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At the high end, a national event for 400–800 players would almost always be held in a hotel ballroom or convention center and be organized by NASPA staff. Such an event would usually be planned at least a year in advance, and typically booked through a site selection service, though unsolicited bids are welcome. | At the high end, a national event for 400–800 players would almost always be held in a hotel ballroom or convention center and be organized by NASPA staff. Such an event would usually be planned at least a year in advance, and typically booked through a site selection service, though unsolicited bids are welcome. | ||
Here is what our ideal national event site would include the following. See also further down on this page for a more detailed discussion of general requirements for tournament sites. | Here is what our ideal national event site would include the following. See also further down on this page for a more detailed discussion of general requirements for tournament sites. | ||
− | * main playing room | + | * main playing room |
+ | ** about 20,000 square feet: a little larger or smaller is fine, 10,000 square feet is not. | ||
+ | ** quiet: our group likes to concentrate quietly, will not disturb others, and does not want to share space with groups that make loud noises | ||
+ | ** bright indirect lighting: must be bright enough for people with moderate vision impairment to read comfortably, but not cause glare on equipment | ||
+ | ** good climate control: must be sufficient to maintain a comfortable atmosphere for 400–800 players to sit in and not have to change clothes over the course of the day | ||
+ | ** no mirrors: player tiles must not be visible to opponents, like cards in a bridge or poker tournament | ||
+ | ** accessible to the disabled: must include accessible restroom facilities near the playing room | ||
+ | ** 100-200 30"x6'~8' rectangular banquet tables: 3'-wide tables are not acceptable, and pairs of 18"-wide tables less so. Availability of color-coded linens is a plus. | ||
+ | ** 400~800 chairs: players play one-on-one, two games to a table, so four chairs to a table | ||
+ | ** one centrally located riser for our command center | ||
+ | ** one riser for a stage, with podium, mike and P/A system | ||
+ | ** one wired Internet line, unlimited WiFi: we upload content to build our live event website, which may include one video feed and photos and data that add up to less than the bandwidth of a second video feed; players access the event website to download small graphics and text giving them their current standings and next opponents | ||
+ | ** one telephone land line (may be phased out in future) | ||
+ | ** unlimited electrical drops: typically six on the command center and about ten throughout the room for word adjudication laptops | ||
+ | * one nearby lockable site office | ||
* three nearby lockable breakout rooms of about 1,000 square feet each | * three nearby lockable breakout rooms of about 1,000 square feet each | ||
* free parking, WiFi Internet and access to fitness room and pool for on-site guests | * free parking, WiFi Internet and access to fitness room and pool for on-site guests |
NASPA-sanctioned tournaments are held in a wide range of tournament venues — hotel ballrooms, convention centers, community centers, church basements, restaurants, cruise ships, etc. — according to the needs of the players and directors.
At the high end, a national event for 400–800 players would almost always be held in a hotel ballroom or convention center and be organized by NASPA staff. Such an event would usually be planned at least a year in advance, and typically booked through a site selection service, though unsolicited bids are welcome. Here is what our ideal national event site would include the following. See also further down on this page for a more detailed discussion of general requirements for tournament sites.
Many club directors organize an annual regional tournament that may attract 50–200 players. These tournaments may be held at hotels, but especially at the smaller end they are more commonly found in other public spaces such as community centers and churches. These events would be planned six to twelve months in advance, and might use a site selection service, but would more often not.
Some clubs also organize more frequent, smaller events for 4–40 players that meet either in public spaces or restaurants (where players may be required to make a food purchase in exchange for their use of the space). We require eight weeks' advance notice for a tournament booking; clubs which host events regularly may sign contracts with the same venue for a year or so in advance.
At all levels, organizers look for the following in a venue:
If you manage a venue that you think would be appropriate for a SCRABBLE tournament, you may contact us at info@scrabbleplayers.org or look through our club roster for the contact information for a director near you.
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