🏆 Captain guide
So you're becoming captain
Your team has asked you to take the armband, or you put your hand up yourself. Legend. Here is everything that happens next, what it costs, and what you never have to do.
Being a SportUP captain means you are the team's contact person, you name the team, and you decide when the team needs subs. You never pay the whole team fee up front. Every player pays their own share in the SportUP app, and playing as a team works out around 30% cheaper per player than signing up solo. Your spot for next season is held by a $95 deposit taken in Week 8, and you can opt out any time before then.
🗓️ 12 rounds a season
💸 No upfront team fee
👥 Subs are free
🔒 $95 holds your spot
What being captain actually involves
Short version: you are the organiser, not the bank and not the star player. We handle the rest.
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What you do
- Be the team's contact person. We message you first about game times, renewals and anything that comes up.
- Name your team and pick your colour and logo in the app.
- Keep an eye on RSVPs each week so you know who is coming.
- Decide when your team wants subs and post for them when you are short.
- Invite new players to your roster with your team's invite link.
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What you never have to do
- Pay for the whole team up front. Every player pays their own share in the app.
- Book venues, referees, umpires or equipment. That is on us.
- Chase teammates for money. The app invoices each player and tracks who has paid.
- Be the best player. You just need to be the organiser.
Step by step: from "yes" to your first game
Most of this happens in the back half of your current 12-round season. We message you in the SportUP app at each step, so keep notifications on.
- Week 5
1. Say yes
You get a message in the app asking if you want to captain your team next season. Reply "yes" and we lock you in as captain. If your current captain is stepping down, they can hand you the captaincy in the app instead. First yes wins, so if a teammate beats you to it, you are still on the team.
- Week 6
2. Name your team
Open your team in the app and set your team name, colour and logo. We then announce to the whole team that you are captain and that everyone is automatically included for next season. Nobody else has to do anything to keep playing.
- Week 7
3. Check your numbers
We send you a roster update: how many teammates are confirmed for next season and your team's invite link. Share the link with mates you want to add. If you would rather we fill the spare spots from our individual pool, just tell us.
- Week 8
4. Your spot locks in
On the Friday of Week 8, by 3pm, your $95 next-season deposit is processed and your team's night, venue and division are yours. Everyone gets a heads-up in the app a few days before. Not continuing? Opt out before then and nothing is charged. Full detail below.
- Week 9 to 10
5. Roster confirmed
We send you the final roster, the name of your next season comp and your first game time and venue. If a few teammates have dropped out, just get your team to invite other mates to join.
- New season
6. Game time email, then Week 2
Your first game time lands by 5pm on the Friday before Round 1, along with your team's remaining balance. Teammates pay their share in the app before your Week 2 game. Then it is just show up, play, and leave buzzing.
The Week 8 auto-debit, explained
This is the one bit of money we handle for you, so here is exactly how it works.
What gets charged
$95 next-season depositProcessed on the card saved on your SportUP booking, on the Friday of Week 8 by 3pm. It is a holding deposit, not an extra fee. The $95 comes straight off your team's season fee for next season.
- Locks in your night, venue and division so nobody on the waitlist takes the spot.
- Because you're a renewing team, you save the $105 New Team Rego fee.
Changing your mind
You are never locked in until the deposit is processed, and you always get a reminder in the app before it happens.
- Not playing next season? Fill in play.sportup.com.au/no-thanks before 3pm on the Friday of Week 8. Nothing is charged.
- A teammate is out? They use the same form. They can stay solo and be placed on another team, or take a break. The rest of you keep playing.
- Still working out numbers? Email us before your Week 8 game and we will sort it together.
- Opted out, then want back in? Your spot may have gone to a new team, and the $105 New Team Rego applies again.
After the deposit, the rest of your team's season fee is due before your Week 2 game of the new season. Each player pays their share in the app.
How the team fee gets split
SportUP charges one flat fee per team, not per player. So the more players on your roster, the cheaper it is for everyone. The app does the splitting and the chasing.
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Split it evenly
Open your team in the app, tap the balance and choose to invoice teammates. Every registered player gets their own payment link for an equal share. You can see who has paid at a glance.
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Set custom amounts
Someone joining for half the season? Two mates on one card? Set a different amount per player and invoice each one for exactly what they owe. Handy for giving yourself a smaller share to cover the $95 deposit you paid.
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Pay it yourself
Collected cash or bank transfers already? Pay the remaining balance in one go from the app. Workplace paying? Ask us for a corporate invoice and it goes straight to your finance team.
Example: why a team is cheaper than going solo
Your comp's exact team fee is shown in the app and on your booking, and it varies by sport and venue. Here is how a typical $1,296 season fee splits, compared with the $225 an individual pays for a season.
$225Solo player, per season
$162Team of 8, each
$130Team of 10, each
Every extra teammate makes it cheaper for everyone else, and gives you a deeper bench on the nights when life gets in the way. Full detail on roster sizes below.
How subs work now
Short a couple of players this week? Happens to every team. Subs are free, and finding them is quick if you post early.
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Any registered player can sub
Every registered SportUP player can fill in for any team, for free. That includes your own players subbing for other teams, even before your season starts. It is how a lot of new teammates get found.
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Post in the subs group
Join the Facebook subs group for your region and post the sport, venue, game time and how many you need. Post before 1pm on game day and you will find subs 99% of the time.
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Use the app RSVPs
Ask your team to RSVP to each game in the app. It shows you exactly who is coming, with reminders, so you know by lunchtime whether you need to post for subs.
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Tell us if you are stuck
Post in your team chat in the app or message us before 1pm and we will post for subs on your behalf. As captain you choose when your team wants subs, so if you would rather play short, that is your call too.
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Subs mean no forfeit
As long as at least one of your own players turns up to play alongside the subs, it counts as a game. No forfeit, no fee. We are proud of how few forfeits happen, and this is why.
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The 1pm rule
Really cannot field a side? Email team@sportup.com.au or text 0425 908 308 before 1pm on game day so we can look after your opposition. After 1pm, or a no-show, there is a $99 late forfeit fee invoiced to the captain, due before your next game.
How many players you want on the roster
The minimum gets you on court. The recommended squad gets you through a whole season of holidays, work shifts and dodgy hamstrings without a panicked group chat every Tuesday.
| Sport | Minimum on court | Standard on court | Recommended squad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏐 Netball | 5 | 7 | 10+ |
| 🏀 Basketball | 4 | 5 | 8+ |
| ⚽ Soccer (5-a-side) | 4 | 5 | 8+ |
| 🏐 Volleyball | 4 | 6 | 9+ |
Mixed comps may also need a minimum of each gender on court. Check your comp details in the app. Everyone on your roster must be registered in the app before they take the court, so send your invite link early.
Season essentials for captains
The stuff your team will ask you about. Everything else lives in the full Team Captain Handbook.
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12 rounds, no finals
Games run between 6pm and 9:20pm and rotate each week, spread evenly so nobody cops more than 3 early or late slots. Rained-out games are replayed. Top of the ladder after 12 rounds takes the title.
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Social points count
Every week the opposition rates how much fun you were to play against. Most Social team wins a prize alongside the champions, so you can win just by being good value.
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Matching colours
Set your team colour in the app and turn up in matching shirts. Netball teams bring their own bibs. Enclosed high-grip sports shoes for everyone, no jewellery.
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Wet weather
Outdoor comps play on in light rain. If a game is called off it is posted in the app and at sportup.com.au/wet-weather, and the game gets replayed.
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Two-strike rule
Swearing at refs or aggressive play gets a team warning. Two strikes and the team is out. Read the rules and share them with your crew before Round 1.
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Captain perks
Champions get $50 off their next season. Captain the same team for three seasons in a row and your fourth season comes with a Loyalty Legends discount. Plus every registered player gets member perks.
Passing the armband
Captaincy is not a life sentence. If you need to hand it on, open your team in the app and change the team captain to a teammate. Do it before Week 8 so the new captain is the one we talk to about renewal, and drop us a line so we update our records too.
Taking over from someone else? Ask them to make you captain in the app, or email us and we will switch it across.
Questions? We are here
Email team@sportup.com.au or call 0425 908 308. Or just reply in your team chat in the app.
Captain questions, answered
Do I have to pay for the whole team?
No. SportUP never asks the captain to front the team fee. You pay the $95 next-season deposit to hold the spot, then every player on the roster pays their own share through a payment link in the app before your Week 2 game. The $95 comes off the team total, and you can set your own share smaller to balance it out.
What is the $95 deposit for and when is it taken?
It is a holding deposit for next season. It is processed on the Friday of Week 8 by 3pm, on the card saved on your SportUP booking, and it comes straight off next season's team fee. If the card declines or there is no card on file we email you an invoice instead.
Can I opt out after saying yes to captain?
Yes. Fill in play.sportup.com.au/no-thanks by 3pm on the Friday of Week 8 and nothing is charged. You can also pass the captaincy to a teammate in the app if you want the team to keep going without you organising it.
What if some teammates do not want to play next season?
Everyone on the team is included by default. Anyone whose plans have changed uses the same opt-out form before Week 8. If that leaves you short, you can invite new players, friends or family to make sure you are at full strength for Round 1. If only three or fewer of you are continuing we will talk to you about placing everyone back into the individual pool together.
Is there a rego fee for our team?
Renewing teams skip the $105 New Team Rego. You pay the $95 deposit, then the team splits the season fee. The rego fee only applies if a team opts out and later wants to rejoin as a new team.
How do teammates pay their share?
In the SportUP app. As captain you open your team, tap the balance and invoice teammates. You can split it evenly or set custom amounts per player. Each player gets their own payment link and pays by card. You can see who has paid, so there is no chasing.
What if half the team cannot make a game?
Post in the Brisbane or Gold Coast subs group before 1pm on game day. Registered SportUP players sub in for free and you will find them 99% of the time. As long as one of your own players plays alongside the subs, it counts as a game with no forfeit. Cannot field a side at all? Tell us before 1pm and there is no fee.
Do I need to be the best player?
Not even close. Captains are organisers. You reply to our messages, keep an eye on RSVPs and post for subs when you are short. Referees, venues, equipment and fixtures are all handled by SportUP.
