Shortly after that, our judges for the day showed up. Alex Jacques had agreed to Head Judge the PTQ and his brother Matt Jacques had agreed to help with the main event then to take over the Head Judge duties for the Preliminary Qualifier. Joe Stimec was covering for a last minute cancellation, Ryan Parr was there to act as scorekeeper and Steven Lundberg had come in to get more experience on his quest for Level 2. I was going to be playing the role of T.O. (since ours had a family emergency), tagging in with any of the judging duties as necessary and helping with the transition from the Main Event PTQ to the Preliminary Qualifier. A solid core of awesome judges that have helped us for years now here to run one last PTQ. With a few back-ups that could be called up if we ran large, I was feeling confident even though still not feeling well. It was then that something that I had not expected or planned for happened.
47 people showed up for the PTQ.
In fifteen years running events in the K.C. Area, we had never had such a low turnout. A perfect storm of confluences crippled us for numbers. Most of the time we tell stories and write articles about having a surprisingly large number of players turn out, about overcoming an under-staffed event, about resolving time and space constraints set upon by droves of players unexpectedly showing up, but not this time. This time we had to work in reverse. This time I want to focus on what we decided to do when we were over-prepared.
I talked to the staff to see if anyone wanted to opt out. Joe and Ryan had family in town and plans that could be resurrected(respectively) so the decided to make a break for it. Alex and Matt agreed to keep on to Head Judge the separate events and Steven did not want to lose any opportunity to get him closer to leveling up so they all opted to stay. I was still T.O. by proxy and was going to keep to my original plan, just add score-keeping to my duties. With the low turnout that was not going to be problematic. An overly experienced staff with a small player base, what to do? Focus on what we always try to do...run the best possible tournament.
And that is what we did. Alex focused on getting Steven what he needed to make his experience successful. Matt and I did the bulk of the deck checks while they worked to floor. Coverage was no problem and while we had a few matches go to time, we ran the event efficiently and effectively. We communicated well with each other and the players. Each of us striving to get everyone what they needed before they asked for it. And it was easy. It is typically easy with our normal crew but even more so this time around. We have a routine, a system, which we worked and talked about throughout the event. We talked about how we integrate new people into it, how we steal ideas and bring them back as well as taking them with us wherever we go. We talked about focusing on the player and making their experience a great one, about the little things that we to that can make a difference. About what Glenn Godard likes to refer to as the Pageantry and how it can make a difference. Even though the turnout was still a bit depressing for our last hurrah, it was still a good day.
The Pageantry and Recognition:
What player does not like to be in the spotlight? It's part of the reason for feature matches, why decklists are published and coverage like to pick stories to follow. It gives them recognition and something to strive for in addition to any prizes that they are going to win with a good performance and so much of this is an easy add. It goes a long way in creating good will and loyalty with players, it's one of the things that can keep them coming back. So what types of things can one do to accomplish this?
Most events events are going to read off the names of their Top 8, but make sure that you add some panache and flair to it. Get the other players involved in congratulating those that made the cut. Liven it up and get everyone even more excited for the single-elimination rounds than they already are. They are the cream of the crop today, make sure that they feel that. It helps their sense of accomplishment and pushes those that did not make it this time around to come back and try that much harder at the next event.
The Top 8 is a separation from the Swiss rounds and everyone who did not make the cut. You can make that a physical thing as well. Don't just place them in the same seating arrangement. Make sure that they are comfortable and limit the outside influences that can distract from their experience. We like to give each match their own table and the only people allowed at those tables are that specific match and the judge staff watching over the event unless both players are okay with someone else being there. Of course other players are free to watch, but make sure that they keep their distance. It's great to have a cheering section but make sure they are not influencing the match. We tend place them with their Top 8 mats at the end of a row of tables so that judges can get to them easily. If you have the space, you can do things like create a barrier of tables around your matches or use stanchions if you have them. Use higher quality tables and chairs or mats, whatever you feel can help set them apart from the rest of the tournament.
We post all of our Top 8 match ups, decklists and results to the stores Facebook page and we try to promote it just as much as the event itself. You can find an example of it here. Years ago, I printed up and laminated the Feral Events Match Up sheets that we set beside each match in the tournament. It was quick, easy, cost effective and incredibly portable. I opted to go that way since we travel around and do a lot of events. You can always go bigger, you can make large signs at most printing shops. You are only limited by your imagination(and your budget), but it is an easy way to make the play-offs even cooler. To make things faster, I also have a file saved on my computer that I plug the names of the top 8 into to print off to place on the match up sheet. One of the things that Alex told me he really liked about this was the small addition that I made after the Modified Play/Draw rule was instituted. I don't know if you can see from the pictures at the above link, but there is a very small number in parentheses right beside each name. We were getting the same question over and over and continually having to refer to the computer or the standings sheet. Who has option? Well, since the match up sheet was going to be at each game, I just placed their standing place after the Swiss Rounds right beside their names. The Head Judge just makes that announcement at the start of Top 8 and doesn't have to answer it again.
One of the things that I was saddest to see go by the wayside was the Blue Envelope. That was part of the mystique of the PTQs of old. It was a physical representation of what players were fighting for. When WotC stopped sending them out, most places just stopped giving the paperwork out. The player would get their box or whatever and maybe a link a website to find out what to do next. There they would have to print out all of their own forms and find out who to contact. So, why not make your own envelope? I like to use the PTQ Logo, the Feral Events Logo and the Store Logo for whomever we are working with. I get these printed up in advance with "Pro Tour Qualifier - X" below the logos and "Winner -" below that. Once again I just have that file ready to go on my computer so that I can add the name of the winner and print it to the envelope. Fill it with the Winner Letter that has the travel booking instructions and the W-9 and Consent and Release forms that they will need to fill out and you are set to go. We have had almost every winner of our PTQs thank us specifically for this. Not only does it give them a keepsake from the event, but it gives them a physical reminder to fill out the paperwork to guarantee their spot on the Pro Tour and saves them that much more time. Such a small bit of effort for what I see as a great return on investment. And be sure to make the presentation of the envelope the "Presentation of the Envelope". Have the T.O., the Store Owner or the Head Judge make the Presentation and congratulate them. Make it a photo opportunity. We have had several players turn that photo or the one with just them and the envelope into their Facebook profile picture after we posted it. A little bit goes a long way.
It all boils down to this. Make your event Special. Make it Memorable. Go a little bit further, add that little touch that can set your event apart. You will be amazed at what seems like such a small gesture can truly accomplish and mean to others. I think this is good advice in all aspects of life. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "Be excellent to each other...and...PARTY ON DUDES!"
Bonus Tip - I was at GP:LA 2009(I think) that I received one of the best tips that I every stole. There were a bunch of us onstage that all took care of the back end side of tournaments. We were all used to making sure all the files went where they needed to go, all uploads correctly processed, all decklists correctly entered, etc. and we were talking about the tasks that we liked least. I was reminiscing about how much I did not enjoy typing up Kamigawa Block decklists and how much time I had to spend to make sure that they were correct to get them to go through the online form.
"Just use the auto-complete function on Excel."
It had never occurred to me. So simple and elegant. Now I have a 5 year old file that has migrated from different laptops and is thousands of lines long. Five minutes to copy and paste each expansion when they come out means that I usually have the decklists done and ready to upload before they finish the first round of Top 8. Like I said before, sometimes it's the little victories.
