Computer Bowl

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The Computer Bowl was a fundraising quizbowl game held in 1988 and annually from 1990 to 1998. The event raised money for the Computer Museum in Boston through both ticket sales to the live event and closed-circuit broadcast venues, and through corporate donations. Some years were packaged into two episodes of PBS's series Computer Chronicles for later TV broadcast.

Each Computer Bowl featured a team representing the West coast technology industry and a team representing the East coast answering questions about the technology and business aspects of the computer industry.

Participants in 1990's Computer Bowl II

Using Computer Bowl II as an example, the game format was:

  • Tossups for 10 points, with -5 for an incorrect interrupt, and 20 points for converting the opponent's neg at the end of the question.
  • "Bonus questions" which were played and scored exactly like tossups but thematically linked to the prior tossup.
  • "Bonus rounds" which were played like traditional quizbowl bonuses for up to 20 points.

Games featured the ability to protest and a committee of judges ruling on protests on-camera in real time.

Videos of each Computer Bowl and archives of questions and promotional materials are available here.