How To Play


	19y
How To Play

Step 1 - REGISTRATION
To enter, fill out the free game registration. After registering, you are ready to play Hardcourt Pick'em. A valid ESPN member name and password will be used as an identifier to sign in to game play, and to keep track of your entry's score and standing. If you are already a registered ESPN account holder, you do not need to go through this necessary process. If you've had an ESPN account in the past but forgot your password, visit Member Services and have your account information set to you.

If you have additional questions, please see the FAQ page.

Step 2 - GAME SETTINGS (OPTIONAL)
After you have signed in, you will be prompted with a screen with a "Create Entry" button. After you click on the button you will be automatically redirected to the "Entry Settings" page where you will be asked to name your entry.

Name your entry: Use the text box to determine how your entry will be displayed in the game.

Once you have completed your game settings click on the "Submit Entry Settings" button.

Step 3 - WEEKLY SELECTIONS OF TEAMS
Each Wednesday at Noon ET you can select who will win the games for the upcoming week. Accessible from your main entry page, all game selections lock at 6:00 PM ET on Monday. For tiebreaker purposes only, you are asked to enter the predicted totals in points for the specified game.

To select the team you think will win, make the radio button active next to the team and click the submit button, as shown in the example below:

WEEK 1 SELECTIONS
STATUS	AWAY			HOME

		Tuessday, Nov 1, 2005

	Dallas (5-11)		at		Phoenix (14-2)

		Wednesday, Nov 2, 2005

	New York (10-6)		at		Boston (7-9)
	Miami (13-3)		at		Memphis (11-5)

Tie Breaker	Away Score				Home Score

-Your Selection

-Correct Selection

-Incorrect Selection

ACCUMULATING POINTS
The object of the game is simple: Correctly select the outcome to as many games as you can, a correct selection counts as one point. Each week you will select 10 games, with 25 weeks in the season , so the maximum number of points possible is 250. Your season-to-date point total is displayed on your frontpage, entry, and group pages.

Step 4 - JOINING A GROUP
You have the option to group yourself with friends, co-workers, or completely random fans by joining or creating a group. Within each group your entry will be automatically ranked. Most of the groups in Hardcourt Pick 'em are public and can be joined at anytime. Before the season has started participants can join any public group with space. If you want to play with a specific group of people you know, create a private group and make it only accessible to those whom you have given the password. The creator of a group sets the name, motto and the group's parameters, including whether the group:

Is public or private
Will drop the worst week for each entry
Will have home teams, away teams, or no team as the default picks
Will lock or remain unlocked during the season
Will include a logo image (this feature is available to Private Groups only)
Will include a group message(this feature is available to Private Groups only)

Note: Dropping the worst week is ONLY a group option and has no bearing toward your overall rank.

Certain group settings can be changed from the Update Group page, but, if you can't change the setting you'd like, you'll need to create a new group. There is no prize awarded for being the top entrant in your group.

You can move your entry from one group to the next without losing any of your total points or your picks for a given week. All of this is easily done on the main Group Directory page.

If you do not join a group your entry is considered an "Independent Entry". All independent entries have the defaults setting of: no default picks.