We love Beach Volleyball here at USL... and though we have been extremely fortunate in the past, it is not yet clear if Mother Nature believes that anyone should be out regularly on Seattle’s waterfront before the 4th of July. With that in mind, we have created the following rain policy for beach volleyball.

How do I know if my match is rained out?
All matches will be played as scheduled unless the beach is closed by the city, or conditions are deemed unsafe for play by the site supervisor. In other words: A match is NOT a rain out just because it is raining. We live in Seattle... you might find yourself going up for a block in a poncho.

Rain-out info will be posted on the main page of the USL website as soon as humanly possible. If you suspect a rainout, check the USL website first. If it is closer to match time, you can call the USL rain out hotline: (206) 320-TEAM.

If there is still any doubt, GO TO THE BEACH. A rainout may have to be called at the last minute by the site supervisor or by the city. These situations obviously cannot be posted on the website or rainout line. If it is close to match time and you haven't heard anything, the match is probably going to be played - don't miss out on some soggy volleyball fun.

What happens if there is a rain out?
Every attempt will be made to reschedule all rain-outs on the same day of the week as regular play. However, as beach space is at a premium in Seattle, make-up matches may be scheduled on another day of the week. Teams will be informed of their make up match schedule as soon as it is known.

What happens if the match can't be re-scheduled or there are multiple rain outs in one season?
If USL is unable to provide a make up match due to beach and time constraints, teams will receive a pro-rated refund of their team fee for each match that is missed and cannot be rescheduled beyond their first missed match. For example if there is a hundred year flood and Team Statdog gets rained out of three matches of their seven match season, and those matches cannot be rescheduled, Team Statdog would have two sevenths (28.6%) of their team fee refunded. Two matches will be refunded the team - the other one goes to bribe Mother Nature for next season.

If a team declines a make up match (scheduled on any day of the week), the team is not eligible for a refund of that missed match. If Team Statdog was re-scheduled for one of its three missed matches, but was unable to play at that time, its refund would be only one-seventh of the team fee. Of course, every attempt will be made to accommodate scheduling requests for make ups.

Why does the refund kick in at the second missed match... is the Statdog trying to take advantage of eager volleyballers?
Good question... not at all. As you can imagine, running a volleyball league requires a lot of administrative time and energy, even before any matches are played. This admin time goes up significantly when a rain out occurs, as new beachs have to be reserved and matches juggled, etc. If you think you're bummed when it rains, the Statdog is even more bummed. As mentioned, every effort will be made to reschedule matches, but playing volleyball in Seattle is a risky proposition... this policy is just how we ask eager volleyballers to recognize and share a small part of that risk.

What happens if almost all the matches are rained out?
If more than half of the matches are rained out, the season will be canceled and teams will receive a refund of their full team fee, minus one match (6/7ths 86% of the team fee for a 7 match season). Again, it's expensive to run a volleyball league... even one that gets completely rained out. Let's hope this never happens.

Can I still go to the sponsor bar if there is a rain-out?
We'll see you there.