers offer free tiers. PROPUBG is free to start and includes core features like team registration, automated scoring, and basic overlays. You can run community tournaments without any upfront cost, then upgrade for advanced features as your events grow.
Learn More About Tournament Management
Dive deeper with our detailed guides and tutorials.
Explore Specialized Solutions
Find the right tournament manager for your specific needs.
PUBG Tournament Manager
All-in-one platform to create, manage, and broadcast PUBG tournaments with live standings.
View pageEsports Tournament Manager
Run esports tournaments with automated brackets, scheduling, and streaming overlays.
View pagePUBG Match Manager
Manage PUBG matches with real-time scoring, room codes, and OBS-ready overlays.
View pageManage PUBG Tournament
A step-by-step workflow to manage PUBG tournaments from registration to results.
View pageTournament Manager Software
Software for esports organizers to automate brackets, standings, and broadcasts.
View pagePUBG Scrims Manager
Host PUBG scrims with automated scoring, team management, and live standings.
View pageBGMI Tournament Manager
Free BGMI tournament manager for Indian esports. Host scrims, manage teams, and broadcast with OBS overlays.
View pageReady to Run Your Tournament?
Join thousands of organizers using PROPUBG to host professional esports events. Free to start, powerful enough for any tournament.