Card (sports)
Encyclopedia
In sports, a card comprises a listing of the match
es taking place in a title-match combat-sport
event. Organizers divide overall cards into a main-event match and the undercard, which encompasses the rest of the matches. One can also further subdivide the undercard into midcard and lower card, according to the perceived importance of the matches. Promoters schedule matches to occur in ascending order of importance.
, professional wrestling
, horse racing, auto racing, or other sports event. (In auto racing, however, the term "support race" occurs more commonly.) Typically, promoters intend the undercard to provide fans with an opportunity to see up-and-coming fighters or fighters not so well-known and popular as their counterparts in the main event. The undercard also ensures that if the main event ends quickly fans will still feel that they received sufficient value for the price of their admission.
In auto racing, support races occur not just before the feature race, they occur on qualifying day where attendances are typically low and after the completion of the feature race, purposely to lessen the effect of traffic congestion
outside venues common in major championship rounds, as spectators make their way home. Examples of notable support races include Porsche Supercup
and GP2 Series
, both supporting the Formula One World Championships
, although the latter is considered to be a feeder series (for young drivers who desire to make the final step to Formula One).
In boxing, undercard matches usually only last for four rounds, to ensure that the crowd does not have to wait too long for the main event. In professional wrestling, undercard matches usually last for five to ten minutes: the audience does not have to wait too long for the main event and the promoters often have to fulfill contractual television agreements. Professional wrestling unofficially subdivides the undercard into uppercard, midcard and lower card matches, which roughly correlate to the fame and quality of performance of the wrestlers involved.
s such as boxing
, professional wrestling
and mixed martial arts
. The main event, generally the most prestigious match on the card, has the most promotion behind it. The match commonly involves a contest for a top championship
, but may feature another special attraction. Sometimes, multiple matches of equally high importance take place at the end of a card in succession, billed as a "double main event" or (rarely) as a "triple main event". Advertising for sporting bouts focuses primarily on their main events.
event which comprises multiple high-level matches and/or special attractions.
Promoters advertise supercards heavily, and tickets typically cost more than at standard-card events.
Supercards serve as the focal point of professional wrestling promotion
s and can function as a primary source of revenue for such promotions.
, mainstream American pro wrestling holds supercards at least annually and broadcasts them on pay-per-view
(PPV) television. While the two major companies, World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA), run PPV events every month; only a few class as "supercards". Wrestling supercards often recur annually; WWE's WrestleMania
, arguably the most famous of these, has run since 1985. WWE runs three other supercards per year (SummerSlam
, Royal Rumble
and Survivor Series
), but does not promote these at the level of WrestleMania. TNA has three supercards: Bound for Glory
, Lockdown
, and Slammiversary. Bound for Glory, the most prominent of the three, has taken place annually since 2005. Examples of non-pay-per-view supercards include Saturday Night's Main Event and Clash of the Champions
.
In other sports, such as boxing
and mixed martial arts
, supercards occur more rarely. They usually involve a "dream fight" and multiple title defenses.
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
es taking place in a title-match combat-sport
Combat sport
A Combat sport, also known as a Fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement , typically with the aim of simulating parts of real hand to hand combat...
event. Organizers divide overall cards into a main-event match and the undercard, which encompasses the rest of the matches. One can also further subdivide the undercard into midcard and lower card, according to the perceived importance of the matches. Promoters schedule matches to occur in ascending order of importance.
Undercard
The undercard, or preliminary matches, consists of preliminary bouts that occur before the headline or "main event" of a particular boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, horse racing, auto racing, or other sports event. (In auto racing, however, the term "support race" occurs more commonly.) Typically, promoters intend the undercard to provide fans with an opportunity to see up-and-coming fighters or fighters not so well-known and popular as their counterparts in the main event. The undercard also ensures that if the main event ends quickly fans will still feel that they received sufficient value for the price of their admission.
In auto racing, support races occur not just before the feature race, they occur on qualifying day where attendances are typically low and after the completion of the feature race, purposely to lessen the effect of traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
outside venues common in major championship rounds, as spectators make their way home. Examples of notable support races include Porsche Supercup
Porsche Supercup
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is the international motor racing series supporting the FIA Formula One World Championship organized by Porsche AG....
and GP2 Series
GP2 Series
The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...
, both supporting the Formula One World Championships
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
, although the latter is considered to be a feeder series (for young drivers who desire to make the final step to Formula One).
In boxing, undercard matches usually only last for four rounds, to ensure that the crowd does not have to wait too long for the main event. In professional wrestling, undercard matches usually last for five to ten minutes: the audience does not have to wait too long for the main event and the promoters often have to fulfill contractual television agreements. Professional wrestling unofficially subdivides the undercard into uppercard, midcard and lower card matches, which roughly correlate to the fame and quality of performance of the wrestlers involved.
Main event
A main event takes place as the final match of a title-match-system sporting event. The term occurs primarily with reference to combat sportCombat sport
A Combat sport, also known as a Fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement , typically with the aim of simulating parts of real hand to hand combat...
s such as boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
. The main event, generally the most prestigious match on the card, has the most promotion behind it. The match commonly involves a contest for a top championship
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
, but may feature another special attraction. Sometimes, multiple matches of equally high importance take place at the end of a card in succession, billed as a "double main event" or (rarely) as a "triple main event". Advertising for sporting bouts focuses primarily on their main events.
Supercard
A supercard consists of a title match combat sportCombat sport
A Combat sport, also known as a Fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement , typically with the aim of simulating parts of real hand to hand combat...
event which comprises multiple high-level matches and/or special attractions.
Promoters advertise supercards heavily, and tickets typically cost more than at standard-card events.
Supercards serve as the focal point of professional wrestling promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
s and can function as a primary source of revenue for such promotions.
, mainstream American pro wrestling holds supercards at least annually and broadcasts them on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) television. While the two major companies, World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA), run PPV events every month; only a few class as "supercards". Wrestling supercards often recur annually; WWE's WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
, arguably the most famous of these, has run since 1985. WWE runs three other supercards per year (SummerSlam
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in August by professional wrestling promotion WWE. The inaugural SummerSlam took place on August 29, 1988 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and was broadcast via pay-per-view, unlike the Royal Rumble of that...
, Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1988, with its inaugural event taking place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
and Survivor Series
Survivor Series
The Survivor Series is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event held in November by WWE. It is one of the "Big Four" events, along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam, as It is one of the original four pay-per-views produced by WWE....
), but does not promote these at the level of WrestleMania. TNA has three supercards: Bound for Glory
TNA Bound For Glory
Bound for Glory is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced every October by the American Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. The event was created in 2005 to be their premier event of the year, similar to the company's main rival World Wrestling Entertainment and its...
, Lockdown
TNA Lockdown
Lockdown is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced every April by the American professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action , is considered one of the flagship PPVs in the company, alongside Slammiversary and Bound for Glory...
, and Slammiversary. Bound for Glory, the most prominent of the three, has taken place annually since 2005. Examples of non-pay-per-view supercards include Saturday Night's Main Event and Clash of the Champions
Clash of the Champions
The Clash of the Champions were a series of professional wrestling television specials aired by World Championship Wrestling. The specials were supercards intended to feature pay-per-view caliber matches, similar to World Wrestling Federation's Saturday Night's Main Event.The first Clash of the...
.
In other sports, such as boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
, supercards occur more rarely. They usually involve a "dream fight" and multiple title defenses.