Rally HQ is a technology platform, not an event organizer. We provide digital tools. We do not run tournaments.
Rally HQ ("we," "us," "our") — a service operated by Signal X Studio LLC, an Illinois limited liability company — provides software for tournament directors ("Organizers") to manage registrations, brackets, scheduling, and scoring. Think of Rally HQ as a digital clipboard—we provide the tools, but the Organizer runs the event.
We do not host, supervise, insure, referee, or have any control over tournaments listed on our platform. Tournament Organizers are independent operators solely responsible for their events. Rally HQ has no involvement in the actual conduct of tournaments and makes no representations about the quality, safety, legality, or legitimacy of any event.
Capitalized terms used throughout these Terms have the meanings set out below.
Rally HQ serves two types of users with different responsibilities. Both types may hold an Account on the Service; the distinction below describes role and obligation, not whether an Account exists.
For Tournament Organizers: By creating an event on Rally HQ, you accept these additional responsibilities. This is the "Organizer Shield"—Rally HQ is protected from liability for your actions as an Organizer.
By creating a Tournament on Rally HQ, you represent and warrant that:
You have the legal authority to organize the Tournament and, if applicable, to bind the entity, organization, club, or league hosting the event.
You are solely responsible for complying with all applicable laws, including:
Organizers are bound by our Data Processing Addendum available at rallyhq.app/dpa, which governs the processing of Personal Information Rally HQ handles on your behalf.
You represent that you have obtained all necessary consents from Participants (or their parents/guardians for minors under 13) to:
Rally HQ acts strictly as a Data Processor acting on your instructions. You, the Organizer, are the Data Controller. If a Participant or guardian disputes how their data was used, the responsibility lies with you.
Under-13 events and COPPA. If Organizer operates events or registrations involving participants under the age of 13, Organizer warrants that it has obtained verifiable parental consent under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. §6501 et seq.) before submitting any such participant's personal information to Rally HQ. Rally HQ does not collect verifiable parental consent on Organizer's behalf and may suspend or terminate Organizer accounts upon discovering that Organizer has submitted personal information from participants under 13 without the required consent. Organizer agrees to indemnify Rally HQ against any claim arising from Organizer's failure to obtain such consent.
You are solely responsible for the safety of your event, including obtaining appropriate liability insurance, first aid provisions, weather contingency plans, and Participant waivers as required by your venue or governing bodies.
If you collect entry fees via third-party payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, PayPal), you are solely responsible for those transactions, refunds, disputes, and any tax implications. Rally HQ has no visibility into or control over these payments.
When you create a Tournament, you certify:
For Participants: Your contract is with the Tournament Organizer, not with Rally HQ. We provide the software; the Organizer runs your event.
Rally HQ is a technology platform used by independent Tournament Organizers. When you register for a Tournament or participate in an event managed through Rally HQ:
Rally HQ is not responsible for the safety, quality, legality, or conduct of any Tournament. We do not verify Organizers' credentials, insurance, or legitimacy. If something goes wrong at an event, your recourse is with the Organizer.
Any entry fees you pay are paid directly to the Organizer via third-party apps (Venmo, Cash App, etc.). Rally HQ does not hold funds and cannot issue refunds. If a Tournament is cancelled or you have a payment dispute, you must resolve it with:
Disputes about brackets, seeding, disqualifications, rules interpretations, or any other Tournament decisions must be resolved with the Organizer. Rally HQ does not mediate disputes between Participants and Organizers.
Your data was input by the Tournament Organizer. If you want your data corrected or deleted, contact the Organizer first. If you contact Rally HQ, we may forward your request to the Organizer for approval, as they are the Data Controller.
When registering a team through Rally HQ, you are required to acknowledge the following agreements. These are presented as checkboxes during registration and your acceptance is recorded with a timestamp and IP address.
By registering, you acknowledge that participation in sporting events involves inherent risks of physical injury. You voluntarily assume all such risks and release the Tournament Organizer, Rally HQ, venue operators, and their respective agents, employees, and affiliates from any and all claims, damages, or causes of action arising from your participation. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless these parties against any liability resulting from your participation. You represent that you are physically fit to participate, or that a qualified medical professional has cleared you (or your minor child) to participate. If registering on behalf of a minor, you represent that you are the parent or legal guardian and have the authority to bind the minor to these terms.
You consent to the capture and use of photographs, video recordings, and other media taken during the event for promotional, marketing, and editorial purposes by the Tournament Organizer and Rally HQ. This consent is granted without expectation of compensation or prior approval of the finished materials.
No biometric processing. Rally HQ does not extract, store, or process biometric identifiers (including face geometry scans) from event photographs. The Tournament Organizer is responsible for any biometric processing they may perform separately and must obtain any consents required by the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14), the Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act, or similar state laws.
Minor athletes. Parental or guardian consent for media use is a separate requirement that must be obtained by the Organizer at registration for any Participant who is a minor. Rally HQ does not assume photo consent for minors based on adult-registrant consent alone. Organizers are solely responsible for collecting and documenting this consent.
You agree to share your team name, captain name, contact information (email and phone number), and roster information with the Tournament Organizer for the purpose of event management and communication. Your phone number is only visible to the Organizer and is not displayed publicly. Your acceptance of these terms is governed by our Privacy Policy.
Rally HQ records the date, time, and IP address of your registration as evidence of your acceptance of these agreements. This information is retained for legal compliance purposes and may be disclosed if required by law or legal process.
You must be at least 18 years old to create a Rally HQ Organizer Account. Organizer Accounts require email verification and acceptance of these Terms. The age requirement reflects the legal capacity needed to enter into a binding contract as an Organizer.
There is no minimum age for Participants to be registered in a Tournament. However, Rally HQ does not knowingly collect Personal Information directly from children under 13. All minor Participant data is input by adult Organizers or team captains who have certified they hold appropriate consents.
For Participants under 13, the Organizer must obtain verifiable parental consent (VPC) as required by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA, 16 CFR §312.5) before inputting that Participant's data into Rally HQ. Organizers are solely responsible for this compliance obligation. Participants aged 13–17 may be registered by an adult (parent, guardian, coach, or team manager) on their behalf without additional VPC, provided the adult has the authority to bind the minor.
Participants may access parts of the Service via Magic Links sent to their email. Captains who complete a Magic Link sign-in during registration are issued a persistent Participant Account; captains who register through the legacy verification-code path interact with the Service only through tournament-scoped Magic Links and do not have a persistent Account. In both cases, you are responsible for maintaining the security of the email account that receives Rally HQ's messages. If you believe a Magic Link or Account has been compromised, contact us at security@rallyhq.app.
Important: Rally HQ is NOT a payment processor. We do not collect, hold, or transfer any tournament entry fees or payments between users.
Rally HQ facilitates the sharing of payment information (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, PayPal links) between Participants and Organizers. This is solely a convenience feature. All payments for Tournament entry fees are made directly between the Participant and the Organizer. Rally HQ:
Rally HQ charges Subscription fees to Organizers for platform access. These fees are processed through Stripe (see our Sub-processor list at rallyhq.app/sub-processors). Rally HQ does not store credit card data on our servers. You agree to pay all applicable fees and taxes, including local sales or lease transaction taxes (such as the Chicago Cloud Tax) which will be calculated based on your provided billing address.
If you enroll in a paid Rally HQ Subscription, your Subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period at the then-current rate, unless you cancel before the renewal date. You may cancel at any time from your account settings with a single click, or by emailing billing@rallyhq.app. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period; you will retain access through that period and will not be charged for the next period. We will send you a renewal acknowledgment email after each charge as required by California Bus. & Prof. Code §17602 and similar state automatic renewal laws.
We will notify you at least 30 days before any Subscription price increase takes effect. You may cancel at any time before the increase to avoid the new rate.
If a paid Subscription begins with a free trial, we will clearly disclose the trial duration, the post-trial price, and how to cancel before being charged. You may cancel at any time during the trial to avoid charges.
Rally HQ is responsible for the security of cardholder data that we possess or otherwise store, process, or transmit on behalf of the customer, or to the extent that we could impact the security of the customer's cardholder data environment. Rally HQ uses Stripe as our payment processor and does not directly handle, store, or process payment card information on our systems.
You retain ownership of content you submit (Tournament names, team names, player rosters, scores, etc.). By submitting content, you grant Rally HQ a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute such content in connection with providing the Service.
Public Visibility: Tournament brackets, schedules, scores, and standings are publicly viewable by default. Do not use Sensitive Personal Information (such as full addresses, phone numbers, or private details) in team names or other public fields.
For copyright notice and takedown procedures, see our DMCA Policy at rallyhq.app/dmca.
You agree not to use Rally HQ to:
Please read this section carefully. It limits Rally HQ's liability to you.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, RALLY HQ AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:
IN NO EVENT SHALL RALLY HQ'S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO RALLY HQ IN THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100). THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS COMPREHENSIVE AND APPLIES TO ALL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING (WITHOUT LIMITATION) COMPENSATORY, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSS OF DATA, INCOME OR PROFIT, LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, AND CLAIMS OF THIRD PARTIES, WHETHER ARISING FROM CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LIABILITY.
Exclusions. Nothing in this Section limits or excludes Rally HQ's liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by Rally HQ's negligence; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; (c) Rally HQ's gross negligence or willful misconduct; (d) any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law (including California Civil Code §1668 and analogous provisions). The cap in this Section does not apply to your indemnification obligations under Section 10 or to either party's obligations regarding confidentiality or intellectual property.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Rally HQ and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:
These indemnification obligations apply to every user of the Service, including Participants who hold a captain Account or other Participant Account. Holding a Participant Account does not shift to Rally HQ any responsibility for the Participant's own conduct, the data they submit, or their interactions with Organizers and other Participants. Section 3's Organizer-specific obligations remain in addition to, not instead of, these general user obligations.
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. RALLY HQ DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
Rally HQ does not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided by Tournament Organizers or other users. For our accessibility commitment, see rallyhq.app/accessibility.
Rally HQ explicitly disclaims all liability for service interruptions, outages, or data loss that may occur during Tournament operation. This includes, but is not limited to:
Organizers are strongly encouraged to maintain backup records (paper brackets, spreadsheets, or alternative systems) for critical Tournament Data. Rally HQ is a convenience tool, not a system of record for official competitions.
Rally HQ shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under these Terms arising from causes beyond its reasonable control. Such causes include, but are not limited to:
During any force majeure event, Rally HQ's obligations shall be suspended for the duration of the event without liability. We will make reasonable efforts to resume normal operations as soon as practicable. During and after any force majeure event, Rally HQ will use reasonable efforts to preserve user data and restore service as soon as practicable.
Please read this section carefully. It affects your legal rights, including your right to a jury trial and your right to participate in class action lawsuits.
You may opt out of this arbitration provision by emailing legal@rallyhq.app within 30 days of the date you first agree to these Terms. Your opt-out notice must include your name, email address, and a statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration. Opting out does not affect any other provision of these Terms.
If you do not opt out, you agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (a "Dispute") will be resolved by binding individual arbitration rather than in court, except as set forth below.
You may elect to arbitrate under either: (a) the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (available at adr.org), or (b) the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules (available at jamsadr.com). The election is yours. If you do not make an election within 10 days of initiating arbitration, Rally HQ will select the forum. The arbitrator shall be selected according to the rules of the chosen forum.
Either party may bring a qualifying Dispute in small-claims court in the county of your residence or Cook County, Illinois, instead of arbitration, provided the Dispute remains within the small-claims court's jurisdictional threshold and is brought only on an individual, non-class basis.
Either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property rights or enforce confidentiality obligations, without waiving the right to arbitrate all other Disputes.
If 25 or more similar arbitration demands are filed within any 60-day period by or on behalf of claimants represented by the same counsel or coordinated counsel, the parties agree to bellwether procedures: 10 representative cases (5 selected by each side) will proceed to arbitration first; all remaining demands are tolled pending resolution of the bellwether cases. The outcomes of the bellwether cases are not binding on the remaining claimants but may inform settlement discussions.
BY AGREEING TO THESE TERMS, YOU EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT ALL DISPUTES MUST BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT I AM GIVING UP MY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION. YOU MAY NOT BRING OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION, AND THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD RELIEF ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
If the class action waiver above is held unenforceable with respect to any Dispute, the arbitration provision is void as to that Dispute in its entirety. The Dispute shall then proceed in court on a class or representative basis, subject to the parties' rights to appeal.
For Disputes that are not subject to arbitration (including small-claims matters and post-arbitration confirmation or enforcement proceedings), the parties consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois.
Nothing in this Section waives any right that cannot be waived by contract under applicable law, including: the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) private right of action under Cal. Civ. Code §1798.150; statutory rights preserved under Colorado, Connecticut, or other state privacy laws; or any non-waivable federal claim or remedy.
Disputes between Participants and Organizers—including payment disputes, bracket disagreements, disqualifications, or any other Tournament-related issues—must be resolved directly between those parties. Rally HQ does not mediate user disputes. We may, at our sole discretion, provide information to assist, but we are under no obligation to intervene.
We take reports seriously. Rally HQ maintains a Trust and Safety process to review and act on reports of fraudulent or concerning Organizer activity.
Please report the following types of issues:
Submit reports to trust@rallyhq.app with the following information:
All reports are logged and reviewed within 48 hours. Depending on severity, we may:
We maintain records of all reports and actions taken for compliance purposes. While we cannot guarantee specific outcomes, we are committed to maintaining platform integrity.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any Account or Tournament that violates these Terms, appears fraudulent, or is otherwise harmful to the platform or its users. We may take action without prior notice in cases of suspected fraud or illegal activity.
Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. The following sections survive termination of these Terms or your Account: §3 (Organizer Responsibilities), §4a (Participant Registration Agreements), §6 (Payments and Fees), §7 (User Content) (license grant only), §9 (Limitation of Liability), §10 (Indemnification), §11 (Disclaimers), §13 (Dispute Resolution), §17 (Governing Law), and Definitions.
Account deletion, whether initiated by you or by Rally HQ, applies equally to Organizer Accounts and Participant Accounts (including captain Accounts created through the Magic Link registration path). Deletion is processed in accordance with the retention schedule and carve-outs described in our Privacy Policy §11.
We may modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email or through the Service with at least 30 days' notice. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding arising under these Terms that is not subject to arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois, and the parties hereby consent to personal jurisdiction and venue therein.
You may not assign these Terms or your Account without our prior written consent. Rally HQ may assign these Terms (in whole or in part) without notice in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or by operation of law.
If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
No failure or delay by Rally HQ in exercising any right under these Terms constitutes a waiver of that right. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Rally HQ to be effective.
These Terms (together with the Privacy Policy, DPA, DMCA Policy, and any Subscription order) constitute the entire agreement between you and Rally HQ regarding the Service and supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings between the parties.
If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at legal@rallyhq.app.
Operating entity:
Signal X Studio LLC
An Illinois limited liability company
c/o Northwest Registered Agent Service, Inc.
2501 Chatham Rd Suite N
Springfield, IL 62704, USA