THE MAYFLOWER CUP IV
The Official Massachusetts State Championships
Registration is Now Open
How it Works
Last season, we held our third Mayflower Cup for Massachusetts teams. The highest-ranking team overall won the Mayflower Cup; the winner, Lexington High School, was the official State Champion.
For more details on how to win the cup and how we determine the winner, follow this link.
Location and Dates
The first tournament will be held on October 25, 2025, at Lexington High School, Lexington, MA.
The second tournament will be held on March 7, 2026, at a site to be determined.
Each tournament will take place from 8:30 AM to approximately 5:00 PM.
Questions/Format
The Mayflower Cup will use the “Mini Dart” set in October and a set to be determined in March. Both sets will be of Moderate difficulty. We will be using the twenty tossups/twenty bonus format and NAQT rules, but there will be no game clock.
Teams will be fairly placed into preliminary brackets before being re-seeded for playoffs. Teams will be guaranteed a minimum of 10 games; teams will be expected to play all 10 rounds, even if you are not in contention for the championship.
Teams
There are a maximum of 6 players per team, four of whom may play at once. If you wish to bring more players than that, please register additional teams. There are no exceptions to this rule. Teams may play short, with one player as a minimum. Nobody may switch teams during the tournament, such as from “A” to “B” or otherwise.
The field is capped at 48 teams for each tournament. You will be placed onto a waitlist if you miss the cutoff and will enter the field as teams drop or the field expands (if there is enough interest, we guarantee that the field will expand).
We are happy to allow pseudonymous teams and teams not directly sponsored by their district to register. However, we do have certain requirements for these teams, so please contact us via phone or email prior to registration and we will be happy to work with you.
It is not mandatory for a coach, parent, or adult to attend with their team; our team provides adequate supervision for all.
Readers
Each school is required to bring one reader for every two teams attending a tournament. Schools that cannot bring readers will be charged a $50 fee per team. Keep in mind this does not have to be a coach! It can be a player who would rather read, an extra player, a parent, an alumnus, someone’s friend, sibling, or third cousin twice removed, or anyone else that can read and scorekeep.
Buzzer discounts and paper question sets are no longer being offered.
Prizes
Trophies will be awarded to the top 3 teams after each tournament and the very best individual with the highest average Points per Game overall. The eight or so high scorers at each tournament will be awarded small prizes. The champion of the Mayflower Cup will be awarded a traveling trophy. We may add additional prizes at our discretion.
Fees
The fee structure is as follows:
- $100 per team per tournament
- $50 additional per team per tournament if no readers are brought
- $0 additional if 1 reader is brought
- -$25 for each additional reader
We can process cash, checks, and purchase orders. We are happy to provide a W9 and an invoice on request. Please make out checks to “Long Island Quiz Bowl Alliance”. You can mail checks, POs, and any other paperwork to 16 Gilbert Avenue, Smithtown, NY, 11787.
Buzzer discounts and paper question sets are no longer being offered.
Payment is due the morning of the event.
Registration:
In order to register, fill out this form. Once you receive a confirmation from us, you are officially registered.
Please ensure that you register prior to the day of the tournament! Registration closes one week prior to the event.
Food:
We do not serve breakfast or lunch and teams should either bring food or prepare to go out and obtain it. We will provide a map of local restaurants in the vicinity during the morning meeting. There are many good options within a 15-minute walk from the schools. Lunch generally lasts an hour. Teams should eat breakfast prior to arrival.
Stats:
Full and complete team and individual statistics will be posted within 48 hours after the completion of the event.