Intro to the Iron Laws of Tournament Logistics

Finally, and especially for Geoff (so you can knock off with the threats left on my answering machine)--here is part 1 of the 'Iron Laws of Tournament Logistics.' If you were expecting the long build-up to result in a brilliant post, think again. This isn't comparable to revealing the mysteries of the Illuminati or exposing the truth about Area 51. (Which, if the NSA is listening in, I know absolutely nothing about.) This post is not going to be anything like 12 Easy Steps To Organizing Your Own Tourney. Nor will it be anything like Complete The Following Checklist And You Too Can Be A Successful Event Promoter. While I'm at it there won't be any specific laws, iron or otherwise, but it sounded really good and I couldn't resist.
Relax, would you? Don't be getting all fidgety and impatient on me. This is progress. Knowing what the post isn't is almost as good as knowing what it is. Narrows the focus.
And, hey, since I just thought of a couple it turns out there will be some iron laws of tournament logistics after all.
But here's the thing–and the reason for all this what-it's-not. It's not a mystery or a secret or a how-to. It's mostly just a few common sense observations of the yeah, well duh sort.

Tournament logistics refers to all the essential physical equipment; netting, poles, bunkers, etc. and all the equipment necessary to set-up and tear down. The non-physical component is time. Here time refers to the length of the event, the scheduling of matches and team participation and also to the pre- and post event time used in set-up, tear down and organization.
Why all that before and after the event stuff? Because the critical calculus is cost to revenue and you can't get an accurate handle on cost without the before and after stuff. And the time stuff sounds kinda confusing. Not to worry, it will be explained in detail. This post is mostly a simple outline and a teaser that gives you a head start, if you are so inclined, on working out an understanding of the subject on your own. (Then you can skip the rest of the series.)

Law 1–No aspect of the event functions independently of any (and every) other aspect.
Law 2–What you don't know costs more or at least creates a range of uncertainty.

There is one factor in all this that makes a crucial practical and cost difference. It is the difference between an established paintball venue and the construction of a temporary event site, hence the renewed interest in using established paintball venues as event sites. The bulk of the continuing series will focus on the traveling national series type of event but will also juxtapose those events against the fixed established paintball venue.

The purpose of these posts is to provide a framework for forming slightly more informed opinions related to operating paintball tournaments. Despite the fact it ain't rocket science it appears, from the vantage point of VFTD anyway, there is an awful lot of ill-informed opinion out there (present company excluded, of course) and it is hoped these posts might go part of the way toward a remedy.

Next up will be the first of a possible long-term series on field design offering a breakdown of the PSP Phoenix layout. Talking field design theory is, I fear, an excellent way to test your loyalty to VFTD but it is a topic I want to discuss. By discussing the most recent layout played I'm hoping to match-up real world experience with theory in little, bite-size pieces. If it seems to be working--or I just like doing it--it can be turned into an ongoing series of recently played tournament fields.

Monday's Baca's Blog over at 68 Caliber is about the demise of the old paintball media and the rise of the new paintball media.