Regulations

Teams/Events

  • 2023   promotion / relegation increased between the leagues to 2 up / 2 down and 2 out of NSL3 hopefully into NSL4 for 2024
  • Teams must be registered with the BSF and fees paid by May 31st each season to be eligible to play in the NSL
  • Teams will play league games at the NSL  dedicated events played at Farnham Park. Play is mandatory for all NSL  teams.
  • Top 8 teams from NSL 1 and NSL2 will play @ Farnham Park in the NSL Nationals 1n Sept.

Entry to ESF Co-Ed  European Super Cup 2025

The BSF has deemed  the order teams qualify for a place at the Super Cup  to conform with ESF criteria for this tournament, and the order will be as follows:

H2O as winners of the 2023 Super Cup have already secured place

  • 2024 NSL winner – H2O
  • 2023 NSL winner –  Legends
  • 2024 NSL R-up – Pioneers
  • 2023 NSL R-up –  Pioneers
  • 2024 NSL 3rd place – Legends
  • 2023 NSL 3rd place – Chromies

Game Timing

  • Games in RR play will be 65mins timeslots and in NSL play the inning must be allowed to complete if started.
  • This can have an impact on tournament timings, so if there is no room for ‘slippage’ then the following game would start late and would be shorter as a result.

Player qualification

  • Players are required to play exclusively for their NSL team on three dates to gain qualification to play for that team in the NSL Nationals — ie a player may not play for a lower-grade team and “step up” during the day to try to gain a qualification day for an NSL team. All of these dates MUST be in NSL league competition.
  • Rosters must be emailed by the wed following each event and will be held on a database will provide a list of qualified players at the end of each NSL league season.
  • Each team page on the BSF Nationals website (www.eurosoftball.org) will be updated so it is clearly visible which players are eligible to play in the NSL Nationals.

Player Transfers

  • Rosters for NSL teams will close Friday 5pm just prior to the June NSL event. Anyone transferring after this will not be allowed to qualify to play in the NSL Nationals for their new team.
  • A player may still transfer after this date, but will not be eligible for the NSL Nationals.
  • A player can transfer only once during a season.

Guest Players

  • A guest player may only be used if a team does not have 6 (male or female) players available from their roster. It is 7 for Nationals
  • If a team requires a guest then can
    • either bring in a full time player for one or two days but that player must play exclusively for the team and not also be playing with another team for the day/weekend. This players does not need to be rostered to the team UNLESS they play twice for that team then they are required to roster to the team.
    • or borrow a different player from a team in their same league or lower once per day. ie if short 1 player and 5 games being played then 5 different guests need to be found.
  • Guests should play RF or C and bat at the bottom of the order unless they are playing exclusively for the team where no restrictions are in place.

Playing Structure – NSL1 / NSL2

  • The BSF will set up league games with predetermined home and away fixtures.
  • All teams will play in a double round-robin format over these three weekends. The top eight teams in the NSL & NSL2 standings after all three tournaments have been played will qualify for the NSL1 / NSL2  Nationals.
  • There will be trophies and medals  to be awarded at the third weekend play.
  • After the league fixtures,  teams will play semi-finals and finals based on the weekend’s game results to complete the weekends play.

Playing Structure – NSL3

    • The BSF will set up league games with predetermined home and away fixtures for each division and a third set of crossover games (coin toss for H/A)
    • There will be trophies and medals to be awarded at the third weekend play.
    • After the league fixtures,  teams will play semi-finals and finals based on the weekend’s game results to complete the weekends play.

Promotion and Relegation

  •  At the end of the 2024 season the bottom two teams in each division will be demoted and the top two promoted. (NSL1 and NSL 2)
  • NSL 3 top team in each division will be promoted. Bottom 2 in each division will be relegated out of the NSL
  • 4 new teams from the waiting list will enter in 2025

Uniforms for Co-Ed Nationals Championships

  • Matching tops must be worn – exception is if every male has the same top and every female has the same top where there is a male and female version. Numbers and names are not a requirement at this time though different numbered tops makes player identification easier
  • bottoms must be of the same base colour and can be a mixture of short / long.
  • Navy and black are 2 different colours
  • There are no regulations re caps / visors
  • No metal cleats may be worn.