Side Events at National Championships
ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ is happy to have side events that provide additional opportunities for education and entertainment at its championship events. However, side events are unofficial and must be conducted without support or oversight from ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ, subject to the following guidelines:
- All announcements must be explicit that the event is not an official function of ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ or the ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ national championship, and is not sponsored, endorsed, or organized by ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ.
- ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ does not assign or provide rooms for side events during our national championships, nor does it provide any other logistical support. Individuals or groups attending an ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ national championship tournament are welcome to use any unlocked game room after the conclusion of play or setup on a day when there are games scheduled the next day. (In the recent past, this has been Friday and Saturday nights at the SSNCT, MSNCT, and HSNCT, and Friday night at the ICT and CCCT). No rooms will be available after the conclusion of the tournament finals and awards, during set-up periods, during scrimmages, or while any tournament games are in progress (even if they are not in progress in a particular room).
- No rooms other than game rooms may be used for side events. This means that control rooms, stat rooms, staff headquarters, and any other room not being used for national-championship gameplay are out-of-bounds.
- Side events may not use any rooms in which ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ has set up any sort of special equipment besides buzzer systems, clocks, and extension cords/power strips. This means that rooms with audio equipment, projectors, screens, etc. are off-limits. This rule applies even if the side event has no intention of using or touching the additional equipment.
- ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ may designate additional rooms as off-limits to side events at any or all times, for any reason, with or without notice, at its sole discretion. This will be communicated by signage and/or announcements at relevant meetings.
- ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ will provide no assistance to side events beyond issuing these guidelines. In particular, ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ will not request the unlocking of a conference room that has been locked by the hotel, nor will it provide keys for game rooms located in hotel suites, parlors, or guest rooms.
- If ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ members or hotel staff ask a side event contingent to move for any reason (such as, but not limited to, cleaning, maintenance, or reconfiguration of room setup), the room must be vacated immediately and without complaint.
- Buzzers in ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ national championship game rooms will generally remain set up from Friday evening until they are returned at the conclusion of the tournament, but this is not guaranteed. If a buzzer breaks during a side event, the group running the event is responsible for the cost of repair or replacement, and must let ÎÞÓǶÌÊÓƵ know prior to the start of play the next morning so a functioning buzzer can be set up in the room.
- Groups are welcome to use staff hotel rooms if all staff members occupying the room consent to the use of the room for a side event. (That is, if Person A says “sure, let’s play five rounds of the side event in our room” and their roommate Person B says “sorry, I really need to get some sleep,” groups must respect Person B’s wishes and not play the side event in that room.)