Neg Prizes

Dormant threads from the high school sections are preserved here.
Locked
apurvak
Kimahri
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:02 am

Neg Prizes

Post by apurvak »

Hello everyone!

Sorry if this is on another thread somewhere else, but I'm new to this whole format. As a high school sophomore who is running her first ever tournament, I was wanting help on the issue of neg prizes. Neg prizes look like they would be fun, but I am not sure what would make a good prize. Any cheap ideas? (emphasis on cheap)
Apurva Kanneganti
'16 Germantown High
Banana Stand
Wakka
Posts: 158
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:38 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by Banana Stand »

Relevant thread can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=117&t=12994&p=240240&hi ... es#p240240

General consensus? Probably not the best idea.
Jack Mehr
St. Joe's NJ '14
UVA '19
User avatar
samus149
Wakka
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:36 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by samus149 »

Eh, I've always thought neg prizes were fun, a way to keep the games from getting too serious. It's true that top scorers usually win them, but the people who are in contention for a neg prize are usually as excited for them as they are for a PPG award. If you want to avoid someone negging out their team just for the prize, don't announce that there will be one until prelims are over.

If you do want to go that route: the three neg prizes I remember being awarded in the last two years were a Halloween mask, a used doormat, and a partially colored coloring book. You could literally take something lying around your house and give it away; neg prize winners aren't picky.
Sean M.
HTHS '14
Cornell University '18
UCSB '23

The opinions presented in this user's posts have not been approved by HTHS Quizbowl Team. Viewer discretion is advised. - Patrick LeBlanc, Captain
User avatar
Corry
Rikku
Posts: 331
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:54 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by Corry »

Neg prizes have been a thing in the SoCal circuit for as long as I can remember, and everybody has always been pretty cool with them. (I actually can't recall a single time in my last 3 years of high school quiz bowl when the neg prize wasn't won by a tier-1 player.) But it would certainly depend on the circuit.

My favorite neg prize: a copy of Twilight.
Corry Wang
Arcadia High School 2013
Amherst College 2017
NAQT Writer and Subject Editor
User avatar
Good Goblin Housekeeping
Auron
Posts: 1100
Joined: Sun May 23, 2010 10:03 am

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by Good Goblin Housekeeping »

Corry wrote: My favorite neg prize: a copy of Twilight.
I believe a Loyola tournament a few years ago gave a Twilight calendar as a neg prize
Andrew Wang
Illinois 2016
User avatar
1992 in spaceflight
Auron
Posts: 1615
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:11 pm
Location: St. Louis-area, MO

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by 1992 in spaceflight »

I gave away a copy of The Notebook as a neg prize this year.
Jacob O'Rourke
Washington (MO) HS Assistant Coach (2014-Present); MOQBA Secretary (2015-Present)
Formerly: AQBL Administrator (2020-2023); HSAPQ Host Contact; NASAT Outreach Coordinator (2016 and 2017); Kirksville HS Assistant Coach (2012-2014); Truman State '14; and Pacific High (MO) '10


Like MOQBA on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
User avatar
something random!
Lulu
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:05 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by something random! »

I just saw someone get a "Take 5" candy bar as a neg prize this weekend
Davide Behr
St. Joseph High School IN '14
Indiana University '18
User avatar
The Stately Rhododendron
Rikku
Posts: 484
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:18 pm
Location: Heart's in the woods

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by The Stately Rhododendron »

I was very proud of giving away "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being Psychic" to Daniel Galitsky. I think, in general, neg prizes are only good if you have something actually funny to give away, and you're not giving it to a middle-schooler with a negative P/N (which happened last year)
IKD
Yale 18
Oakland Mills 14
"I am the NAQT beast I worship."
User avatar
Sniper, No Sniping!
Tidus
Posts: 706
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:25 pm
Location: Pickerington, OH

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by Sniper, No Sniping! »

Image
Thomas Moore
Lancaster Fisher Catholic HS c/o 2014
Ohio Wesleyan University c/o 2018
nascarkid397
Lulu
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:21 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by nascarkid397 »

I'd go with something funny, or my personal favorite, a gigantic eraser.
Greg Sova
Bay City Western High School (MI) Captain '12-'15
University of Louisiana at Monroe '15-'19(?)
User avatar
tiwonge
Yuna
Posts: 829
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:54 pm
Location: Boise (City of Trees), Idaho

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by tiwonge »

I have, in the past, bought children's computer games at the library book sale for $1 or so to use as neg prizes.
Colin McNamara, Boise State University
Member, PACE
Idaho Quiz & Academic Teams
User avatar
merv1618
Tidus
Posts: 719
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:43 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by merv1618 »

I once got a novel by Jimmy Buffett.
Adam Sperber
Hickman '10
Northwestern B '14
Loyola (inactive) '21

" 'Yay, more Adam Sperber' --Nobody " --Cody Voight
User avatar
AKKOLADE
Sin
Posts: 15783
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 8:08 am

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by AKKOLADE »

Banana Stand wrote:Relevant thread can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=117&t=12994&p=240240&hi ... es#p240240

General consensus? Probably not the best idea.
Just wanted to follow up with this to say that neg prizes aren't a great idea.
Fred Morlan
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
User avatar
merv1618
Tidus
Posts: 719
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:43 pm

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by merv1618 »

Dr. Loki Skylizard, Thoracic Surgeon wrote:
Banana Stand wrote:Relevant thread can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=117&t=12994&p=240240&hi ... es#p240240

General consensus? Probably not the best idea.
Just wanted to follow up with this to say that neg prizes aren't a great idea.
Didn't realize this was in the High School subforum at first. I agree with Fred.
Adam Sperber
Hickman '10
Northwestern B '14
Loyola (inactive) '21

" 'Yay, more Adam Sperber' --Nobody " --Cody Voight
User avatar
Golran
Auron
Posts: 1048
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:23 am
Location: Southern California

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by Golran »

I did enjoy giving out neg prizes when I directed tournaments. One of my favorites to give out was a book called Gut Feelings. In retrospect, a book like that probably would have been more appropriate as a power prize. What is the community's opinion on giving out a gag prize for most powers like a light bulb or pack of batteries (since they provided the most power).
Drayer the Slayer
currently unaffiliated
User avatar
Ndg
Rikku
Posts: 387
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:24 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by Ndg »

Golran wrote:I did enjoy giving out neg prizes when I directed tournaments. One of my favorites to give out was a book called Gut Feelings.
This reminds me of a recent tournament at PItt where the neg prize was a book of "Atrocities".
Golran wrote:In retrospect, a book like that probably would have been more appropriate as a power prize. What is the community's opinion on giving out a gag prize for most powers like a light bulb or pack of batteries (since they provided the most power).
I think this is a great idea -- more constructive than a neg prize, but just as amusing.
Andrew Nadig

Mannhiem Mannheim Manheim Township, 2005-11
Carnegie Mellon University, 2011-15
User avatar
1992 in spaceflight
Auron
Posts: 1615
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:11 pm
Location: St. Louis-area, MO

Re: Neg Prizes

Post by 1992 in spaceflight »

merv1618 wrote:
Dr. Loki Skylizard, Thoracic Surgeon wrote:
Banana Stand wrote:Relevant thread can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=117&t=12994&p=240240&hi ... es#p240240

General consensus? Probably not the best idea.
Just wanted to follow up with this to say that neg prizes aren't a great idea.
Didn't realize this was in the High School subforum at first. I agree with Fred.
I should note that all of the neg prizes I've given away have been in college tournaments I've directed (and I've never announced that there will be a neg prize beforehand).
Jacob O'Rourke
Washington (MO) HS Assistant Coach (2014-Present); MOQBA Secretary (2015-Present)
Formerly: AQBL Administrator (2020-2023); HSAPQ Host Contact; NASAT Outreach Coordinator (2016 and 2017); Kirksville HS Assistant Coach (2012-2014); Truman State '14; and Pacific High (MO) '10


Like MOQBA on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
Locked