Frequently Asked Questions

SAL (Sport Athlete Level) is the first universal verified rating system for athletes. It gives you a single score from 1.00 to 10.00 that reflects your real athletic level across every sport you play — verified by the opponents you actually compete against, not just self-reported.

Your SAL score is calculated using an ELO-based algorithm similar to chess rankings. Every time you report a match result and your opponent confirms it, both scores update automatically. Win against someone rated higher and your score rises more. Lose to someone rated lower and it drops more. Over time your score converges to your true level.

Yes. SAL supports 29 sports and counting. You have a separate score for each sport you play, plus an overall SAL rating that reflects your combined athletic level across all of them.

When you create your profile you complete a short self-assessment for each sport you play. This gives you a provisional score to start. Your score then adjusts automatically as you report results and compete in events. The more results you log, the more accurate your rating becomes.

Tennis, soccer, basketball, volleyball, padel, golf, powerlifting, swimming, running, boxing, pickleball, chess, American football, baseball, rugby, ice hockey, field hockey, water polo, lacrosse, softball, handball, cricket, cycling, badminton, squash, table tennis, MMA, billiards, skiing — and more added regularly.

Your score gets more accurate over time as you log more results. A provisional score based on self-assessment is a starting point. After 10–15 verified match results your score reflects your real level quite precisely.

A provisional score is based on your self-assessment when you first join. A verified score has been updated through real confirmed match results with other SAL members. Verified scores display the Verified ✓ badge on your profile.

The Verified badge appears on your profile when your score has been updated through confirmed peer-validated results. It signals to other athletes, venues, and coaches that your rating is real — not just self-reported.

Yes, your score and sport breakdown are visible on your public profile. You can control what additional information is shown in your privacy settings.

Currently SAL tracks one rating per sport. Format-specific ratings (e.g. singles vs doubles in tennis) may be introduced in a future update.

Go to Report Score, select the sport, enter the result, and tag your opponent. If your opponent is on SAL they receive a confirmation request. Once they confirm, both scores update automatically.

The result stays pending and does not affect either score until confirmed. You can send a reminder through the app. If they never confirm, the result expires after 30 days.

You can still log the result. It will be saved as unverified and will not affect your score immediately. If you invite your opponent and they join SAL, you can retroactively confirm the result and both scores will update at that point.

Yes. If a result was reported with the wrong score or outcome, you can flag it when you receive the confirmation request. Both players will be prompted to resubmit the correct result. In case of a persistent disagreement, SAL support reviews the case.

After confirming a result you are prompted to rate your opponent on a 1–5 star scale and select skill tags that describe their playing style. This peer rating contributes to their Verified status and helps the community identify trustworthy athletes.

SAL Member is $4.99 per month. SAL Pro is $49.99 per year — about $4.17 per month, with two months free compared to monthly.

SAL Pro members get access to competition registration 48 hours before monthly members. Popular competitions fill up fast — this guarantees Pro members first pick.

Yes. You can upgrade to SAL Pro at any time and your remaining monthly credit will be applied to the annual cost.

You can cancel at any time from your account settings. Your access continues until the end of your current billing period. We do not offer refunds for unused time.

Details on free trials will be announced at launch. Follow SAL on social media or sign up to the waitlist at sportathletelevel.com to be notified.

Go to the Discover tab. Events are automatically filtered to your SAL level and location. You can filter further by sport, date, and distance.

Every event has a SAL range (e.g. SAL 6.0–8.5). Only athletes whose rating falls within that range can join. This ensures every participant is genuinely competitive — no mismatches.

Find the competition in the Discover tab, tap Join, and complete registration. Entry fees (if any) are paid through the app. SAL Pro members get 48-hour early access to registration.

You check in via QR code at the venue. The competition leaderboard updates in real time as results are submitted. After the competition your SAL score updates automatically based on your performance.

Prizes are distributed by the venue or sponsor at the end of the competition. SAL displays prize details on each competition page. Prizes are typically store credit, gift cards, memberships, or equipment — not cash.

Yes, if you are a SAL Pro member. Go to Create Event, fill in the details, set the SAL level range, and publish. Your event will appear in the Discover tab for athletes in your area at the right level.

Yes. When creating an event you can set it to repeat daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also set a start and end date for the repeat cycle — useful for seasonal practices or league schedules.

A SAL Partner is a gym, tennis club, sports association, or recreational facility that hosts SAL competitions and events. Partners get access to SAL's registration system, QR code check-in, live leaderboards, and athlete discovery features.

The standard annual fee is $799 per year. A limited number of Founding Venue spots are available at 50% off forever ($399.50/yr). Contact SAL to check availability.

The first 10 venues to join SAL get a permanent 50% discount on the annual fee. This rate is locked in forever as a thank-you for being early partners. Once all 10 spots are claimed they will not be offered again.

No. There is one partnership tier — SAL Partner. All partners get the same full access to every feature.

No. Competitions can only be created and hosted by SAL Partner venues and clubs. SAL Pro athletes can create Events — smaller informal meetups, practices, and match challenges — but not formal competitions with prizes, brackets, and entry fees.

Yes. SAL provides Male and Female as the two standard competition categories, with equal prizes for both. Beyond that, venues and clubs are responsible for establishing any additional eligibility criteria for their competitions, within the bounds of applicable local law.

Venues keep 70% of all entry fees collected through SAL. SAL retains 30%. This split is fixed and never changes — no renegotiation, no surprises in year two.

SAL handles all athlete payments at registration. Venue payouts are processed automatically through the platform on a regular basis.

Log in to your venue dashboard, go to Create Competition, fill in the sport, date, SAL level range, entry fee, and prize details, then publish. Athletes in the area will see it immediately in their Discover tab.

Yes. You decide the entry fee for each competition. SAL recommends keeping entry fees accessible — typically $10–25 — to maximize participation and revenue.

You set the prize for your competition. SAL recommends partnering with local sport stores or supplement brands for store credit prizes. Prize details are displayed prominently on your competition listing to attract more athletes.

You can create free events with no entry fee. These are great for building your SAL athlete community and introducing new members to your venue.

Yes. When creating an event you can set daily, weekly, or monthly repetition with optional start and end dates. Create it once and SAL manages the schedule automatically.

Each registered athlete receives a QR code. Your staff scans it at the door using any smartphone or tablet — no special hardware needed. The check-in system confirms registration and marks attendance automatically.

Yes. Your venue dashboard shows a full registration list in real time, including each athlete's SAL score, so you can plan brackets and logistics in advance.

No-shows are marked in the system. Entry fees for no-shows are handled according to the refund policy you set when creating the competition.

Yes. A live leaderboard is available through the SAL platform and can be displayed on any screen at your venue during the competition.

SAL is currently available as a web platform accessible on any device through your browser. A dedicated mobile app is in development. Sign up at sportathletelevel.com to be notified at launch.

SAL works on any modern browser — desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. No download required.

SAL collects only the information necessary to provide the service. Your personal data is never sold to third parties. You control what is visible on your public profile. Full details are in the SAL Privacy Policy at sportathletelevel.com.

You can reach the SAL support team through the Help section in your account.

We welcome feedback. Use the feedback button inside the platform or email us directly. Early user feedback is essential and we read everything.

All SAL competitions and tournaments follow a minimum prize multiplier standard. Every organizer must declare prizes that meet or exceed these minimums before their event can go live: Third place always gets their entry fee back — so anyone finishing in the top 3 never loses money. The goal is simple: joining a SAL event should always feel worth it, no matter what.

Prizes on SAL are never raw cash. They are always physical value — gift cards, store credit, gym memberships, personal training sessions, sports equipment, or a combination. Organizers work with local sponsors (sport stores, gyms, supplement brands) to provide prizes. The declared prize value must meet SAL's minimum multiplier standard. Winners confirm receipt of their prize through the SAL app after the event.

The organizer — whether a venue, club, or SAL Pro athlete — is fully responsible for sourcing and delivering prizes. SAL never handles prize money. Prizes are declared publicly before the event goes live and are a binding commitment. If a winner does not receive their declared prize, the organizer's account is flagged. Repeated non-delivery results in permanent loss of paid event creation access on SAL.

You are not charged at registration. Your card is authorized (a hold is placed) but no money is taken until the event is officially confirmed. An event is confirmed when it reaches its minimum participant threshold. At that point all registered athletes are charged simultaneously and the event is locked in. Until then you can withdraw at any time with no charge at all.

If the minimum participant threshold is not met by the cutoff time (48 hours before the event), the event is cancelled. All authorization holds are released immediately and no one is charged. You will be notified by the app and by email.

No. Once an event is confirmed and you have been charged, withdrawals are not refunded. This policy exists to protect the minimum participant count that all other registered athletes are counting on. The no-refund policy is clearly stated at registration so there are no surprises. If the organizer cancels a confirmed event, you will receive a full refund automatically.

SAL takes a flat 20% of all entry fees collected for every paid competition and tournament on the platform — whether organized by a venue, club, or SAL Pro athlete. This covers payment processing, platform infrastructure, rating updates, and leaderboard management. The remaining 80% goes to the organizer. SAL never takes any percentage of prize money — prizes are handled entirely between the organizer and the winners.

A Match Challenge is a direct rated match between two specific parties — 1v1, or team vs team. A SAL Pro athlete sends a challenge to another athlete or team, they accept, the match happens on any agreed format (a game to 21 in basketball, a 3-point shootout, a tennis set, anything), and the result is reported and confirmed through SAL. It counts fully toward both parties' SAL scores. There is no entry fee, no prize, and no minimum participant requirement — it is simply a formal rated match initiated between two parties.