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Official Q&A: VEX V5 Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Push Back
2927: GG17 Definition of "Match Affecting"
In Push Back, we frequently see scores change rapidly, which causes teams to adjust their strategy throughout the match based on the current score. I would like clarification on how “match affecting” is determined when a major violation occurs early in the match and significantly impacts a team’s ability to execute their intended strategy.
Scenario:
Team A nearly fills an upper goal during autonomous and continues to score into it once driver control begins.
Team B moves toward the upper goal to begin descoring.
Team A initiates a holding violation that exceeds the referee’s 3-count.
After Team A releases them, Team B attempts to resume their descoring actions, only to find Team A has repositioned to block the opposite side of the goal.
If Team B had not been held past the 3-count, they would have begun descoring earlier. This earlier access to the goal would likely have changed their strategy for the remainder of the match.
I have read and understand that “match affecting” is determined by comparing the final score to a hypothetical score had the violation not occurred. However, in cases like this, the majority of the match may have unfolded differently because of the violation, even if the final score does not directly reflect this impact.
Request for clarification: Should “match affecting” be evaluated solely based on the final score outcome, or should referees also consider whether a violation materially changed the strategic flow of the match at the time it occurred?
Thank you for your guidance.<GG17>
Thanks for your question, Dale, and for your patience as we considered our answer.
As described in the game manual's definition of Match Affecting, "When evaluating if a Violation was Match Affecting, Head Referees will focus primarily on any Robot actions that were directly related to the Violation."
In most cases, it is impossible for a Head Referee to accurately know what a Team "would have done" if a Violation hadn't occurred. It is likely that every Violation has an impact on the strategic flow of the Match, but that impact cannot be quantified in a consistent, fair, or simple way that can be used for every Match at every event.
When evaluating whether a Violation was or wasn't Match Affecting, the Head Referee's decision should be based solely on the final outcome of the Match.
Side note that doesn't apply to <GG17> and Holding, but does apply to many other rules: In many cases, we've included specific Violation notes that should be considered by Head Referees prior to a Match Affecting decision. For Violations of those rules, Head Referees are asked to assess the Violation's impact on the Match (e.g., was it egregious?), and the likely intent of the Team that committed the Violation (e.g., was it intentional or strategic?).