Questions, answered.
Everything competitors, coaches and families ask before their first NEXTWAVE event.
About NEXTWAVE.
01Who can compete at a NEXTWAVE event?
Kids, teens, adults and masters, in Gi and No-Gi, across experience and weight divisions.
02Is NEXTWAVE beginner friendly?
Yes. First-time competitors are a core part of every bracket. Start with our first tournament guide.
03How do rankings work?
Athletes and academies earn points by competing and placing at sanctioned NEXTWAVE events. Rankings launch with sanctioned competition.
04How do I register?
Registration opens on each event page. Some events may register through a third-party registration platform.
05Do you run academy team scoring?
Yes. Academy standings and team points are part of the NEXTWAVE format.
06What is the refund policy?
Each event publishes its refund and credit policy with registration. Contact us with any question about a specific event.
07How do I become a referee or event staff?
Apply through the Join the Team page. We are building our referee and operations roster now.
08How can my business partner with NEXTWAVE?
Title, event, mat, local, vendor, apparel and media partnerships are all available. Start on the Partners page.
Competing at an event.
01When should I arrive?
Arrive before your weigh-in window opens, not just before your division starts. Exact arrival times publish with the event schedule.
02When do I weigh in?
Weigh-ins are same-day, before your division begins. Your window is listed on the schedule once it is released.
03Can I compete in Gi and No-Gi?
Yes. Adding a second division is available at registration for an additional fee.
04What happens if nobody enters my division?
We work to merge you into the closest fair division by age, weight and experience. If no match is possible, our published policy applies.
05Can I change weight classes?
Yes, until the division correction deadline. After that, brackets are locked.
06What is the refund policy?
The full refund and credit policy publishes with registration for each event.
07Do spectators need tickets?
Yes. Spectator admission is sold at the door, and the price is listed on each event page.
08How many coaches can an academy bring?
Coach credential counts are set per event and published with registration.
09When are brackets released?
Brackets release before event day so athletes know their division, matches and mat in advance.
Still need an answer?
Send us the question. Real answers from the people running the event, not a ticket queue.
Contact NEXTWAVE