This will depend upon the number of teams and your other resources. The three primary formats are:
- Single-Elimination: Each team plays until they have lost once. This format is the most economical but the least aggressive. The formula for game played is: x-1 where x is the number of teams. For 16 teams, 15 games will be played.
- Double-Elimination: Each team plays until they have lost twice. This format allows teams to "come back" from a loss. The formula for games played is: 2x-1 where x is the number of teams. For 16 teams, 31 games will be played.
- Round Robin: Every team play every other team. The winner is the team with the best overall record. You can create "leagues" or "divisions" to divide the teams and reduce the number of packets needed. The formula for games played is: x(x-1)/2 where x is the number of teams. For 7 teams, 21 games will be played.
You can combine formats. If you have a large number of teams, you can use a single-elimination tournament (in 2 rooms simultaneously) to reduce the number of teams to a smaller number and then have those "finalists" play a Round Robin in a single room. If you need to recruit teams from various areas of the campus, you can run them as divisions, each leading to a champion. Then, the champions play off for the campus championship.
For more information on tournament formats, consult the Program Guide or use the Online Tournament Calculator.