Systems and methods for facilitating competition

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating competition are provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, competition is facilitated by combining competition results from competition-event-segments across competition events conducted at different event locations.

1 . A method for facilitating a competition, the method implemented at least in part by a computer system and comprising the steps of:
 identifying competition-event-segments from competition events held at different event locations, wherein the identified competition-event-segments do not include all competition-event-segments that make up any one of the competition events;   identifying competition participants;   identifying results for each of the competition participants in the identified competition-event-segments;   combining the results for each of the competition participants across at least some of the identified competition-event-segments; and   storing each competition participant's combined results in a computer-accessible memory system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the competition participants are teams. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the competition participants are individuals. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the competition events span a competition season. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of competition events are predetermined prior to the competition season. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the competition events span multiple competition seasons. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the competition events comprise a set of competition-event-segments, each set comprising a same number of competition-event-segments,   wherein the identified competition-event-segments comprise a number of competition-event-segments equal to the same number, and   wherein the combining results step combines the results for each of the competition participants across all of the identified competition-event-segments.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the competition events comprise a set of competition-event-segments, each set comprising a same number of competition-event-segments, and
 wherein the combining results step combining the results for each of the competition participants across a subset of the identified competition-event-segments; and   wherein the subset of the identified competition-event-segments comprises a number of competition-event-segments equal to the same number.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the competition events occur at a same event location, and wherein at least two of the competition events occur at different event locations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the competition events are professionally sanctioned events. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combining step includes in its combining for each participant, results from a predetermined competition-event-segment from the competition-event segments. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combining step includes in its combining for each participant, results from a competition-event-segment from a predetermined competition event of the competition events. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the identified competition-event-segments are from one of the competition events. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the identified competition-event-segments is from a different competition event. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of competition events are predetermined prior to initiation of any of the competition events. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the results of a participant include (a) results actually achieved by the participant in at least some of the events and (b) assigned results generated in lieu of actual results achieved by the participant in at least some of the events. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of the assigned results represent a penalty to the participant for not competing in the corresponding event(s). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of the assigned results indicate that the participant did not compete in the corresponding event(s). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining a winning participant from the plurality of participants based at least upon the combined results.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein if multiple participants include matching combined results, the determining step determines a winner at least by comparing results of the multiple participants in competition-event-segments from a predetermined subset of the competition-event-segments. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the comparing results step includes comparing the competition-event-segments from the predetermined subset on a segment-by-segment basis in a predetermined sequence until a winner is determined. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein if multiple participants include matching combined results, the determining step determines a winner at least by comparing results of the multiple participants in competition-event-segments from a predetermined subset of the competition events. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the comparing results step includes comparing the competition-event-segments from the predetermined subset on a segment-by-segment basis in a predetermined sequence until a winner is determined. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the competition events are golf tournaments. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein at least some of the golf tournaments individually comprise multiple rounds of golf. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the competition-event-segments are golf holes and the event locations are golf courses. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the golf holes are signature holes or lowest handicap holes of their respective golf courses. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each competition-event-segment is associated with a different competition event. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a plurality of the identified competition-event-segments are from one of the competition events. 
     
     
         30 . A method for facilitating a competition, the method implemented at least in part by a computer system and comprising the steps of:
 identifying competition-event-segments from competition events held at different event locations;   identifying a plurality of competition participants;   identifying results for each of the participants in at least some of the identified competition-event-segments;   generating a scorecard for each of the plurality of participants exhibiting the participant's corresponding identified results; and   storing the scorecard in a computer-accessible memory system.