The Nonsanctioned Circuit (nonsanc informally) is an organized sporting league for mon battlesport, a blood sport involving teams of mon slave gladiators and their human trainers/coaches. In contrast to the regional Silver Circuits and interregional Gold Circuit, which are organized by uMon Corporation and must follow the rules of the sport as the corporation officially defines them, the Nonsanctioned Circuit is unofficially organized by the Nonsanctioned Mon Battlesport Organization (NMBO). The NMBO is not affiliated with uMon, though uMon does not specifically oppose it (and indeed, continues to produce mons and mon products for informal and nonsanc battles which are forbidden in sanctioned tournements.) Indeed, uMon has in recent years often sponsored nonsanc tournament prizes (typically recent-model battle mons, persumably to encourage nonsanc champions to take on the regional sanctioned circuits that require them.)

Fighters

Nonsanc as a whole is open to nearly all mons, including mons not specifically designed for battle. It is relatively common to see utility mons, pet mons, and even sometimes security mons in nonsanc. These are often upgraded or modded to make them more competitive. The disparity in mon capabilities and thus team strength, independent of trainer skill, means that the structure of nonsanc tournaments and events is actually considerably more complex than those of the sanctioned circuits. (See "Rules" below.)

Many mods that are not allowed in sanctioned play (which are essentially all mods except uMon's official upgrades) are seen in nonsanc battles. Unofficial/homebrew moves are also seen, and unique moves often serve as the trademark of a nonsanc team or clan. Occasionally, moves developed by nonsanc trainers and hackers are officially endorsed by uMon and become available for sanctioned battles.

Relationship with Organized Crime

NMBO is generally believed to be heavily connected with the technically criminal organization Mon-Kai. At the least, there is considerable overlap between persons associated with Mon-Kai and both the NMBO leadership and their event security. Nonsanc is believed to be a net money-making operation for Mon-Kai, who are noted to behave aggressively toward anyone else attempting to organize gambling at nonsanc events. Mon-Kai mobsters have also supposedly been responsible for physically intimidating cheaters and match-fixers.

Nonsanc competitions are also popular with other gangs, as a source of prestige and money. Since their mons are frequently outmoded, stolen, or illegally modded, the regional official circuits are often off limits to them.

Nonsanc's relationship to organized crime and street gangs is a source of popular mystique.

Rules and Event Structure

Nonsanc tournaments are won on a point-scoring system, rather than e.g. through advancing in an elimination tree. In order to score tournament points, one may:

• Win battles, by rendering the enemy team unwilling or unable to continue the battle. Singles battles are 1 point, Half teams 4 points, Full teams 8 points.
• Inflict fatalities on the enemy team. Killing an enemy mon is worth 1 point.

A victory over an enemy team by killing all of the opposing mons would thus be worth between 2 and 16 points, depending on the team size in play, though the defeated enemy might also have scored points by inflicting fatalities on the ultimately-victorious team.

One may also lose points for various reasons, e.g. for conceding defeat while having at least half of one's mons still able to fight. Each participant in a battle that continues for more than two minutes without at least one mon becoming unable to fight is also docked a point. These penalties are intended to discourage strategically sound but unexciting strategies that would bore spectators.

Fight rules are looser than in sanctioned play, e.g. mons are not disqualified for improvising moves in nonsanc, and "combat accessories" other than those officially designated by uMon (though not rising to the level of illegal weapons that would be forbidden to humans) are allowed, subject to the discretion of judges.

At the beginning of a Tournament, each entrant is allotted a fixed amount of battle time. This combined clock runs during all battles during the Tournament; when a team has exhausted its battle time, it may no longer start new battles (though it may finish an already in-progress battle, even if that battle was begun with less battle time than could reasonably have been sufficient for it.) Therefore, it is necessary to score as many points as possible in a limited number of battles.

Match-making in Nonsanc is done by the contestants, and a challenge may be refused. Hence, battles are likely to be between teams that are relatively evenly matched, as a much weaker party would refuse a challenge by a much stronger one.

Tournaments

Nonsanc has local tournaments in Prosperity, Tranquillity, Concord, Security, Valley City, and Cooperation.

(Note that how there is no reference to days of the week, since it is now effectively [NSC/Shareholder|always]] or never the weekend, depending on who you are.)

The Nonsanc Regional Tournament is held every four months in Concord, and is open to the winners of each local in the current cycle, plus as many runners up, chosen in descending order of score, as is necessary to make 15 participants. The Nonsanc Cup is run once a year, and is open to the winners of each regional during the year, and as many of the runners up from the current regional (chosen by score) as is necessary to make 15 participants.

Popular Reputation

Although nonsanc is less prestigious than the sanctioned circuits, it has a popular reputation for being particularly unpredictable and exciting. By contrast, in high level sanctioned play, most teams are similar; changes in strategy, mon, and moveset choice evolve gradually over the competitive season. The biggest changes usually result from rules alterations by uMon.