How much would you pay

[Duke]

DONT JUST TROLL! VOTE!

So another poll today...

Let's assume you have decided to go to a tournament (a large tourney/con). Let's also assume that everything is just right as far as terrain, good judges, nice people and lots of "other stuff" to do besides just the tourney like vendors, classes and other aweseomeness- let's also assume you have a reasonable amount of disposable income.

How much would you a pay to attend this event (this is just for the cost for entry badge and the event your playing in)

What things make it the most "bang for the buck," Prizes, level of competition, other events besides tournament, great staff, friendly players...etc.?

Thanks for the replies. Threads like this really help the community.

Dukr

[Vaktathi]

For a cool event with some extras and everyone guaranteed to walk home with *something* (even if it's just like a t-shirt or shot glasses or something) and maybe some food or something, I'd be down for $60 or so. I can't see myself paying any more than that however, as once it starts to get much higher than that I can put a good start on a new army for that much.

[dagonis]

$50 is my magic number for a tournament oriented event.

Quality judging, a tournament FAQ and solid rules enforcement are a must if you are paying more than $10 for a tournament. Losing $10 due to a hammy neckbeard is painful but it is something that you can recover from. Losing $50 on the otherhand is likely to cause a little IRL close combat.

A door prize is always welcome, it adds a bit of excitement to the tournament in hopes that you are the winner.

Something to show that you participated in the tournament is a near must. Shirts that are not all XL would be a nice change of pace :).

For a full blown con I would pay up to $100, but it would have to be at least two days. If you are playing in a tournament, you essentially lose one day, and I don't know if there ever is a situation in which I would pay $100 for just a tournament.

Painting, modeling, terrain, freehand, lore, system intro, and other classes would do a lot to add value, especially if the presenter has some strong credentials (Golden Demon winner for instance).

A cosplay contest could be fun, that is one of my favorite parts of various cons that I have seen.

Base and customer terrain vendors would be cool as well.

[scadugenga]

I'll admit I went on the cheap side of the poll, and there's a good reason.

Events like Adepticon and Wargamescon are relatively small venues with not a lot to offer besides gaming and a very small vendor area. For $60.00, I can get a 4 day pass at Gencon, with all the attendant craziness that entails--the least of which (best avoided on Saturday--unless you have noseplugs) is a vendor area that makes some auto shows look small in comparison.

For $35.00 I can go to a weekend long music festival and just...jam. I'm talking smaller indi-groups, and not big named "apalooza' type things, mind you. So blase`. I prefer Artists who write music for music's sake, and not writing for $$$ sake.

Your event fee should be directly proportionate to what you can offer the attendee. I'd dig hitting bols-I-mean-wargamescon or adepticon for sure, but if I'm not getting a good enough return for my badge fee--it'd be a one-shot event.

It doesn't take much to spice up an event--and I don't mean the swag bag. Organize/host a start-of-the-con party, bring in live music, hell, set up movies, and perhaps, most importantly for those who bring non-gamers along--either schedule, or make available, a list of non-gaming activities in the local area to keep them happy/interested in being there as well.

[RocketRollRebel]

$60 is about tops I'd do for a 2 day GT event. Above that it starts to get a bit too much when you include travel and lodging expenses.

[gwensdad]

I've hung out with enough con organizers before to have an understanding of how much a con costs to run. If it's a con that needs a huge space w/lots of people, I'd expect to pay a large amount just because a larger venue is expensive. If it's a tiny thing I'd expect far less. Oddly, I'd expect to pay more in a medium venue. A really large con could make up costs just on the volume of attendees and selling space to vendors.
Also, the costs of venue can really vary by where the venue is. Moving a venue to a nearby small town can save money on venue, but lose local support. But if people are driving from several states away, then who cares-you will make up the difference. Then there's insurance-but I really don't understand that. :)

[RocketRollRebel]

I've hung out with enough con organizers before to have an understanding of how much a con costs to run. If it's a con that needs a huge space w/lots of people, I'd expect to pay a large amount just because a larger venue is expensive. If it's a tiny thing I'd expect far less. Oddly, I'd expect to pay more in a medium venue. A really large con could make up costs just on the volume of attendees and selling space to vendors.
Also, the costs of venue can really vary by where the venue is. Moving a venue to a nearby small town can save money on venue, but lose local support. But if people are driving from several states away, then who cares-you will make up the difference. Then there's insurance-but I really don't understand that. :)

Rogue dice in the eye insurance!

[Duke]

This is all great stuff, keep it coming... Let the voice of the people be heard! Che shirts for everyone!

Interesting idea with the party... What other things differentiate a convention from just a large tourney? I know what I think it is, but it want to your your opinions.


Oh and RocketRollRebel, "RDITE" is no laughing matter... We lost Jimmy to that just last week.

Duke

[gwensdad]

This is all great stuff, keep it coming... Let the voice of the people be heard! Che shirts for everyone!

Interesting idea with the party... What other things differentiate a convention from just a large tourney? I know what I think it is, but it want to your your opinions.

Duke

I'm not sure if there is a definite defining line, but maybe the use of a non-game store venue, multiple dealers, venue has a food license (with available food-doesn't have to be cheap or healthy). Also, a convention could have several tournaments in it, while a tournament is a single-even thingee (technical term!) Maybe I'm just used to the CCG tourney model where most I've heard of are hosted by 1 store and held at that store.

other thoughts?

[scadugenga]

Interesting idea with the party... What other things differentiate a convention from just a large tourney? I know what I think it is, but it want to your your opinions.

The difference between a tourney and an actual convention are the options.

A tournament is based around one thing--the competition.

A con has multiple options for people to pick and choose from. Movie rooms, a good sized vendor area, seminars for more than just minis painting, non-mini's competitions (costume, writing, etc.) and maybe even a panel or two (game design, fiction writing, etc)

[Duke]

I know a lot of these questions are "obvious," but anlot of the time problems (and eventual disappointments) come from the obvious stuff.

Duke

[fuzzbuket]

if theres freebies about £30 - 40 is my limit i still for touneys find it fun just to go to the GW stores ones :P

[Lane]

I spent the max for BoLS/ Wargames Con, non-badge (entry) fee + Sat/ Sun events + Friday classes and feel it was well worth the price.

In comparison I went to Gencon one year and probably spent $60 just on extra fees for hobby classes. The classes were great but because of pre registration for games everything I wanted was full. The entire con I only played one game.

I have to agree that Wargames Con needs badges. T shirts, even if an optional purchase, would be great.
With the facilities they had they were at the limit for hobby classes. The other room (IIRC used for storage, preping swag bags) could be used for vendors but would require them to prepare some sthins in advance.
The main hall needs to be reserved for the tournaments since that is the main draw to the Con.

[BlindGunn]

Tough call - it really is. It depends WHERE you are and what the gamers will support.

I've run a couple of very small tournaments (15 players or less) out of a gaming club and stores (free room!) and I KNOW people here would complain if I charged more than $5 for prize/awards - simply because they know what I payed (nothing) to run it. They like to ignore the cost of things like the Badges, purchasing/building terrain, printing ads & forms, pens for the event participants, etc. Usually, a small tourny like that, I could easily blow $100 out of my own pocket just on starting costs.

The guys that started Astronomi-con (Astronomi-con.com) decided they wanted to start big - started here in Winnipeg with the intent to do a BIG GT style tournament based in Hotels or the local convention centre for the ease of out-of-towners. Had rough couple of years in spite of HUGE GW support. No one here wanted to pay $100 for a weekend when there was another tournament that was run the same year for only $25-$50 (run out of the local Airforce Base's Gym for free with the help of the Base's Gaming Club - not counting any other material costs). Astro's organizers got invited to run events in other places by some of the gamers who came from out of town to play and only then did they really "take off" - now running 4 tournaments a year. I still know a bunch of guys who refuse to play in Winnipeg because it's "too expensive".

The other tournament hasn't been run for a few years now... :(

If you're looking at starting a tournament - check around to see what you can find for a venue first - then see if people would be willing to pay to cover the costs...

[HsojVvad]

I guess this will show you that I don't go to tournies or conventions. What the heck is a 'badge'?

[BlindGunn]

I guess this will show you that I don't go to tournies or conventions. What the heck is a 'badge'?

LOL

In this case - just cheap plastic covered paper Name Badges. Also known as Name Tags when I'm more awake! :cool:

We used them to draw for door prizes and identify models for paint judging after we kicked the players out of the room.

You could always do the "Blazing Saddles" Routine:

"Badges? We don't need no stinking BADGES!" :D

[Gop]

$60 is too much. Most tournaments I go to are around the $35-40 mark which works out fine especially if there are a lot of attendees.

[Xas]

I'd be willing to pay up to 50€/day (so 100€ for a full weekend from sat morning to sun evening) if you get food and/or some sort of souveniers/mini for free. It doesnt have to be anything too fancy/expansive but just to keep me on my feet (free food) or be a small but cool enough thingy to remember it (thats what I'd like about gamesday if it werent a 200€ per way for the flight/train to the nearest one AND hotels to stay -.-).

I'd pay up to 30€/day for "only" entry if you can get food/drink in a reasonable way (either give me a badge so I can freely leave and reenter and be within walking distance to a restaurant/fastfood/mal or have some shops sell not-overpriced food/drinks inside the area).

[MarshalAdamar]

I voted for 60$ but that would have to include something more than just an entry fee, lunch maybe or something to come away with.

Nothing worse than feeling like your entry fee was a big help in making sure the no.1 and no.2 player got HUGE prizes and you got a dice cube...

So the 60$ should get you access to some cool stuff to do, or something.

[DarkLink]

For a two day event that I didn't have to drive far too, I would probably pay $40. More if they had prizes of some sort for everyone, depending of course on the details of the prize. If everyone walked away with $10-15 worth of swag, then I'd pay another $20 or so.

This of course presumes that I don't have to drive, which is unlikely considering where I live.