Elite Series

The  is a planned MCM-sanctioned tournament to take place as part of the Big Data Series. It will see 50 of the highest-matchmaking rated players face off in three stages to crown a single victor.

Format
Stage 1 will start with 5 pots of 10 players, placed in to pots by MMR order so that pot #1 has players ranked 1-10, pot #2 has 11-20, etc. Pots will then be randomly seeded in to 10 groups of 5. In random order, each player will play face off against each member of the group in a two-game series, a game being a five minute one-on-one with ties being settled with sudden-death overtime. Goals are aggregated in each series, and the player that comes out with the most goals is considered the winner of that series. Ties are allowed. For each series win, the winning player gains 3 points. For each series tied, each player gets 1 point. Players are ranked according to points; failing that, the winner of the series between the two players in question; failing that, goal difference; failing that, goals scored; failing that, MMR.

At the end of stage 1, the top player from each group is given a place in stage 2. The second place from each group must participate in a playoff. They are randomly put in to byes in which they compete a single match against their opponents. The 5 winners of each bye are given a place in stage 2. The player that performed the worse in the byes in terms of goal difference is eliminated (failing that, points in stage 1; failing that, goal difference, etc.), and the remaining four players are placed in to a random single-elimination knockout bracket, the winner of which is given the final place in stage 2.

For stage 2, there are 4 pots of 4 players to be seeded in to 4 groups of 4. Players are placed in to pots based on their performance in stage 1. Each group then participates in a four-player double-elimination (winners-losers) knockout bracket to pick two players to go on to stage 3, ranked #1 and #2.

For stage 3, 2 pots of 4 players are made based on the rankings from stage 2, so that each of the four round 1 matchups consist of one rank #1 and one rank #2 player. The bracket then proceeds as a "second chance" stage as described in the finals of the MCM Royale to crown a winner. The winner will be granted the provisionally-entitled "Elite Series Champion" tag, and those who reached stage 3 will be granted the "Elite Series Finalist" tag.

Playoffs byes
All took place on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 15:00. The 5 winners advanced, the 5 losers are compared in the "Rankings" table and the last-placed is eliminated, while the first- to fourth-placed proceed to a knockout.

Playoff knockout
The knockout is seeded from the four best losers of the byes. Only the winner of the knockout progresses – the rest are eliminated.