{"rewrite":{"id":"r_db36edec6f204049af827a8b","clusterId":"c_b5257d45ee2246b5b0ccc978","slug":"vpl-mahjong-league-returns-with-pair-team-battle-format-and-fan-voting","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"VPL Mahjong League Returns With Pair Team Battle Format and Fan Voting","summary":"The VTuber Mahjong Pro League VPL and the metaverse facility Sora no Ue Shopping Mall announced the second annual Sora no Ue Shopping Mall Cup. The tournament introduces a Pair Team Battle format and a Popularity Vote Slot that lets fans vote a pair directly into the Grand Championship. Qualifying rounds run from May 2026 through November, with the final in February 2027.","whyItMatters":"The addition of fan voting that directly determines a Grand Championship slot marks a structural shift in how VPL blends competition with oshi-katsu, turning viewer support into a competitive lever rather than a passive activity.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe second VPL x Sora no Ue Shopping Mall Cup will run four qualifying rounds starting May 24, 2026, and culminating in a Grand Championship on February 28, 2027. The tournament adopts a Pair Team Battle format, where two-player teams collaborate and strategize together, replacing the previous individual structure. A new Popularity Vote Slot lets fans vote for their favorite pair each round; the pair with the most support earns a spot in the Grand Championship alongside the winning and runner-up pairs. The metaverse venue Sora no Ue Shopping Mall will host a Special Arena with large-screen viewing and interactive elements. Round 1 commentary is by Sho Yayoi, with analysis by Hako Hino.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"The VPL's second Sora no Ue Cup adds a popularity vote slot that lets fans send a pair directly to the Grand Championship. Oshi-katsu now shapes tournament outcomes, not just player performance.","twitterPost":"VPL's new Pair Team Battle rule and fan vote slot mean oshi-katsu directly decides a Grand Championship berth. Competition and fan service merge in the metaverse.","threadsPost":"The VPL's second Sora no Ue Cup introduces a Popularity Vote Slot: the pair with the most fan support gets a Grand Championship spot alongside the winners. Fan engagement now has a competitive consequence. The metaverse viewing arena also opens, but the vote mechanic is the structural shift.","newsletterBlurb":"The VTuber Mahjong Pro League VPL announced its second annual Sora no Ue Shopping Mall Cup, running from May 2026 to February 2027. The tournament introduces a Pair Team Battle format and a fan Popularity Vote Slot that grants the most-supported pair a direct entry to the Grand Championship.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"ASCII.jp\",\"url\":\"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/404/4404208/?rss\",\"title\":\"VTuber Mahjong Pro League \\\"VPL\\\" Annual Large-Scale Project Kicks Off: \\\"2nd VPL × Sora no Ue Shopping Mall Cup\\\" Announced\"}]","lintFlagsJson":"[]","lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":3844,"outputTokens":580,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1779826574,"createdAt":"2026-05-22T02:31:42.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-05-22T02:46:08.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-22T02:46:08.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_b5257d45ee2246b5b0ccc978","canonicalTitle":"VTuber麻雀プロリーグ「VPL」年間大型企画が開幕　　　　　　　『第2回 VPL×そらのうえショッピングモール杯』開催決定","representativeArticleId":"a_b946dcabb081a19de7ef42e4","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"event\",\"domain\":\"vtuber\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-05-22T00:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-05-22T02:57:23.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-22T04:16:18.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"ASCII.jp","url":"https://ascii.jp/elem/000/004/404/4404208/?rss","title":"VTuber麻雀プロリーグ「VPL」年間大型企画が開幕　　　　　　　『第2回 VPL×そらのうえショッピングモール杯』開催決定"},{"source":"PANORA","url":"https://panora.tokyo/archives/143211","title":"VTuber麻雀プロリーグ「VPL」年間大型企画が開幕 「第2回 VPL×そらのうえショッピングモール杯」開催決定"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"event","domain":"vtuber","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The second VPL x Sora no Ue Shopping Mall Cup runs four qualifying rounds starting May 24, 2026, with the Grand Championship on February 28, 2027.","The tournament uses a Pair Team Battle format where two-player teams collaborate, replacing the previous individual structure.","A Popularity Vote Slot lets fans vote for their favorite pair each round; the winning pair earns a spot in the Grand Championship.","The metaverse venue Sora no Ue Shopping Mall hosts a Special Arena with large-screen viewing and interactive elements.","Round 1 commentary is by Sho Yayoi, with analysis by Hako Hino."]}