Team Sizes
Hi everyone
I have a dilemma, we always ran our quiz with teams of 4 in the pub. Fortunately, the new landlord has increased trade and the quiz has outgrown the pub and we have moved to the skittles alley! The landlord does not want to turn trade away and has allowed a couple of teams to bring extra players - none of these expanded teams have yet won a quiz. Some of my regulars are complaining about the team sizes and are threatening to bring more players or leave altogether. Not sure what to do. I am of a mind to go back to 4 players and upset the landlord. Any ideas????
posted by Chris Mills @ March 19, 2012
16 Comments
16 Comments:
Tricky one this. We have no restriction on team size whatever which the customers love as they can sit with all their friends.
Amazingly we have some teams with 10 players but they don't necessarily beat the teams of three or 4 people.
To avoid upset I would do a quiz questionaire and ask the regulars would they like team number restrictions lifted completely or a maximum number of players.
I think 4 is too small, I would go for 6 people. When we get huge teams we usually suggest they split into 2 teams and play against each other. You are in a catch 22 here, got to keep the landlord happy but at the same time the quiz teams too. Nice to hear of someone with an expanding quiz, well done!
Hi June
Thanks for your prompt reply! You have it in a nutshell there. Think 6 is a good number too. Some of the smaller teams are a bit "Johnny No Mates" and struggle to get more than 3 or 4 in their team, so their complaining is probably a bit of sour grapes. I'll see how it goes next Sunday and let you know. The landlord has really tried to get new people through the doors and my quiz is just a little event each month that is helping to make our community pub popular again, so I really don't want to turn punters away!!!!
Do not upset the landlord!!!!!!!
SO YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PERHAPS COME IN FOR A MEAL AND THEY SEE THAT A QUIZ IS TAKING PLACE BUT YOU ONLY ALLOW FOUR IN A TEAM SO THEY DON'T BOTHER. PERSONALLY I ALLOW AS MANY AS THEY WANT IN A TEAM AND EACH MEMBER PAYS £1 ENTRANCE. I HAVE HAD AS MANY AS TWELVE IN ONE TEAM WHEN A GROUP HAVE COME IN FOR A MEAL. THE YARDSTICK FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE QUIZ IS THE CASH THAT GOES THROUGH THE TILL ON QUIZ NIGHT AND NOTHING ELSE, AT LEAST AS FAR AS THE BREWERY IS CONCERNED. BIG MISTAKE ASKING FOR THE VIEWS OF THE OTHER TEAMS AS YOU WILL PROBABLY GET SEVERAL DIFFERENT SUGGESTION LOL
Sorry it was all caps, didn't realise caps lock was on
I don't restrcit team sizes and no complaints - the bigger the team the fewer times they win as the become a committee and a shambles, but the pub does well out of the extra sales, is that not the point of having the quiz in the pub in the first place?
I have team sizes ranging from just couples up to sometimes 10 or more with an average of 4-6. It depends how seriously teams take it as the couples are there just for a social night out and use the quiz as a means as to not having to think of what to talk about all evening. I find that the larger teams hardly ever win as there are too many answers suggested between the members and they often choose the wrong answer so I mentally rub my hands as I take their £1 per person off them. My main problem was not about team sizes but the same team, comprising of just 4 members, winning every time they attended but they have moved on now. It's best summed up therefore as 'size isn't everything'
I always cap teams at 6, but if 8 turn up and sit together they can play as two teams - they rarely win as they generally try and edge their bets. I have been to a quiz where team sizes were capped at 7 but largely teams were allowed for a penalty of 1 point per round. That system has the advantage as it stops those late arrivals swelling numbers.
larger - not largely
Unfortunately, the pub is tiny and only holds 40 people - no meals - apart from pickled eggs and crisps! The alley only holds 50ish - so we are fairly tight on numbers and I have 13 teams booked in for Sunday already. See my dilemma????!!!
I likey the handicap system - But I already run this if a team wins more than 2 quizzes in a year - so adding another handicap could be a bit messy!!
Keep the ideas coming - I thank you all
I have been doing a weekly quiz in our local pub for the last 15 years. My format is that I only allow up to 6 people in a team, £2 a head, any more they still sit together ,but I suggest that they compete against each other and sit slightly apart, (more money in the pot). They very rarley win as they are only interested in beating eachother. By charging £2 ahead it makes up the prize money, and is totaly given back to the people taking part in the quiz.. I allways get good attendance, like mothering sunday, there was 10 teams, I collected £85 from the customers which was given back in prize money. Everybody was very happy. Good Luck I am sure you will find a winning formula asking what others do. Lindax
not read the other replies but here goes......
all of my quizzes are run with any number in your team.Let's face it,if you were a new team and you stumbled on your quiz one night and there were 5 or you,would it be right that you would have to 'oust' a friend so the four of you could take part in the quiz - I think not!
In the quizzes I compere ,there are no complaints from anyone as what I announce is that the more you have in your team,the more you argue about the correct answer!
At the four venues I hold quizzes at (some for 20 years now!), no one team dominates!
The trick is to have a few 'guessing questions' in each quiz i.e.50/50 or true or false,etc.That way you elliminate the local 'eggheads' from the 'just out to enjoy the night' teams.
Let's face it,we all want the underdogs to win!
You could even introduce a point handicap to the last winning team which after 3 weeks reverts to all square on week four.
So,I say - no fixed numbers (doesn't work) and treat the night as an enjoyable evening's entertainment for all - whether they win or not!
just thought I'd like to mention that recently two teams at two seperate venues have won the quiz with 2 people in their team(and no phones lol).
So it goes to show,if the questions are geared "that evens things up " - the 'underdogs' can win!
Thanks Ian, your formula is the exact one I have been using for the past 24 years. When the quiz was in the pub we only had room for 40 people and usually had 8 - 10 teams of 4. Now the pub is expanding we have moved to the alley and bigger teams are allowed by the landlord who obviously needs to make money. I think I will not do anything for a month or two to see if the new big teams stay and how good they get! The landlord has bought a couple more tables so we can get up to 60 in - Wow! I too have a team of 3 who win every year when I pop in some literature or classical music!
Hi all, for what it's worth here's the views of a pub manager and quizmaster of twenty years plus....
At the end of the day quizzes are run in pubs for only really two reasons 1) to keep the punters occupied whilst they buy more beer etc.... 2) to raise money for local good causes and raise the profile of the venue
To that end the more people the merrier ....
As to the matter of teams.... Often the bigger the team the harder it is to win... I call it answers by committee....
If you put in a fair amount of 50/50 questions or opinion questions ie what is the most common boys name etc it flumoxes bigger teams.
As for the prize I have always preferred to go for the blankety blank school of prize giving ie a token prize of a £10 or a box of chocolates or a big box of sweets something that can be shared.... And then have a cash rollover that an individual can win... An share with their team if they want to....
If the main prize is low then it stops an gunners about cheating and or god forbid wrong answers.
If I am strongly challenged I always call quiz masters priority MY answer is right.... But if I have made a mistake I can always win the argument but stating .... For pity's sake it's only for a tenner ..... £2 each, give me a break.... Normally gets a laugh!!!!
The rollover is a lucky dip .... Hard but not impossible question that only one raffle ticket winner can enter.
In the past that has got as high as £450. Before it went...
Believe me ... That pulls the punters in and keeps the landlord happy .....
I have a very simple handicapping system where the winning team starts the following week on a minus score based on the number of points they won by. Restricting sizes of teams doesn't work i'm afraid and keeps people away from what is and should be a fun night out.
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