Before you start
Connecting a domain means making a change in two places: Game Axiom, and the DNS provider that manages your domain. Once you save the change, the rest of the internet needs a little time to pick it up.
- You can sign in to the Game Axiom admin area for the organization that owns the public site.
- Your plan includes custom domains. If it does not, Game Axiom will show you how to upgrade when you start the connection.
- You own the domain, or you can ask the person who manages DNS for the domain to add records for you.
- Your public site is ready to publish. You can connect a domain while the site is still in draft, but visitors will see it only after publishing.
Choose the right address
For most leagues, use a subdomain such as www.yourleague.com or play.yourleague.com. A subdomain is usually easier to configure because it can point only the league site to Game Axiom while your root domain, email, and other services stay where they are.
This is also the safest choice if your league uses email at your domain. Changing records at the root domain can interrupt email if it is done wrong. If your domain already sends or receives mail, ask whoever manages your DNS before changing root-domain records, and leave your existing mail records - MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC - in place unless your email provider tells you otherwise.
A root domain, such as yourleague.com, can also work when your DNS provider supports the records Game Axiom shows. If Game Axiom recommends a www version during setup, that recommendation is meant to reduce DNS complexity, not to change your brand.
Connect the domain in Game Axiom
- Open Website settingsIn Game Axiom admin, choose Website from the main navigation. The custom domain card is on the Website page.
- Start the connectionSelect Connect domain and enter the exact address visitors should use, such as www.yourleague.com.
- Review any www recommendationIf you enter a root domain, Game Axiom may recommend the www version because it is simpler at most DNS providers.
- Add the DNS recordsGame Axiom shows the records to add at your domain provider. The record names and values can vary by domain, so copy them from the admin screen.
- Tell Game Axiom to checkAfter the records are saved at your provider, return to Game Axiom and select I've added the record(s). Game Axiom will check DNS, verify ownership, and prepare the secure connection.
What to expect from DNS records
Game Axiom shows the DNS record type, name, and value to add. These values are generated for your domain and can differ from another league's values, so use the records shown in your own admin screen.
Traffic records tell the internet where visitors should land when they type your chosen address. Ownership records prove that you control the domain before Game Axiom serves your league site on it.
Leave TTL at the provider default unless your DNS administrator has a reason to change it. Only add the records Game Axiom shows you, and do not remove records you do not recognize.
Keep sharing your existing Game Axiom address until the custom domain shows as live. After that, the custom domain becomes the primary address for your public site.
Check status and propagation
After you select I've added the record(s), Game Axiom checks whether DNS can see the records, confirms ownership, and prepares the secure HTTPS connection. The domain card shows progress such as Needs DNS setup, Checking DNS, Securing connection, Live, or Needs attention.
Changes often appear within minutes, but some take hours because DNS answers are cached around the internet. If the records are correct but the status has not changed yet, wait a bit and select Check now again.
Once the domain is Live, leave the DNS records in place. They are not just setup records - they continue to route visitors and support future checks.
Why domain setup takes a few extra steps
A single DNS record decides where anyone typing your league's address ends up: families, players, search engines, and anyone following a payment link.
Game Axiom confirms you control the domain before serving your league site on it, which helps prevent one organization from claiming an address it does not own and helps make sure visitors arrive over a secure connection.
Troubleshooting
The record is missing or typed differently
Compare the Type, Name, and Value in Game Axiom with your DNS provider. Extra spaces, an extra domain suffix in the Name field, or a copied value from an older attempt can block verification.
DNS has not propagated yet
Changes often appear within minutes, but some take hours because DNS providers and internet resolvers can cache old answers. If you just edited the record, wait and run Check now again.
The domain provider uses a different label
Some providers call the Name field Host, Hostname, Alias, or @ for the root domain. Use the provider field that controls the DNS record name.
The site is still in draft
A verified domain can be connected before publishing. Visitors will see the league site through that domain only after the public site is published.
When to contact support
- The domain has shown Needs attention for more than an hour after you checked the records.
- Verification has been stuck for more than 72 hours.
- Your DNS provider cannot create the record Game Axiom shows.
- Visitors reach the wrong site after the domain is marked Live.
FAQ
Do I need to move my domain registration to Game Axiom?
No. Keep the domain at your current registrar or DNS provider. You only add DNS records that point the chosen address to Game Axiom.
Should I use my root domain or a www subdomain?
For most leagues, www.yourleague.com is the easiest choice because it usually needs one traffic record. You can still use a root domain if your DNS provider supports the records Game Axiom shows.
Can I verify ownership without changing visitor traffic right away?
Usually. If you are not ready to point traffic yet, Game Axiom may show an ownership-only record you can add first.
Can I remove the DNS records after the domain is live?
No. Keep the records in place. Removing them can cause the domain to stop loading, fail future checks, or lose its secure connection.
Will connecting a domain break my league email?
No, as long as you only add the records Game Axiom shows and do not remove existing mail records. If you are changing records at the root domain, check with whoever manages your email before saving changes.
What happens to links I already shared?
Keep sharing your existing Game Axiom address until the custom domain shows as live. After that, the custom domain becomes the primary address for your public site, and visitors who use the old Game Axiom address are normally sent to it. Update links in emails, social posts, and printed materials to the custom domain rather than relying on the old address to keep working.