My 2 cents:
Also, I highly recommend that if you have the venue for two days or if you have an area where many people are staying the night: THROW A CASUAL TOURNAMENT. These usually can bring more hype for the lower level players than the actual tournament themselves
This has always been a practice at my tournaments I throw.
It's as AZ says, throw the tournament for everyone. Without pools, look at the amount of games 32 people play in a double elim bracket for 10 bucks (Plus venue of course)
2 Games min - 8 people
3 games min - 8 people
4 games min - 4 people
5 games min - 4 people
6 games min - 2 people
7 games min - 2 people
8 games min - 1 person
9 games min - 1 person
10 games min - 2 people.
The majority of the people going to your tournaments AREN'T EVEN PLAYING after just 3 games!
That means 8 people just did three 5 dollar money matches (with 15 dollar spent) and another 8 people did two 8 dollar money matches!
With a $10 venue fee its, three 7 dollar money matches or two 10 dollar money matches.
(These stats are for people who get the Sh** end of the bracket, like playing M2k round only to barely lose game three of the next one.)
Personally, I would be upset.
With cheap venue fees and pools, this will give people more bang for their buck.
I myself am a
very low level player who wants to go to tournaments to play people in smash.
If you do pools... you're adding about 6-8 matches (depending on pool size). Those extra matches are what will get those majority to continue to go to your tournaments AND they will have a better chance to become a better player (which in turns strengthens the community...)
Some other tips I recommend for larger (64+ people) tournes (you WILL see these being used at Showdown):
- A printer: These are VERY essential for pools of tournaments with more than 32 people. AZ has done them on paper at his tournes, but that was due to the venues (can't have a printer in a restaurant) and the more lax atmosphere (both are not a bad thing). If he was throwing a national, I would bring a printer for him in case he forgot one. These are TIME SAVERS. If you can bring a large TV, you can bring a printer.
- Delegation of regional TOs: As said earlier by OS: "TOs help when they are at another tournament". These people are people who's tournament
you go to because they run things right. If these people are willing to help, they can run brackets while you are in a match. They can help find people. They can help with gathering venue/figuring out payout.They can commentate. They can run DOUBLES WHILE YOU ARE MAKING POOLS!
Also when making pools, try to put a TO in each pool.
Ideally, I would divide the room into 4 parts (during the bracket time, for pools this is already done). Each part represents a "quadrant" in the bracket. Each quadrant TOs runs that part of the bracket using the same TIO file that the main TO is using. Once the final "9" has happened (which isthe loser round AFTER the winner's quad finals.... aka the matches that determine 9th place) collaborate with the head TIO to complete the bracket. Use Walkie Talkies if it comes to that.
- Delegation: I know I said this already with TOs... but this is very important. It can be done with people in your crew/state. Every Ohio tournament I have been to is ran with multiple assistants. Once Semi Finals hits, I rarely have anything left to do because of those same assistants that are finishing up. Also, when delegating: keep shifts if you have to. One person doesn't have to do the same thing for 8 hours. With shifts, you get more energetic people which in turn creates a a more energetic atmosphere. The best TOs are never alone.
- Casual/Side events: As I said earlier, half of your attendance is eliminated by the end of the 2 round of losers bracket. Have something for these people to do besides just watching a tourne. Throwing these extra events raises more hype and it's these events that people will remember when they think of your tournament. I recommend trying to do both at the larger events.
A Side event is a 5-10 dollar tourne that isn't the main event: aka Melee at a brawl only tourne, B+, B-, and other fighters.
A casual event is something meant to be more fun with cheap prizes at cheap entry (Obstacle Course*, RipN challenge**, Ultimate Falcon Championships - tournament with Falcon Only). Casual events don't have to be that organized. We had a Superman 64 station setup just to watch people get frustrated. I went to a tournament that had a Turtles Tournament Fighter Station setup and it was packed. If you do a free entry casual, be prepared to have prizes. Prizes hype the experience.
My next tournament is going to have 3 casual tournaments and I don't think I'll even have 64 people at that tournament.
My last tournament had a $1 reverse main tourn (25 people entered), singles (51 people), doubles (23 teams) and a 4 man crew tournament (8 teams). The latter three was done in one day (a long day... I'm not a god
)!
When having these events at larger tournament, the main TO SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING THESE!!!!! Delegate this to someone else.
ALSO PUT THE MAIN EVENT AS TOP PRIORITY TO PLAYERS! If a player is still in the main tournament and has a match coming up in 5 mins, don't have them play in a side event. Use setups for the main tournament
then the side/casual events. I try to start my side events either the night before, morning after, or after round 2 of losers in singles (when over half the participants are eliminated). If doubles is first, then you shouldn't be doing any side events form the beginning of Doubles until Singles Loser Round 2 are done AT THE LEAST! **THIS INCLUDES MELEE!!!!!!!*** (Unless its the main event of course)
- Atmosphere: The better the atmosphere, the better the tournament. Don't just be sitting at the bracket all day. Go out and hype up matches. Hype Side events. Talk to people 1 on 1 after close or upsetting matches. Be energetic. Having everyone leave the tournament happy SHOULD BE YOUR GOAL! Personally see to it.
- Learn from other nationals you go to! If you didn't like how something was run, try something else.
As for venues... I've been lucky with mine so I have no real input in for that, except try to get sponsors.
*Obstacle Course was a custom stage I made to have players race to the edge of the screen.
**RipN challenge is usually a contest to see who can get the best score in the many areas of Brawl (Cruel Brawl,100 man, etc)
*** I have nothing against running Melee tournaments, but the last 2 I ran had 12 and 9 people in them.
EDIT: Setups - always waive something for Setups if possible! This has been the only thing I disagree with AZ. I don't mind it at his restaurant tourne, because the venue gets you food. Yes people definitely will step it up and bring setups if you tell them to, even if the fee isn't waived. (My tournes have no venue fee plus 6+ screens already there... yes its a great venue and I'm lucky to have worked with it. Point is people still bring setups when asked.)
The reason I disagree is because people risk their equipment every time they bring them to a tournament. I have seen controllers, discs, AND EVEN Full Setups stolen at tournaments (yes people should watch their own stuff, but they can't while they are suppose to play on station 10 on the other side of a crowded room). If they are bringing a setup, Make sure you show some appreciation! Waive that fee (doesn't have to be all of it, but at least half). They are bringing Setups FOR YOU! YOUR TOURNAMENT CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT THEIR SETUPS!!!!
But if you aren't wavering, be prepared to step it up in case people decide not to risk their gear. I sometimes bring 2 SETUPS (with someone in my crew supplying the Wii) to the tournaments I go to and I always have them to the one I host. The TVs I have, are cheap Walmart TVs I got for 60 bucks each. I'm sure people out there can find better deals. The Smashfield (Nope, Capem, Lou + co) Crew has about 7 TVs for a HOUSE TOURNAMENT! Good TOs know the importance of setups, GREAT TOs know to supply them.
The more setups: the faster things go which means the more events you can have (including Melee).
EDIT EDIT::: I'll clean this up and if you want, you can add to the OP
