Announcement: Fans Can Now Vote on a Race They’d Like to See in Live Competition

Voting is now live. Click the link below.

The Fan voted Ringer Point will be a new addition this season. How it works, the rules and the reasons for it are covered in this article.

How a traditional Ringer Point race works

Quick refresher for anyone new to Grid League: A match is a series of head-to-head, coed team races run on parallel lanes of a 80-foot playing surface called the Grid. Teams score points via race outcomes to determine a match winner.

A Ringer Point race is a single player, head-to-head race between opposing teams. Each team picks one Ringer Point race from a list of six approved options for that match format, and they pick the player they want to perform it. Scoring is two points for the winner, one for the loser if they finish in under a 20% time difference, zero if they don’t.

Traditionally, every match has two of these. One selected by each team. Now there’s a third.

Fan Voted Ringer Point options

The voted race options comes from the same options the coaches choose from. Six total are available in each matchup. Each team picks one, and the four leftover options become the fan ballot.

The vote is matchup-specific. If you’re a Bandits fan and you want to see a barbell-heavy race that favors your strength specialists, you vote for it on the Bandits’ matchup. The Palms fans on the other side are voting too, and the highest percentage wins.

Voting opens the Wednesday of a Saturday match, and the Thursday of a Sunday match. It closes after the first Ringer Point race is run during the match. Neither team knows the result until after the Strength Ladder, when the winning race is announced live.

Scoring is identical to any typical race besides the Sprint Relay. The Bonus Flag is in play, which means a team can make the race worth an extra point if they think they have a great chance to win it.

Why this changes how coaches prep

A normal Ringer Point is Grid League’s version of defense. A coach picks a race that targets a hole in the other team’s roster or a strength on their roster… or both.

The Fan Ringer Point ads a new variable. Coaches don’t know exactly what they’re prepping for until voting closes.

There’s also no player usage restrictions on Fan Ringer Points. Anyone on the team roster can complete it.

This is different than a typical Grid race which follow roster rules… or Team Ringer Point where one player use locks that player out of other Team Ringer Point races for the rest of the regular season.

Why we’re doing it

Fan involvement in the outcome of TV shows and sports is becoming more and more popular as it creates a new type of connection with the audience.

Traditional team sports in the US (like the NFL and NBA) are taking big steps to incorporate fan participation in outcomes like MVP votes. The Kings League in Europe is the fastest-growing soccer league in history, supported by fans voting for what they want to see take place on the field.

Some of the biggest media properties in the world let the audience pick up a phone and vote on the outcome. America’s Got Talent. Love Island. American Idol. Those formats have run for years on the fans having a say, and the show happens differently because of it.

Grid League will test the same idea and see how it changes the fan experience.

What to watch for

When a fan vote opens it will be announced via email first, then social media. Anyone can vote by going to the designated website page and selecting the option they’d like to see. The vote will be validated by email and only one vote will be allowed per email address.

A new variable in an up-and-coming sport is always interesting, and nobody knows yet how it plays out.

The first Fan Ringer Point of the 2026 season runs in Week 1. Voting opens the Wednesday May 20th. Don’t miss it.

Have a question? Email us: staff@unitedgridleague.com

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