Re: Michigan State Tournament

• From: etchuck
• Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 13:53:47 -0800
• Message-ID: <000S9ELFB.0009UBLVA.12170551-quizbowl_at_...>

Dave: << This should probably be in a
private email msg, but. . .teams will play multiple
nationals IF THEY CAN AFFORD IT!!! The reason we didn't
play your 1998 tournament is because we had a parent
driver who bowed out at the last minute. But we've
played NAC since 1997, and while I can concede several
of your points, there are obviously a number of
teams, some of them competitive, who regularly attend
Chip's tournaments and return every year. Again, my
point is, if they are happy doing so, then why seek an
additional tournament? >>

Again, I won't argue
with that. I know some people do like to go to Chip's
competitions, and if you're happy, then you should go. But you
can afford to go to other nationals too; it's just a
question of where you want to spend your money, and if you
think Chip's competition is worth the money, then
that's your decision. I'm just saying that many others
have made different decisions in that they eschew
going to Chip's tournament for whatever reason (cost,
questions, tournament format, appearances of bias are the
ones that do stick out in my own head from talking to
many coaches). The money they spend goes to multiple
tournaments they can attend now that their $2000 isn't locked
into going to Chip's tournament.

<<<
If they can afford to do so, fine. . .but most of
us, at least here in Illinois, do not have that
luxury. >>

Actually, most of us in general I
realize can't afford to go. I know PACE and NAQT
separately have reduced our entry fee rates down to less
than $200 for an entire team. Room, board, and travel
are on your own costs for the most part. And that's
not even mentioning college-run HS competitions run
all over the country that charge even less. But would
you rather spend $1500 on one team's entry fee of
< $200? That's the economic decision we
give.

But if everyone were happy with Chip Beall's
competitions, there wouldn't be a need for a Lake Forest or a
PACE NSC or an NAQT HSCT. Of course, Panasonic is
another story entirely...