The traditional format of a ComedySportz match features two teams of improvisational performers, competing in various improv games and performing scenes with audience members judging the results and awarding points. In every match, a CSz referee monitors the action, awarding points, and administering fouls as necessary. The flavor is somewhat like the television showWhose Line Is It Anyway?, though the ComedySportz organization precedes that show's debut by 4 years. The CSz format is a more sports-oriented and family-friendly version of the Theatresports format, which preceded ComedySportz by 7 years. ComedySportz penalties include:
Brown Bag Foul: called when a player uses explicit language or refers to something crass or off-color. The Brown Bag Foul is infamously punished by making the offender wear a brown paper bag over their head for the remainder of the scene, even if the offender is an audience member. This foul is the "bagged" mentioned in the ComedySportz theme song.
Groaner Foul: whereby any player who speaks a pun bad enough to make the audience groan causing their team to lose one point, unless their apology to the audience is heartfelt enough and accepted.
Although the image of competition is maintained, the teams are often dynamic, with rosters depending on which player are available for a match at any given time, and match outcomes are not pre-determined as audience voting/selected judges decide the winner.
Organization
CSz Worldwide and ComedySportz are licensed by the World Comedy League Incorporated. There are over 28 cities with licensed ComedySportz organizations, most in the United States. In recent years, ComedySportz has been licensed in Manchester, England and Berlin, Germany. Most ComedySportz cities operate their own "arenas," some with theatre type settings, others as nightclubs. Few have their very own bar and restaurant. The clean content and audience focused nature of the ComedySportz match allows CSz groups to perform thousands of road shows for corporate, college, church, school, and association clients each year; most CSz groups also lead corporate team-building workshops. In addition, players from some cities coach ComedySportz high school and middle school leagues, in which students perform in shows similar to those seen at the "professional" level.
Teams meet annually at the ComedySportz World Championship for a competitive tournament, training, and exchange of artistic, marketing, and organizational ideas. The location of the tournament rotates among the member cities. The first world championship that Milwaukee won was in 1988. The banner hangs in the Milwaukee stadium. The first World Championship in Milwaukee’s new arena was August 4–7, 2004, also served as the Grand Opening for Milwaukee's all-new ComedySportz Arena at 420 South 1st Street in Milwaukee. In 2009, the World Championship returned to Milwaukee for the 25th anniversary celebration, and returned again in 2014 to celebrate both its 30th anniversary and rebranding of the logo. Prior to 2004, this mostly annual event was billed as the "ComedySportz National Tournament." Philadelphia hosted and won the World Championship in 2019.
