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Cancellation Policy How it Works & Why it Exists

Policy Overview:
“Cancellation Policy – Once penciled in, teams that withdraw at any time will be charged a $100.00 cancellation fee.”

Why This Policy Exists:

When a team is penciled in, it signals to our staff, parks, and other participating teams that your attendance is expected. Canceling—especially last-minute—has ripple effects that go beyond a single roster slot. Here’s why this policy is necessary:

1. Resource Waste and Operational Disruption

Every time a team commits, we begin allocating significant resources to accommodate that commitment. This includes:

  • Staff scheduling (umpires, gate workers, field crew)

  • Game schedule balancing to ensure fair matchups

  • Ordering awards, supplies, and preparing event materials

When a team withdraws after penciling in, those resources often go unused or have to be rapidly restructured, which wastes time and money—and reduces the quality of the experience for others.

2. Venue Costs & Lost Capacity

To support demand, we often secure additional park space based on the number of teams that have committed. These parks come at a cost—especially when booked in advance to ensure availability.

When a team backs out:

  • We may have unnecessary park rentals that cannot be refunded or reallocated.

  • We may lose out on revenue that could have improved prizes, giveaways, and other event enhancements.

In short: Every spot matters when it comes to budgeting a great event.

3. Impact on Other Teams

Tournament dynamics depend on accurate team counts. When teams drop:

  • Other teams may not get the expected number of games.

  • Divisions might become unbalanced, leading to awkward bracket configurations.

  • Opponents may travel expecting to face certain teams, and last-minute changes hurt their experience too.

It’s not just about us—it’s about fairness and integrity for the teams who commit and follow through.

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Repeat Offender Policy

To promote accountability across the season:

If a team backs out of 3 or more events in a single season (Spring, Summer, or Fall), they will be required to pay the full entry fee at the time of sign-up for all future events in that season.

Seasons Defined:

  • Spring: February – May

  • Summer: June – August

  • Fall: September – December

This policy ensures teams are respectful of our planning process and enables us to maintain a fair and consistent tournament environment for all participants. This policy is not punitive—it simply helps us maintain consistency and avoid disruptions caused by repeated withdrawals.

Our Philosophy: Transparency & Integrity

We’re aware that many other directors apply similar penalties behind the scenes, but few explicitly state them. We believe in being upfront.

This policy:

  • Sets clear expectations

  • Protects the experience for all participants

  • Reflects our commitment to running high-quality, well-organized events

We welcome feedback from our community and are always open to reviewing policies to better serve our teams. Our goal is never to penalize, but to ensure accountability, consistency, and fairness across the board.

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, we encourage open dialogue. We’re here to support you and your athletes.

Free Entry Policy 

Free Entry Usage
Free entry credits may not be used for:

  • Showcase events

  • Qualifier events

  • Any monetary-based event promotions

Money Ball Event Credits
Credits can be applied toward Money Ball events; however:

  • A 50% fee of the standard entry price will apply

  • This fee is rounded to the nearest $10 (e.g., $447.50 becomes $450)

Eligibility for Free Entry
Fully free entries remain valid for:

  • Non-monetary events

  • Non-showcase events

  • Non-qualifier events

What We May Do
CFT reserves the right to:

  • Revoke free entries earned through prior participation

  • Issue a $100 credit against your team that can be paid upfront, pulled from entry fees, etc. If a $100 dollar credit is charged, you must pay the owed $100 before you may go on the schedule. For example, if you back out of an event, do not pay then pay a 795 entry fee, $100 can be pulled from your entry fee & the additional $100 will be required to make it onto the schedule/bracket.

  • Reset the event count required to earn a free entry, if necessary

Example Scenario:
If your team pencils into an event and later withdraws, it may impact scheduling, staffing, and other teams. As a result, your team’s free entry progress may be reset to zero, regardless of how many events you’ve previously played.

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Early Credit Use Policy

Teams who wish to apply their earned credit earlier in the season—before completing the standard “Play 3, Get 1 Free” promotion—may do so under the following condition:

  • Full payment must be submitted for the remaining three qualifying events in advance.

  • Once payment is confirmed, the credit can be applied to the current event.

  • This policy allows teams to take advantage of their credit early while ensuring commitment to the full promotion. All payments are non-refundable and event participation must be honored to maintain eligibility. Exceptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis. 

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Final Note

Our policies are designed to protect the integrity of our events and ensure a fair, high-quality experience for all teams.

We value transparency and accountability—and we appreciate your commitment to upholding the standards that make CFT tournaments successful.

If you ever have a question about how a policy applies to your team, reach out—we’re here to help.

Thanks for playing with CFT—we’re proud to have you on the field. 🥎