The all-star series of Major League Fishing (MLF), the Team Series, differs the most from regular season competitions and other major invitational events. Still, all the MLF events weave together with regular-season events in some ways.
The most significant difference, of course, is that instead of individual competitions, 12 teams of two compete in each Cup event.
The Team Series consists of four Cup tournaments held between late August and November:
- Challenge Cup – usually in late August
- Heritage Cup – usually held in mid-September
- Patriot Cup – usually held in late October
- Summit Cup – usually held in mid-November
Team Series Drafts
The Top 24 anglers at the mid-season (after Stages 1-3) become draft captains for The Challenge Cup and Heritage Cup. The Top 24 anglers after Stages 4-6 become draft captains for the final Cups in the Team Series, the Patriot Cup and Summit Cup.
If there are ties between anglers after Stage 6, tiebreakers for Team Series draft captains and qualifiers can take place in Stage 7.
While AOY rankings affect placement in the Team Series, finishes in these events do not affect AOY standings. Instead, Cup finishes come with additional cash prizes and an opportunity to participate in a televised competition, gaining name recognition and bragging rights – this season, the stakes are higher than ever, as the Team Series will air live for the very first time, exclusively on RFD-TV!
Draft captains can pick any qualifying angler as their teammate in the Team Series, including other draft captains. Teams are then seeded based on the combined rank of both team members. There’s also no limit on how many Cup events an angler can compete in each season.
Different Rules & Game Play in Team Series
- No prep – Once the tournament location is announced (30 days prior to the event), competitors are prohibited from soliciting information related to tournament waters or from finding/locating bass within 30 miles of the city center where the competition is held.
- No practice days – during the regular season, pros get two practice days and a day off before competing in Stages 1-7.
- Shorter fishing periods – Each Team Series match starts with a 15-minute ride-around period followed by three (3) two-hour fishing periods (rather than 2.5 hours in regular season) and 15-minute breaks between each fishing period.
Each Team Series Cup unfolds over 6 days, with a unique format compared to Stages 1–7:
- Days 1–3: Elimination Matches
- Four teams compete in each Elimination Match.
- Both teammates’ eligible catches are combined for a running live score — no catch limits.
- The top 2 teams from each day move on to the Knockout Rounds. No one advances directly to the Championship.
- Days 4–5: Knockout Rounds
- Knockout 1: Winners of Elim 1 & 2 + Runner-up from Elim 3
- Knockout 2: Winner of Elim 3 + Runners-up from Elim 1 & 2
- The Top 2 teams from each round advance to the Championship Round.
- Day 6: Championship Round
- The top two teams from each Knockout Round compete head-to-head for the Cup title.
Cash Prizes for the Team Series
Every team participating in a Team Series Cup will receive a cash prize to be split among its members, including teams with exits in the Knockout and Elimination Rounds:
- Winners - $15,000 each
- Second Place - $9,000 each
- Third Place - $8,000 each
- Fourth Place - $7,000 each
- Knockout exits: $5,000
- Elimination Match exits: $3,500
Unlike regular season matches, Heavy Hitters, and REDCREST, there are no AOY Points or Big Bass Bonuses awarded for top finishes or heaviest fish caught during Team Series events. It’s just extra money, titles, and bragging rights at play.
B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup presented by 5-hour ENERGY
