Competitive formats refer to structured ways in which participants or teams engage in contests or competitions. These formats can vary widely, including individual competitions, team-based events, and tournaments. Each format has specific rules and objectives that guide how participants compete against one another, ensuring fairness and clarity in the competition. Common examples of competitive formats include single elimination tournaments, where teams are eliminated after a loss, and round-robin leagues, where each participant competes against all others. Other formats may involve scoring systems that reward points for performance, allowing for rankings based on cumulative results.