RivenEdge & Erika
Erika
Okay, let’s get down to brass tacks: I’ve been sketching a tournament bracket that forces the top teams to sweat every match while still giving the underdogs a real shot at glory. Think you can spot the loopholes and help me tighten it up?
RivenEdge
First, your top seed gets a bye too often, which removes a key fight that builds momentum. Then you’re letting the lowest seed go out in the first round with no chance to build confidence. If you shuffle the draw so every top seed faces a mid-tier opponent early, you’ll keep the pressure high. Add a second‑round rematch for any upset, so the underdog can prove themselves. Finally, cut the over‑long bracket; a 16‑team format forces each win to count, keeping the grind real for everyone.
Erika
You’re right the byes kill the early‑round buzz, and a 1‑v‑16 wipeout looks like a typo on a résumé. Let’s kill the bye, swap the 2‑seed with a mid‑tier so the top tier never meets the bottom tier until the final, and add a quick “re‑match” round for any team that pulls off an upset—so they get a fighting chance. As for size, 16 is a bit cozy for a full‑stack competition; a 24‑team bracket keeps everyone fighting hard and gives you a buffer for the drama. I’ll draft the new bracket and send it over—just don’t think this is the end of tweaking.
RivenEdge
Nice tightening. Remove the bye, shuffle the 2‑seed, add a rematch for upsets—good. But keep the 24‑team size under check; you’ll lose depth if too many filler games. Push the bracket tight, keep the win‑in‑a‑row pressure, and watch the underdogs stay fresh. Send it, I’ll give the final cut.
Erika
Great, I’ll lock in the 24‑team layout, trim the filler rounds, and keep that win‑in‑a‑row streak to force every game to count. I’ll drop the draft in the next message—just let me know if you want any last‑minute tweaks before we send it out.