Players and Coaches -- I would also like to solicit feedback on the 2008 ICT selection process. We will probably be adding questions relating to these issues to our post-ICT survey, but we thought it wouldn't hurt to address them now while people were actively discussing and thinking about the subject. NAQT has generally acted under the assumption that top teams prefer an ICT that is hosted by a college or university and which moves around the country, so long as it is in a major city with a major airport and enough local staff to keep the registration fee down. We've also generally acted under the assumption that we should strongly prefer schools that actually bid for the tournament to thost that didn't bid of their own accord, but which NAQT might happen to feel would make good hosts. That is, we won't go looking for better hosts if we have at least one bid that satisfices. Are those assumptions still true? Those of you who follow NAQT's high school program know that NAQT has apparently determined that Chicago is the optimal location for the HSNCT, since 2007 will mark the third year in a row that the event is held there. Generally speaking, Chicago is the most convenient city, on average, for a nationwide audience to get to. If there is a strong feeling among teams that they would like to see the ICT always located in the cheapest, most accessible major city, it is certainly possible that NAQT could shift to a Chicago (or perhaps St. Louis)-only strategy. If you think your team would prefer an arrangement like this, we'd love to know. We'd also be interested in clubs' ideas on what constituted "acceptable airfare" or "acceptable hotel rates." We do look up the expected prices from areas in the country whence teams will be coming as part of determining a site's overall suitability. NAQT has always had the ICT at a school in order to reduce registration costs. Would your school be willing to pay a registration fee of $350 or even $450 to attend an event in a convention center or hotel? Would you be willing to do so if it allowed the tournament to be held in a city for which tickets were $80 to $100 cheaper? Finally, if there are any particular cities/sites that you think would make good ICT hosts (for 2008, or whenever) or if you have any other comments on the selection process, we'd love to hear your thoughts! -- R. Robert Hentzel President and Chief Technical Officer, National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC
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