NorCal has new USTA League roster limit rule for 2020 overturned by National

For the 2020 USTA League season, Northern California instituted some new rules regarding how many players with various rating types could be on the same team.

Basically, the rule limits how many self-rates, appeals, and DQ'd players can be on a roster.  For example for most Adult teams playing 4 or more courts for a match, just 5 total players with an S, A, or D could be on the same team.

I believe these rules were instituted to limit the creation of super teams loaded with players who appealed down or are self-rates, and to limit the ability of these teams to field more or less the same team in multiple areas.

The problem exists because of the large population in the Bay Area and proximity of areas resulting in a good chance of 10 or more players in the same or adjacent areas being able to appeal down, and then forming effectively the same team in multiple areas.  Or brand new teams are formed with a majority of players being self-rated and with the USTA's DQ rules being perhaps too lenient, it isn't a good look when established players have no shot of advancing to playoffs when predominantly self-rated ones do, and those teams replicate in multiple areas to boot.

One could make the argument that both of these situations, allowing more or less the same "super" team to play in 2, 3, or more areas, or teams loaded with self-rates, isn't fair to the other players trying to advance to playoffs.

I'm sure there are varied opinions on whether this new rule is fair or not, but apparently it ran afoul of National regulations and so they are being removed ...

... except ...

Some areas in NorCal (Reno) run their 40 & Over Adult and Mixed as early start leagues, so by the time this decision was made, those had already played.  So to be fair to those teams, the rest of the NorCal teams playing their 40 & Over leagues later will have to abide by the new rules as well.  But all other divisions will not be bound by the new rules.

For those interested, here is the actual language from the new, now partially defunct, rules:

1.04D(4)a All Adult and Mixed Division team rosters at the 3.0 or combined 6.0 and 6.5 NTRP levels may include up to six (6) players with a Self-rating (S), Appealed (A), Dynamically Disqualified or Promoted (D).

1.04D(4)b In Adult and Mixed Divisions at the 3.5, 4,0, 4.5, 4.5+ or combined 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0, 9.5 and 10.0 NTRP level utilizing three individual matches within a team match, a team roster may include up to three (3) players with a Self-rating (S), Appealed (A), Dynamically Disqualified or Promoted (D).

1.04D(4)c In Adult Divisions at the 3.5, 4,0, 4.5, 4.5+ NTRP level utilizing four or more individual matches within a team match, a team roster may include up to five (5) players with a Self-rating (S), Appealed (A), Dynamically Disqualified or Promoted (D).

And here is the National rule the above runs afoul of:

1.04D(4) Team. A team shall consist of players eligible to compete at a specific NTRP level of competition in accordance with the following table. A Section may limit the number of players on a team who have an individual NTRP level lower than the team NTRP level. A Section may also limit the number of players who appear on a team roster, but may not have fewer than the minimum number of players as shown in the following table:

Apparently the interpretation of the National rule is that a section is not allowed to limit the number of players with a rating type on a team.

What do you think?  Was NorCal trying to do the right thing by instituting limits and would make for fairer competition?  Or limits like these aren't fair and should never be in place?