Why are tournament directors so opposed to posting schedules/results online?

[SonicMojo]

It seems to happen regularly that people are seeking pool schedules, brackets, results, etc., for tournaments. More often than not these requests seem to result in snarky responses from the tournament directors.

Is there some reason that they don't want to do this? Is it just the work involved in updating and posting a link that's the problem, or is it something else?

 

[cobb_of_fury]

I have always wondered this my self -

 

[Fairman]

USSSA in WPA/CPA posts the attending teams as soon as the teams sign up so you know who you might be playing. They typically post the final pairings on Monday/Tuesday before the Tournaments.

Doing the tournament USSSA WPA/CPA does a great job with posting schedules and results in real time over your phone. Sundays pairings are in hand as soon as the last game is played (well okay a slight delay) Their system seems to work well with only cell coverage (or lack there of) being the only stumbling block.

I assume that other organizations do this as well?

USSA WPA/CPA Fastpitch Website
http://www.usssacentralpa.com/FastpitchHomepage.html

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Yes typicaly the Utrip, ASA and NSA IN PA are good at giving info...

Not so much in Ohio - or are we just looking in the wrong places?

 

[wvanalmsick]

First, the organization has to have a website.

Second, they have to have the knowledge to run the website.

Third, you have to have a dedicated person, other than the TD to enter the scores. You also need to have a process to get the scores back to the scorer in a timely manner.

Most organizations do not have one of the above in order to make it happen. There are also tournaments that do not post the pools because their tournament is not drawing the type of teams that it advertised and they don't want to let everyone know that fact.

 

[Davemy]

There is a lot of work involved in running any Tournament. It is a 365 day a year job for some that want to take their Tournament to the next level. One of the first things I wanted to do was get a better Website, It is still a work in progress but we are getting there. We post Teams as soon as we can when a teams registers. On October 24th we plan on being pretty busy. We also have a dedicated person that will be available that will be working till 10:00pm to answer any registration questions on the phone. Having all this cost money.
The next thing we wanted was the Schedules to be posted online. This takes hours and hours to do, but we do it. After you input it into your website, all of a sudden a team drops out or something happens and you have to adjust on the fly. Lots of work again. Probably the hardest thing is entering scores into a website. You have to have multiple people do this. Last year we only had one person and we were only able to get 3/4 of the scores in. This year we are bringing in a paid College intern to help us with this. Pretty much on Sunday you are sitting at the computer inputting scores and Schedules all day long. The benefit is for all the Coaches, Parents and College Coaches that come to your Tournament. Everyone with Smartphones no longer have to go looking for the board to see schedules and scores. I was amazed by how many people were taking notice that we did this last year! We feel this is a benefit of Aunt Rosie's. We are not perfect but we feel we are offering something that a lot of other Tournaments are not.
We also Have a Facebook Tournament page that we keep our Fans informed with Scores, Pictures, Schedules, Weather Updates. Again this takes volunteers. I don't think TD are opposed to informing Teams this information, they don't have the manpower.

( There are also tournaments that do not post the pools because their tournament is not drawing the type of teams that it advertised and they don't want to let everyone know that fact.)

This Comment is so true! We have a local Tournament that boasts 100 Teams enter their Tournament every year. They haven't had 100 teams since I been running Aunt Rosie's in three years! Drives me nuts that they are not telling the truth!

Dave Myers
Aunt Rosie's International Tournament Director
Buffalo/Niagara Fall NY
716-628-8600

 

[Fairman]

Dave, as you know it takes a small army to run a tournament.

One of the critical tasks of our field reps is to report the scores. If it is not raining, and the umpires are on the field, it is their primary task. The umpires report the scores to the field reps in writing (on a form) and then the field reps text it to a central person. (not the TD)

Last year we had 25 field reps reporting scores, only one person taking them and then posting. The majority of the scores were texted to the poster. That eliminated stacking time when a bunch of games concluded at the same time and certainly reduced posting errors due to voice messages. We seldom ran more than 30 minutes behind and that was with 138 teams at 22 fields.

The team standings were automatically updated with each posted score. That was a great help in letting the teams know where they stood and eliminated a lot of the unknowns in the pairings come Sunday

The USSSA provided the software and the web site for this effort. Developing your own would take another Army. I'd like to develop a Facebook page and will get some help from the Local Tourist Bureau this year that should enable that to happen.

It's a constant struggle to catch up with technology AND play the games on time

Tom Harley TD
Indiana Summer Showcase Tournament (IUP)
Indiana PA

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Tom , Dave thanks for some great insight from two of the best.

 

[Dawgsdad]

I know its early but their are some tournaments being played. Yet no results have been posted.....

 

[HITTER23]

It seems to happen regularly that people are seeking pool schedules, brackets, results, etc., for tournaments. More often than not these requests seem to result in snarky responses from the tournament directors.

Is there some reason that they don't want to do this? Is it just the work involved in updating and posting a link that's the problem, or is it something else?

Are talking about at the park? Any tournament should have a "headquarters" to look at results/brackets etc. But if youre talking online real time results cause you couldnt get off work and you want to track the tourney, i think youre only going to see this at your big tourneys, and really not all do it then. And expecting this from your smaller tournaments is asking alot considering like whats already been mentioned about the manpower needed to pull it off.


Umm, what age group are we talking about here?

 

[Dawgsdad]

I wasnt referring to live updates. I meant results of tournaments that have taken place. We are 12u. There is a section on here for results that was started this past fall and was hoping it would be utilized. I understand that it may take some extra time but they have plenty of time to bump it to the top or advertise their event.

Are talking about at the park? Any tournament should have a "headquarters" to look at results/brackets etc. But if youre talking online real time results cause you couldnt get off work and you want to track the tourney, i think youre only going to see this at your big tourneys, and really not all do it then. And expecting this from your smaller tournaments is asking alot considering like whats already been mentioned about the manpower needed to pull it off.


Umm, what age group are we talking about here?

 

[SonicMojo]

Are talking about at the park? Any tournament should have a "headquarters" to look at results/brackets etc. But if youre talking online real time results cause you couldnt get off work and you want to track the tourney, i think youre only going to see this at your big tourneys, and really not all do it then. And expecting this from your smaller tournaments is asking alot considering like whats already been mentioned about the manpower needed to pull it off.


Umm, what age group are we talking about here?

Any age group. The reaction doesn't change based on age groups.

Not talking at the park or real time on line, but here on this site. Not all coaches share the info from the TDs, and not all people interested in tournament schedules are associated with a team in the tournament.

 

[Jose_canusee]

We just finished our scheduling for Memorial Day weekend. it will be posted on our website late tonight.
Wwwleaguelineup.com/firefightersmemorial .

 

[wvanalmsick]

Any age group. The reaction doesn't change based on age groups.

Not talking at the park or real time on line, but here on this site. Not all coaches share the info from the TDs, and not all people interested in tournament schedules are associated with a team in the tournament.

If the tournament has a website of their own, then I don't see the need to take up storage space on this website. A simple message in a thread stating the schedule and results will be posted at whatever.com

If the tournament uses this website to advertise the tournament, does not have their own website, and does not post a schedule or results should be charged by the website. Pay up front to advertise then if you follow the rules, you will be granted a refund or credit.

 

[SonicMojo]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that if a tournament has a website they should post the schedules here too. What Mendy is doing is great. But on the other side, look at this tournament: http://www.thesoftballzone.com/showthread.php?7649-TC-Early-BIrd-May-1-2-3

No schedules have been posted. There is no website. Apparently all those teams have paid, but the tournament director has not responded to any of the inquiries about the schedules. The tournament is supposed to start in THREE DAYS!!!

 

[okiedad1961]

Sorry posted in wrong thread