diff --git a/model/event_settings.go b/model/event_settings.go
index 3ae266ab..5e53459a 100644
--- a/model/event_settings.go
+++ b/model/event_settings.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (database *Database) GetEventSettings() (*EventSettings, error) {
 		NumPlayoffAlliances:             8,
 		SelectionRound2Order:            "L",
 		SelectionRound3Order:            "",
-		SelectionShowUnpickedTeams:      false,
+		SelectionShowUnpickedTeams:      true,
 		TbaDownloadEnabled:              true,
 		ApChannel:                       36,
 		WarmupDurationSec:               game.MatchTiming.WarmupDurationSec,
diff --git a/model/event_settings_test.go b/model/event_settings_test.go
index b30aafc1..059704a7 100644
--- a/model/event_settings_test.go
+++ b/model/event_settings_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ func TestEventSettingsReadWrite(t *testing.T) {
 			NumPlayoffAlliances:             8,
 			SelectionRound2Order:            "L",
 			SelectionRound3Order:            "",
+			SelectionShowUnpickedTeams:      true,
 			TbaDownloadEnabled:              true,
 			ApChannel:                       36,
 			WarmupDurationSec:               0,
diff --git a/static/js/alliance_selection.js b/static/js/alliance_selection.js
index 75e40e96..560e9ff7 100644
--- a/static/js/alliance_selection.js
+++ b/static/js/alliance_selection.js
@@ -5,14 +5,19 @@
 
 var websocket;
 
-// Sends a websocket message to show the timer.
-const showTimer = function() {
-  websocket.send("showTimer");
+// Sends a websocket message to set the timer to the given time limit.
+const setTimer = function(timeLimitInput) {
+  websocket.send("setTimer", parseInt(timeLimitInput.value));
+}
+
+// Sends a websocket message to start and show the timer.
+const startTimer = function() {
+  websocket.send("startTimer");
 };
 
-// Sends a websocket message to hide the timer.
-const hideTimer = function() {
-  websocket.send("hideTimer");
+// Sends a websocket message to stop and hide the timer.
+const stopTimer = function() {
+  websocket.send("stopTimer");
 }
 
 // Handles a websocket message to update the alliance selection status.
diff --git a/templates/alliance_selection.html b/templates/alliance_selection.html
index 612a859e..27d4abda 100644
--- a/templates/alliance_selection.html
+++ b/templates/alliance_selection.html
@@ -85,23 +85,18 @@
               <legend id="timer"></legend>
             </div>
           </div>
-          <p>
-            Timer starts automatically after each non-captain assignment and is hidden on the audience overlay until
-            the button below is pressed.
-          </p>
+          <p>Timer is hidden on the audience overlay until the Start/Show button below is pressed.</p>
           <div class="row">
             <label class="col-lg-5 control-label">Time limit in seconds<br />(0 = disabled)</label>
             <div class="col-lg-3">
-              <input type="text" class="form-control" name="timeLimitSec" value="{{.TimeLimitSec}}">
-            </div>
-            <div class="col-lg-4 text-end">
-              <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Save/Reset</button>
+              <input type="text" class="form-control" name="timeLimitSec" value="{{.TimeLimitSec}}"
+                onblur="setTimer(this);">
             </div>
           </div>
           <div class="mt-3 row justify-content-center">
             <div class="col-lg-8 text-center">
-              <button type="button" class="btn btn-success" onclick="showTimer();">Show Timer</button>
-              <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary" onclick="hideTimer();">Hide Timer</button>
+              <button type="button" class="btn btn-success" onclick="startTimer();">Start/Show Timer</button>
+              <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary" onclick="stopTimer();">Stop/Hide Timer</button>
             </div>
           </div>
         </div>
diff --git a/web/alliance_selection.go b/web/alliance_selection.go
index d15d0641..25cddea0 100644
--- a/web/alliance_selection.go
+++ b/web/alliance_selection.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Global var to hold configurable time limit for selections. A value of zero disables the timer.
-var allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec = 0
+var allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec = 45
 
 // Global var to hold a ticker used for the alliance selection timer.
 var allianceSelectionTicker *time.Ticker
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ func (web *Web) allianceSelectionPostHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Update time limit value.
-	allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec, _ = strconv.Atoi(r.PostFormValue("timeLimitSec"))
-
 	// Reset picked state for each team in preparation for reconstructing it.
 	for i := range web.arena.AllianceSelectionRankedTeams {
 		web.arena.AllianceSelectionRankedTeams[i].Picked = false
@@ -96,19 +93,6 @@ func (web *Web) allianceSelectionPostHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Requ
 		web.arena.AllianceSelectionShowTimer = false
 		web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec = 0
 	}
-	if _, nextCol := web.determineNextCell(); nextCol > 0 && allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec > 0 {
-		web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec = allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec
-		allianceSelectionTicker = time.NewTicker(time.Second)
-		go func() {
-			for range allianceSelectionTicker.C {
-				web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec--
-				web.arena.AllianceSelectionNotifier.Notify()
-				if web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec == 0 {
-					allianceSelectionTicker.Stop()
-				}
-			}
-		}()
-	}
 
 	web.arena.AllianceSelectionNotifier.Notify()
 	http.Redirect(w, r, "/alliance_selection", 303)
@@ -296,7 +280,7 @@ func (web *Web) allianceSelectionWebsocketHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http
 
 	// Loop, waiting for commands and responding to them, until the client closes the connection.
 	for {
-		messageType, _, err := ws.Read()
+		messageType, data, err := ws.Read()
 		if err != nil {
 			if err == io.EOF {
 				// Client has closed the connection; nothing to do here.
@@ -307,11 +291,32 @@ func (web *Web) allianceSelectionWebsocketHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http
 		}
 
 		switch messageType {
-		case "showTimer":
-			web.arena.AllianceSelectionShowTimer = true
-			web.arena.AllianceSelectionNotifier.Notify()
-		case "hideTimer":
+		case "setTimer":
+			if timeLimitSec, ok := data.(float64); ok {
+				allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec = int(timeLimitSec)
+			} else {
+				ws.WriteError("Invalid time limit value.")
+			}
+		case "startTimer":
+			if !web.arena.AllianceSelectionShowTimer {
+				web.arena.AllianceSelectionShowTimer = true
+				web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec = allianceSelectionTimeLimitSec
+				web.arena.AllianceSelectionNotifier.Notify()
+				allianceSelectionTicker = time.NewTicker(time.Second)
+				go func() {
+					for range allianceSelectionTicker.C {
+						web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec--
+						web.arena.AllianceSelectionNotifier.Notify()
+						if web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec == 0 {
+							allianceSelectionTicker.Stop()
+						}
+					}
+				}()
+			}
+		case "stopTimer":
+			allianceSelectionTicker.Stop()
 			web.arena.AllianceSelectionShowTimer = false
+			web.arena.AllianceSelectionTimeRemainingSec = 0
 			web.arena.AllianceSelectionNotifier.Notify()
 		default:
 			ws.WriteError(fmt.Sprintf("Invalid message type '%s'.", messageType))
diff --git a/web/alliance_selection_test.go b/web/alliance_selection_test.go
index e598b2dc..fb2ef309 100644
--- a/web/alliance_selection_test.go
+++ b/web/alliance_selection_test.go
@@ -318,17 +318,17 @@ func TestAllianceSelectionWebsocket(t *testing.T) {
 	// Should get a status update right after connection.
 	readWebsocketType(t, ws, "allianceSelection")
 
-	// Test showing and hiding the timer.
+	// Test starting and stopping the timer.
 	allianceSelectionMessage := struct {
 		ShowTimer bool
 	}{}
-	ws.Write("showTimer", nil)
+	ws.Write("startTimer", nil)
 	assert.Nil(t, mapstructure.Decode(readWebsocketType(t, ws, "allianceSelection"), &allianceSelectionMessage))
 	assert.Equal(t, true, allianceSelectionMessage.ShowTimer)
-	ws.Write("hideTimer", nil)
+	ws.Write("stopTimer", nil)
 	assert.Nil(t, mapstructure.Decode(readWebsocketType(t, ws, "allianceSelection"), &allianceSelectionMessage))
 	assert.Equal(t, false, allianceSelectionMessage.ShowTimer)
-	ws.Write("showTimer", nil)
+	ws.Write("startTimer", nil)
 	assert.Nil(t, mapstructure.Decode(readWebsocketType(t, ws, "allianceSelection"), &allianceSelectionMessage))
 	assert.Equal(t, true, allianceSelectionMessage.ShowTimer)
 }