I don't see why Penn should limit the field size,
or make any other major changes to their
administration of Penn Bowl. They've held the tournament ten
times, and despite whatever complaints people have about
it, they draw big fields every year. Change that
might jeopardize what has to be a huge cash stream for
their program, and they have no real incentive to do
that.
There really aren't any surprises with this tournament
-- you know what you are getting. Penn Bowl is the
McDonald's of the Quiz Bowl calendar. They've been around
for a while. Connisuers complain about the product,
but there seems to be enough popular appeal for most
everybody else. (Witness the massive field every
year.)
I've read these types of discussions about Penn Bowls
for several years now, and they start to get a little
too familiar. There really isn't much to be gained by
using Penn Bowl as an example of a submission
tournament unless you will be hosting one yourself. People
should either just learn to love Penn Bowl for it's
wacky charms (unused packets, logistical snafus,
upsets, locked buildings) or go find a better use for
their time.
David Goodman