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2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:49 pm
by AKKOLADE
This is a preliminary announcement that the 2019 NASAT will be held on June 22 and 23, 2019. It will likely be held in Lexington, Kentucky again.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 1:39 pm
by nycaqb1999
I'd like to caution against hosting NASAT in Lexington again. Though I really enjoyed the town and thought the campus was lovely, the amount my teammates and I had to spend on transportation to/from KY was exorbitant, not even adding in the cost of transportation to/from the hotel to campus. The fact that Lexington is poorly connected via bus and air (with no rail link), makes it really expensive for teams with no car transportation to get to NASAT. Since almost all players are attending on their own dime, it would be great if the tournament was hosted in a place with more connectivity/transportation options.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 6:53 pm
by AKKOLADE
A belated reply to the above: we're aware of the relative difficulties of traveling into Lexington, Kentucky, but that is where IQBT is base. A lot of our connections for local staff and room reservations are dependent on hosting in Lexington. Additionally, one of the co-owners would also be unable to travel out of town the weekend of NASAT due to professional obligations, which would cut the amount of in-house support staff for the tournament down by at least two people.

I am in talks with two possible hosts that are not in Lexington. I hope to have a formal site announcement in the next week or two.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:12 pm
by Cheynem
You put the tournament on the weekend of my birthday again.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:36 pm
by vinteuil
AKKOLADE wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 6:53 pm A belated reply to the above: we're aware of the relative difficulties of traveling into Lexington, Kentucky, but that is where IQBT is base. A lot of our connections for local staff and room reservations are dependent on hosting in Lexington. Additionally, one of the co-owners would also be unable to travel out of town the weekend of NASAT due to professional obligations, which would cut the amount of in-house support staff for the tournament down by at least two people.
It seems to me that talk about "IQBT" as if it is some large organizational apparatus is misleading, since the very substance of this post suggests it consists of "pretty much just you", and your "connections" extend only to the local circuit in which you are embedded. If these local interpersonal connections are so essential to the functioning of IQBT, then it doesn't seem that IQBT isn't an organization suited to running a major national tournament. To be such an organization, IQBT will need to engage substantial outside help (much as every national tournament with a rotating site does on a yearly basis).

It is perfectly fine to have a shell organization because doing so makes certain things easier, but to then talk about this shell organization as if it is a deliberative body rather than just a person is liable to cause confusion. If you would like IQBT to be treated as a fully functioning quizbowl organization instead of a shell organization to make your running of NASAT more expedient, you'll need to start having IQBT function like one, and that includes not being bound to the Lexington area.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:25 pm
by AKKOLADE
vinteuil wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:36 pm
AKKOLADE wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 6:53 pm A belated reply to the above: we're aware of the relative difficulties of traveling into Lexington, Kentucky, but that is where IQBT is base. A lot of our connections for local staff and room reservations are dependent on hosting in Lexington. Additionally, one of the co-owners would also be unable to travel out of town the weekend of NASAT due to professional obligations, which would cut the amount of in-house support staff for the tournament down by at least two people.
It seems to me that talk about "IQBT" as if it is some large organizational apparatus is misleading, since the very substance of this post suggests it consists of "pretty much just you", and your "connections" extend only to the local circuit in which you are embedded. If these local interpersonal connections are so essential to the functioning of IQBT, then it doesn't seem that IQBT isn't an organization suited to running a major national tournament. To be such an organization, IQBT will need to engage substantial outside help (much as every national tournament with a rotating site does on a yearly basis).

It is perfectly fine to have a shell organization because doing so makes certain things easier, but to then talk about this shell organization as if it is a deliberative body rather than just a person is liable to cause confusion. If you would like IQBT to be treated as a fully functioning quizbowl organization instead of a shell organization to make your running of NASAT more expedient, you'll need to start having IQBT function like one, and that includes not being bound to the Lexington area.
IQBT does include people other than myself - Nicole is an equal partner and is an important part of the organization's operations.

As an organization that's existed for less than a year, IQBT's funding is not comparable to other organizations that run national championships, and as such being frugal in things like expenditures related to staffers is a reality that we have to work with. Having local staffers helps keep costs down, just like it does for other nationals.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:44 pm
by i never see pigeons in wheeling
AKKOLADE wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:25 pm
vinteuil wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:36 pm
AKKOLADE wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 6:53 pm A belated reply to the above: we're aware of the relative difficulties of traveling into Lexington, Kentucky, but that is where IQBT is base. A lot of our connections for local staff and room reservations are dependent on hosting in Lexington. Additionally, one of the co-owners would also be unable to travel out of town the weekend of NASAT due to professional obligations, which would cut the amount of in-house support staff for the tournament down by at least two people.
It seems to me that talk about "IQBT" as if it is some large organizational apparatus is misleading, since the very substance of this post suggests it consists of "pretty much just you", and your "connections" extend only to the local circuit in which you are embedded. If these local interpersonal connections are so essential to the functioning of IQBT, then it doesn't seem that IQBT isn't an organization suited to running a major national tournament. To be such an organization, IQBT will need to engage substantial outside help (much as every national tournament with a rotating site does on a yearly basis).

It is perfectly fine to have a shell organization because doing so makes certain things easier, but to then talk about this shell organization as if it is a deliberative body rather than just a person is liable to cause confusion. If you would like IQBT to be treated as a fully functioning quizbowl organization instead of a shell organization to make your running of NASAT more expedient, you'll need to start having IQBT function like one, and that includes not being bound to the Lexington area.
IQBT does include people other than myself - Nicole is an equal partner and is an important part of the organization's operations.

As an organization that's existed for less than a year, IQBT's funding is not comparable to other organizations that run national championships, and as such being frugal in things like expenditures related to staffers is a reality that we have to work with. Having local staffers helps keep costs down, just like it does for other nationals.
Fred, this is really a very understandable position and dilemma to be in, but as someone who inherited the mantle of a national tournament whose job it is to be relatively convenient for every state, you (and Nicole) may have to give more leeway to the needs of the teams. Lexington is, no offense, that bad of a location to host a national (yes, I know the high school debate Tournament of Champions is also held at UK, but the resources available to the teams that attend that are really not comparable to a bunch of students going on their own). Most of the California A team this year was forced to take a red-eye to CVG and then a 1.5 hour Uber to arrive in the morning in time for the opening meeting. Max Shatan and others have related their stories of extreme cost and inconvenience, which, for many top high schoolers, is tacked on to the cost/inconvenience of attending HSNCT and NSC. Choosing another location might enable more teams to get there, pay out, and cover the additional costs associated with that move (also, there are plenty of local staffers in at least one of the places I know you're considering). You both are put into a difficult position here, and I respect that, but many teams that could otherwise attend are put into a difficult position if you choose Lexington.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:25 pm
by Good Goblin Housekeeping
Cheynem wrote: Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:12 pm You put the tournament on the weekend of my birthday again.
I think you're mixing it up with Richard Yu's birthday

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:06 am
by A Dim-Witted Saboteur
Yeah Kentucky actually seems like it'd have fewer local staffers than other sites.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:59 pm
by CPiGuy
An Economic Ignoramus wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:06 am Yeah Kentucky actually seems like it'd have fewer local staffers than other sites.
Seeing as 2017 NASAT had a public call for staffers less than a month from the tournament, I'd say you're probably right. NASAT's field size, being comparable to a regular season tournament in many high school circuits, probably should not necessitate an open call for staffers to come from several hundred miles away.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 1:33 pm
by dwd500
Offering a decently-sized discount to organizations that can bring staffers, ideally one or more of the best staffers in their state, could help alleviate some of that need.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 1:40 pm
by Cody
Lexington has a great pool of staffers within driving distance due to its location, which is important for keeping costs down. Whether the pool is greater elsewhere is debatable, but it isn't a strong argument against Lexington because its qualified staffer pool is more than enough to run NASAT.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:43 pm
by Cheynem
As someone very much involved in running NASAT in 2016 and 2017, the factors in choosing a location for NASAT are:

-the organization putting NASAT on is not flush with cash
-you need an university that is willing and able to reserve a fair share of rooms
-there is a difficulty in obtaining staffers due to the fatigue and cost of being the last national of the year. Note that people who staffed almost every NAQT event and PACE did not staff NASAT, not that I blame them, because of the challenge in travel and the cost.

So basically we're in a tight spot--not everyone wants to host NASAT, not everyone can reserve rooms, we didn't have the money to reserve hotels (which would also make costs go up), and you have to be fairly located to staffers.

This is why NASAT has been run at places like Vanderbilt, Ohio State, and Kentucky.

Lexington is not that bad in terms of staffers. Kentucky has provided a fair share of staffers and we have had people come on down from places like Richmond, Maryland, and Columbus.

I'm sure there are more convenient locations for teams, but picking a convenient location and then having available space and money to afford such space is another story.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 7:27 pm
by MahoningQuizBowler
Case Western Reserve ticks many of those boxes, and is easier to get to both in terms of flights and ground transportation from the airport.

I don't speak for the CWRU team, of course, but I would happy to initiate a conversation if there's interest. I also don't speak for anyone other than myself regarding staffing, but I would be willing to initiate many conversations with active Ohioans in that regard.

Re: 2019 NASAT: June 22 & 23

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 9:07 pm
by rahulkeyal
One thing I would urge IQBT to consider is increasing the cost of registration to provide funding for a more convenient location for teams. Speaking from personal experience (I chose not to attend NASAT 2017 because it was prohibitively expensive), I know West Coast teams, and likely other areas, would benefit (i.e pay less and have an easier time traveling) with an increased registration cost and a more convenient host that would be easier to drive/fly to.