NEXT LEVEL
ROUNDNET
We don't just raise the net. We raise the standard.
An invitation-only experiment. 8 squads. One net raised +10cm.
The Experiment
“What if 10 centimeters changed everything?”
Roundnet is broken in favour of the offense. Hits are so low and fast that defense is extremely hard at the highest level. NLR tests one fix : raise the net 10 centimeters, film everything, and let the data speak.
THE BALANCE PROBLEM
Top-level hits are laser-fast and brutally flat. Getting into a low enough blocking position is physically extreme, and even when you do, reacting fast enough to produce a quality soft touch is nearly impossible. The sport is tilted in favour of the offense, so the natural and sad answer is serving and acing.
THE 10CM HYPOTHESIS
A net raised 10cm forces attacks to travel higher, buying defenders precious time to read, position, and respond. Higher defending position means faster reaction and cleaner soft touches. Serve receive improves too : knee-height serves become far more manageable.
DATA-DRIVEN
The main goal of this experiment : measure quantitatively the real impact of the higher net on the sport. Every game is filmed. Every rally tracked. After the tournament, we publish the numbers. This is science disguised as competition.
The Format
Built for Competition
BO3 · 15 pts · HC 21 · Single Elimination
Squad Composition
Game Order (per match)
Single Elimination Bracket
Warmup Round
A warmup round precedes the main bracket, giving squads time to adjust to the higher net before official play begins.
Invitation Only
32 of the best open players and 16 of the best women players in Europe, selected not registered. Stats only mean something at the highest level. The top players of today are the common players of tomorrow.
Innovation
That's where we raise the standard.
0/6 REVEALED
Six features. Revealed weekly until the event. Each one built to make NLR the most documented roundnet tournament ever run.
The Selection
8 Squads. 48 Players. All Invited.
32 of the best open players and 16 of the best women players in Europe. Selected, not registered.
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Invitations issued. Roster to be announced.
June 6, 2026 · Mannheim, Germany
This is not an open event.
If you're here, you already know why.