High School Team Rules

A team is school-affiliated when it participates using any of the following:

• A high school, college, or university name
• School colors, trademarks, logos, uniforms, or branding
• An official school esports, athletic, academic, or student program
• A school-approved coach, faculty adviser, or administrator
• A school-controlled team account or fundraiser
• A school foundation, athletic fund, or authorized booster organization

Students may also form independent teams under SEA's general rules. An independent team may not use a school's name, trademarks, official program status, or school-controlled accounts without written authorization.

High schools may enter teams through an approved esports program, athletic department, student organization, school foundation, or authorized booster organization. Before registration is completed, the school must designate:

• The official school or program name
• The authorized school representative
• The official five-player roster
• The approved use of school names and trademarks
• The school-controlled account receiving program funds
• The person responsible for eligibility and district compliance

High school teams compete under the same gameplay, advancement, Wildcard, ProStatus, safety, conduct, and eligibility rules that apply to other SEA teams.

The school remains responsible for confirming that participation complies with its district policies, student-activity rules, athletic or activities association requirements, academic eligibility standards, and any other rules governing its students. SEA may request written confirmation from the school, district, or applicable governing organization before allowing participation or releasing an award.

Money generated through a high school-affiliated team's merchandise store is separate from tournament prize money.

No merchandise proceeds are paid directly to an individual student, parent, coach, faculty adviser, or team member. All school allocations are paid to the approved school beneficiary designated before the store begins.

Approved beneficiaries include:

• The school or school district
• The school's esports or student-activity account
• The school athletic fund
• A school foundation
• An authorized nonprofit booster organization

For ordinary sponsor-linked merchandise sold through a high school-affiliated team store, Eligible Merchandise Margin is allocated under SEA's standard structure:

The School Team Share belongs to the represented school program and is not divided among individual students. The Sponsor Activation Pool supports the team's earned sponsorship status and related partner activations under SEA's general rules.

Eligible Merchandise Margin means collected merchandise revenue remaining after approved costs associated with:

• Product production
• Customization
• Fulfillment
• Payment processing
• Refunds
• Returns
• Chargebacks
• Applicable reserves

Sales tax and separately charged shipping are excluded.

When a high school-affiliated team earns a monetary championship award, the award is divided as follows:

Twenty-five percent of the team award is paid to the approved school beneficiary designated before competition begins. Approved recipients include:

• A school or school district account
• The school's esports or student-activity account
• The school athletic fund
• A school foundation
• An authorized nonprofit booster organization

Seventy-five percent of the championship award funds individual SEA Championship Education Awards for the eligible players on the official championship roster. Unless the published tournament rules state otherwise, the pool is divided equally among the five official players who competed as the winning roster: one Team Leader and four additional team players.

The education awards are assigned to the individual students but are not paid to the student, parent, coach, personal bank account, payment application, or cryptocurrency wallet. Each education award:

• Is administered by an SEA-approved scholarship administrator
• Becomes available after the student enrolls in an eligible educational institution
• Is paid directly to the educational institution
• May be used for approved tuition, required fees, books, supplies, and required course equipment
• Cannot be exchanged for cash, merchandise, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other personal payments
• Remains subject to the published claim period and education-award terms

Federal tax treatment depends on the recipient's enrollment status and how the award is used. The IRS generally limits tax-free scholarship treatment to degree candidates using funds for tuition, required fees, books, supplies, and required equipment; amounts used for room, board, travel, and optional equipment are generally taxable.

High school players may also receive:

• Medals, trophies, rings, plaques, or championship cards
• Official recognition as SEA championship participants
• ProStatus and competitive-achievement recognition
• Championship merchandise permitted by school rules
• Player profiles, approved media coverage, and competition credentials