Fair play: why money can never buy rank

Rankings are only worth anything if they're honest. Here's how we keep them that way.

**Verified voters only.** You need a verified email address to vote, and every vote is tied to an account. No anonymous ballot stuffing, no bot swarms tipping the scales in the dark.

**Money can't buy rank.** This one is absolute: paid membership unlocks perks around the site, but it can never buy votes, boost a rating, or move anyone up the board. Not for candidates, not for voters, not for anyone. If you ever see rank for sale, report it — it's a scam, not us.

**Humans moderate, the crowd decides.** Our moderators remove fake profiles, harassment, and abuse. What they can't do is touch a single vote or nudge a rating. The formula is the same for the underdog and the champion.

**Transparent cycles.** Every rank comes from a published cycle with visible vote counts. Movement — risers, drops, new entries — is computed from the numbers, not chosen by editors.

Play hard, campaign for your favorites, debate the order. Just keep it real — the arena only works if everyone does.