Contestant Eligibility

We are now selecting contestants to participate in this year’s MISS SPHERE USA® pageant, the official preliminaries to the MISS SPEHRE® pageants.

PAGEANT ELIGIBILITY

MISS SPHERE USA CONTESTANTS

• Must be at least 18 and under 28 years of age on December 31, 2024.
• Must never have participated in a previous national Pageant.
• May only compete in one MISS SPHERE State Pageant (including the District of Columbia) per pageant year

ALL CONTESTANT’S

• Must not be married, never have been married, and never have had a marriage annulled. Must never have given birth to a child, can not be pregnant or be a parent.

• Must be of good health and moral character.

• Must be a female citizen of the United States and at least one of the following must be true:

1) Must now reside in their state as their permanent and primary residence for a period of at least three (3) months immediately prior to the beginning of their state pageant (although they may have attended college or University elsewhere); or

2) Must have resided in the US and a full-time student at a college or university.

• Must agree, that if selected to represent their state in the MISS SPHERE USA Pageant, they will participate in that pageant, and will abide by all the rules and regulations governing that pageant. If they win the MISS SPHERE USA Pageant, they must agree to participate in the MISS SPHERE PAGEANT, and to abide by the rules and regulations governing that pageant.

• No contestant or any member of their immediate family can be employed by MISS SPHERE, LLCd/b/a the Miss Sphere Organization or any State Director in the MISS SPHERE USA  Pageant system, or any of its subsidiaries, Ernst & Young, or any of its subsidiaries. (If contestant or any member of their immediate family is employed by any of the foregoing or any firm or corporation controlled or affiliated with any of them, then they must notify the state director immediately, in writing, so that their eligibility may be determined.

• Must agree that if they win or succeed to the state level title or the national title of MISS SPHERE USA, they will not participate in any other pageants during the time they hold any of these titles, unless authorized in writing by MISS SPHERE, LLC.

• Must understand and agree that all issues as to eligibility shall be determined by MISS SPHERE, LLC, and they must agree to abide by that determination both as to themselves and other applicants.

JUDGING & CRITERIA

How is the MISS SPHERE USA® Pageant judged?
Each contestant will be judged in three areas of competition; Interview, Swimsuit/Active wear and Evening Gown. Judging criteria includes

character, poise, confidence and personality.

Is there a talent portion of the competition?
There is a performing talent required. There are three equally scored categories, including interview, evening gown, and swimwear/active wear.

Are you only looking for perfect “10’s”?
In the swimsuit portion of the competition, the judges will be looking for physical fitness, which includes a healthy and fit body. There’s usually a wide range of body styles and types for the Top 10 Finalists each year. We’re looking for outgoing, intelligent, confident, attractive young women excited to represent the beauty of the Country.

Do I have to be a “Pageant Girl” to enter?

Not at all, But if you have experience even better, in fact most of our contestants are newcomers to pageants.

Are there any height or weight requirements to compete in the pageant?
Absolutely not! Whether you're 4 feet tall or 7 feet tall, it doesn't matter. Each contestant in our pageant is an individual and the judges are looking for body proportion and personality, not a specific body measurement.

SPONSORSHIP

How does “Sponsorship” work?
Collecting sponsorship is very important. It takes a time commitment on your part. You start with a list of potential sponsors such as friends and family members and their employers, etc. Plan your strategy, and make a plan to succeed! Schedule appointments to collect your sponsorships. When approaching potential sponsors, explain your goals, your desire to improve yourself by attending the Miss Sphere USA event, the charities you believe in and the scholarship opportunities. Let them know what your experience will entail. This will be extremely beneficial in developing your communication skills. This is an essential characteristic to have if you’re going to be the next Miss Sphere USA.

Our goal is for contestants to collect 100% of the sponsorship fee. This is a tax-deductible advertising expense for those businesses that assist you with sponsorship. If you work hard on collecting sponsorship, it is possible that you will not incur any expenses out of pocket. In addition, hard working contestants receive material item sponsorships, such as a dress, tanning, a haircut, etc.

What if I raise more sponsorship money than the required sponsorship fee?
You may collect more than the required sponsorship fee. If you do collect over the required amount of the sponsorship fee, please send in the full amount to the state | national pageant offices. You may use additional sponsorsorship toward special “Spotlight ads” in the Official Program Book.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

When will the national pageant be televised?
The MISS SPHERE USA® national pageant is typically televised in November/December each year.

When will the semi-finalists be named?
The semi-finalists in the pageant will be named during the first portion of the pageant finals on the last day of the pageant weekend. No one will know who the semi-finalists are until that moment in the pageant finals show.

If I am not named as a semi-finalist, will I still be in the pageant finals?
Absolutely. All contestants will participate in the gown review, special awards, naming of the semi-finalist, musical performances, and naming of the titleholders. You will be on stage at many times during the pageant finals, even if you are not named as a semi-finalist.

Do I need a different gown for finals than the one I wear for preliminaries?
No. We highly recommend wearing the same gown for both preliminaries and finals. Nearly all contestants at the State /National pageant wear the same gown for both.

What is the “Introduction or Opening Number Outfit” for?
At the beginning of the show for the pageant, each contestant will be introduced to the audience during an upbeat, choreographed introduction musical number (contestant will not sing, and the choreographed moves are very easy – you do not need to be a dancer).

Talent Show, What if "I am Selecting as a performance"

All contestant will compete the talent competition, the high vote and win the talent will be performed on Preliminary or Final Show.

If I win, will it interfere with school?
We make school the number one priority! Our program only encourages your success! Almost all of your appearances, celebrity events, and charity work will take place during the weekend and will be scheduled in advance.

Do I have to spend a lot of money on wardrobe?
You do not need to spend fortunes on swimwear/Activewear, Talent, an interview outfit, and an evening gown. It is most important to find outfits that you will feel confident in and that best suit you and your personality. The personal choice of gowns have spanned from simple, elegant to hand beaded. But it is never the gown that the judges are scoring; it’s the young women wearing it. Again, several contestants have been able to secure a gown sponsor to assist them.

What happens if I can’t get my registration materials in before the deadlines?
Deadlines are very important to us in order to make timely program preparations. However, we realize that unexpected circumstances can arise and that the collection of sponsorship may take longer than expected. If you need an extension, please call or email the State|National pageant offices.

Do I need to pay for my meals during pageant weekend?
No. Most all of your meals throughout the state|National pageant weekend are provided by the state|National pageant. Although all of your meals are provided, we do recommend that are prepared for any additional meals that you may want.

Do I need to pay for my hotel room during pageant weekend?
No. Your hotel room during the pageant is provided for you by the state|National pageant. You will be paired with one other contestant in a room with two beds. If you choose to arrive the night before or stay the night after the pageant, your room for those nights would be at your own expense.

How many other contestants will I room with at the hotel?
Each contestant is paired with one other contestant in order to share each hotel room. Each room will have two beds, so each contestant will have their own bed. In order to be respectful to the contestant with whom you are sharing the room, only the two of you are allowed in your hotel room (no family or friends allowed at any time).

If my family or friends want to attend the pageant, where do they stay?
They may stay in the pageant’s “Host Hotel”. Friend’s and Family rates normally apply. or they can book their hotel near by the venue.

How do my family and friends get tickets to attend the pageant?
Ticket information will be listed on the website once they have been set. Family Member will get 2 tickets Free for Final.

What should I do if a sponsor gives me cash for my sponsorship fee?
If you receive cash contributions for your sponsorship fee, you may put that money into your bank and mail out the money order to us, we do not accept personal check. Please DO NOT send cash through the mail at any time. If your cash collected exceeds the sponsorship fee for the state/ National pageant, then you do not have to send in the additional cash to our office.

How many contestants compete at the State/National pageant?
The number of contestant vary from year to year, but each year approximately 25 to 35 contestants compete for the Miss State Title. and National pageant 51 states or 51 contestant to compete for Miss Sphere USA.

What should my family and friends wear to the pageant?

We recommend anything from business casual to formal wear for the pageant preliminaries and pageant finals.