I should point out right here and now that I have
never organised a tournament, but it seems to me that
the problem is not the high fees, rather it's a simple
supply and demand argument - if we get more bids there
is more competition which helps keep the price at a
reasonable level. The question is therefore how do we
do this? I have one suggestion; I'm sure people can
add more:
Add a bit for TDs to the UKUltimate site, basically a
database containing as many places with acceptable
facilities as possible - schools, fields, pitches,
parks, country houses etc. complete with approximate
costs of hiring the facilities, and how MANY Ultimate
pitches they can accomodate. Ideally, a section on
where to find local pitch markers / caterers /
masseurs etc. would be great. Set the database up as a
"wiki" so that if information is found to be
incorrect, or a site isn't listed in the database, it
can be updated by the person who last checked it (If
you don't know what a wiki is, look at
www.wikipedia.org for a good example of how it works).
Also, a "guide" on how to run a tourney (I vaguely
recall we already have one, but write one if not) to
go with the database would be useful.
The argument for this is simple - We don't really have
shortage of potential TDs (Think how many students
would be grateful for an extra �500 at the end of a
term) or even pitches, rather it is the fact that TDs
spend too much time trying to find suitable places,
people, facilities etc. The easier we can make the
process, the more people will be willing to run a
tourney, the more competition there will be and the
more accurately the cost will reflect the cost of
running the tournament (including the TDs time, before
I get flamed). You can even split the profit amongst a
group of friends (they don't have to be Ultimate
players) if you need more people to fill water bottles
/ chase up scores / sell food / whatever.
OK - practicalities: We'd need people to actually
contribute data on the facilities we can use. The
previous Tour venues are of course a good start, but
if people won't take the time to jot down a place when
they see it then it won't work. We as a community
would each need to take just 5 mins occasionally to
update the database every time we see a potential
site, even if you can't add that much information at
the time (someone else can always add more info later
if they're interested in it). The major issue here
would be "are previous TDs willing to give up their
competitive advantage by sharing information?"
Personally I think most TDs are motivated by helping
Ultimate rather than making a huge profit, so I don't
think this will be a problem.
Second problem - my HTML / Javascript / XML skills are
pathetic to say the least. I know that the principle
of setting up the database is possible, but I
personally can't code it. Possibly some of the web
gurus here can comment further on the practicalities
(I know Rich Hims is rather handy with a website -
there must be more)
Anyway, I really should do some work. If you've got
any personal comments you can flame me off-list, or if
you just want to discuss ideas etc.
Cheers for reading,
Chris
Disc Doctors (+looking for an open team...)
Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 11:49:17 +0100 (BST)
From: hannah easter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: RE: [BD] Worrying trend
To: "Statham, Simon"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
[email protected]
Message-ID:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Simon,
I agree! Bex i think it is highly unfair of you to say
that... i pay for our pitches out of my own money
because
people cant get themselves or there teams organised in
time to
pay 1 month in advance of the events... i see that
MT3
Bakewell is suffering the same as Tour 3 last year
with people
not paying up because they are ignorant or unorganized
enough to sort it out!
Last year I had 4 teams entered by the final entry
date�
and I would have cancelled except that these things
were all
payed in advance. Altogether I hired 8 people this
weekend
and sacrificed MY ultimate (which I love) to run a
tour.
Yes I make some money but nothing like what you might
think,
if i actually charged myself for my time i would be
lucky
to break even. I will happily publish my finances for
the
tour, if and when asked to do so�
Bex stated �The price of tours. I am really beginning
to
feel tournament directors are charging far too much
and each
year they escalate� you might want to do some research
here, the prices are the same as last year�
Bex stated �I do not believe we have had any better
services� yes you have you have just forgotten the
days when
people did not pander to people every whim� the days
with no
shelter, no food on site, now accommodation lists pre
tournament, no cheap food option in the evening, no
flat fields
etc�etc� this is what is was like when I started
playing, and
you have been there longer than me� would Bliss like
to be
employed by me at the tour to be at my beck and
call???????
Bex stated �We've still had holey dry fields with not
enough water,� Ok OK so the water service was not as
good as it
could have been, but when I saw that the 2 full time
staff
I employed from the council could not cope with the
demand�
I WENT OUT AND DID LOTS OF WATER RUNS MY SELF� as well
as
doing everything else!!!
Bex stated �been asked to take scoreboards/set cones
out�
Not being funny but why is that so hard� you are going
to
your pitch any way, and I do believe that we took them
all
out there anyway and 8 cones and a scoreboard is not
that
heavy between a squad of 10-15� maybe I am wrong and
we did
not do this for that I appologise, however it is not
being
very constructive to slate people on brit disc� speak
to the
TDs directly� I am sure we will respond much better in
person.
Bex stated �in some tours the end of game signal
hasn't
even been clear.� Bex that is a given, but I have yet
to find
hooters that have different sounds� will try again for
the
next tour.
And on the subject of food, i make cheap fairly
healthy
food on site for your ease not mine!!! i cook for
hours so you
you can have a cheaper healthier option than a burger
van... but maybe that is where i don't understand
things so
well... may be the answer is to just get burger vans
on site...
would be a hell of a lot easier for me!
And while on the subject of orgainsing tours� I got of
my
arse and made the contacts as did the other tour TDs,
I have
found 3 different venues and have used this one
because the
changing room facilities are good, showers are hot,
and we
have made contacts in the area�. However I could run
tours
else where� do you have a venue you have found in
mind�
Hannah
Tour 2 TD (LLL 21 & Ex-Bliss)
Yahoo! Mail
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