What Each Stage Means
1. Session Play (Regular Season)
- Teams play their regularly scheduled matches within their North or South Ladies division.
- Final standings determine seeding for the postseason.
2. Regional Playoffs (North & South)
Because each Ladies division currently has approximately 7 teams, the playoffs and regionals are effectively the same combined step.
How qualification works:
- Top 2 teams in each region automatically advance
- 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th play playoff matches
- The winners of those matches advance
This produces:
- 4 teams from North
- 4 teams from South
➡️ 8 total teams advance to States
When you hear the terms “Regional” or “Playoffs” for the Ladies Division right now, they refer to this combined stage.
3. States (Guaranteed Payout Event)
- The 8 qualifying teams (4 North + 4 South) meet at a central location
- This is the official money tournament
- Payouts go down to 8 places, just like Ladies States traditionally did
While the path to States looks different than in the past, the payout depth has not been reduced. It is now earned through session performance rather than automatic entry.
Why This Feels Different Than Before
Previously:
- Ladies States functioned more like a large open finals
- More teams arrived automatically
Now:
- Entry into States is earned through session results
- Teams finishing higher receive priority and protection
- The structure matches all other Freedom League divisions
This change is part of the league-wide move to session-based championships, not a reduction in opportunities or payouts.
Important Clarification
- The Ladies Division is currently in Phase 1
- Phase 3 (split brackets, second-chance events, wildcards) has not started yet
- As the Ladies divisions grow, another layer will be added to separate:
- Playoffs
- Regionals
- States
At current division sizes, Playoffs and Regionals are combined.
Bottom Line
- Ladies still play to States
- States still pay down to 8 places
- The difference is how teams qualify, not how payouts work
- Strong session finishes matter more — and are rewarded