Tourney Getting the Band together (2 Viewers)

[DeeVee8]

For the last few years, I've been communicating with my players via email, text, e-vite, Facebook and a webpage. I could never get everyone together on one platform and its been a royal pain.

So in the fair weather players thread, @Dodger mentioned using Band. So I started playing around with it and it seems VERY good, has a ton of features. The biggest one for me is live-streaming. My plan is to live-stream my iPad (which runs my tournament timer) so any player can look in. I just have to figure out how to live-stream my screen rather than my camera (evidently prism and obs are good).

I doubt I'll get all my players on it, but being able to live-stream the tournament timer is enough of an incentive to me. At least I can whittle it down to Band, FB and website.

I'll post updates for any curious bystanders and if you have any expertise to lend with OBS, prism or other live-stream screen apps, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Legend5555]

I used BAND for a while. People still sucked at RSVPing. Nothing works. I've given up.

 

[legonick]

I used BAND for a while. People still sucked at RSVPing. Nothing works. I've given up.

Using Evite, I've got about 2 players (3 if you count me, LOL) who are good about responding on Evite. Maybe a 3rd, but he's had issues in the past. Lots of others suck at RSVPing and it's like herding cats to get something out of them, LOL.

 

[Pawn38]

I use Evite as well for our monthly poker night. Everyone who is attending does a good job of responding. The regulars also do a good job responding if they are a 'maybe' or not attending. It's the final dozen on the list that rarely attend (or never attend) that don't respond or even look at the invitation.

Every year I'll clean up the contact list. I don't want to exclude anyone who is interested in playing, but I also don't want someone receiving an invite plus reminders if they really don't have any interest in playing.

 

[DeeVee8]

I have about 25 players on my list, 9 have signed up. There's probably 5-10 that really don't ever attend, and they probably won't sign up (and never respond to E-vites, so be it). They'll end up getting dropped. I'm guessing I'll have 16-20 after 'purging'.

I'll make a push to join the Band at the next game we have on 8/1. I should have most of my regulars by then.

I've liked E-vite, and its worked well, but Band seems to have a lot more features, including live-streaming. No ads, ability to attach files, etc.

 

[DeeVee8]

So far, so good. My group has all of our hardcore players (~12) enrolled. They're in the app, rsvp'ing and posting. About 1/2 of our regular players are in. Very few of our sporadic players have signed up, but who's surprised. I've abandoned the live-streaming for now because I found a way around posting my tournament timer online. We have a big game in October and I might try streaming the final table for fun.

To get my stragglers signed up, I think I'm going to give a chip bonus only for Band members for our next tournament. I'll notify players Sep 1, so they'll still have 3 weeks to register if they're not already in.

 

[legonick]

So far, so good. My group has all of our hardcore players (~12) enrolled. They're in the app, rsvp'ing and posting. About 1/2 of our regular players are in. Very few of our sporadic players have signed up, but who's surprised. I've abandoned the live-streaming for now because I found a way around posting my tournament timer online. We have a big game in October and I might try streaming the final table for fun.

To get my stragglers signed up, I think I'm going to give a chip bonus only for Band members for our next tournament. I'll notify players Sep 1, so they'll still have 3 weeks to register if they're not already in.

Whoa, chip bonus for Band members...dude, genius.

I might have to do that for Evite - if you have the app installed, chip bonus! Or just move to Band and do the same there.

 

[DeeVee8]

Whoa, chip bonus for Band members...dude, genius.

I might have to do that for Evite - if you have the app installed, chip bonus! Or just move to Band and do the same there.

If you want to move to Band, I’d do it then. Bribery is your friend.

 

[legonick]

If you want to move to Band, I’d do it then. Bribery is your friend.

How much are you going to offer for a chip bonus, how my BBs? It's got to be enough to have more regular people do it, but not enough to stack the game completely.

 

[DeeVee8]

How much are you going to offer for a chip bonus, how my BBs? It's got to be enough to have more regular people do it, but not enough to stack the game completely.

I go with a 10% bonus. 1k bonus on a 10k tourney. For us, that’s 10bb’s.

 

[legonick]

I go with a 10% bonus. 1k bonus on a 10k tourney. For us, that’s 10bb’s.

Wow, seems like a lot! I'll have to search around here for threads on tournament chip bonuses. Do you get the feel 10% is standard? If you are layering multiple bonuses, does it make sense to stack it up to 10% - for example, a Band bonus and an on-time bonus, each being 5%?

 

[Dodger]

Band Bonus is super clever. Definitely let us know how it goes.

 

[DeeVee8]

Wow, seems like a lot! I'll have to search around here for threads on tournament chip bonuses. Do you get the feel 10% is standard? If you are layering multiple bonuses, does it make sense to stack it up to 10% - for example, a Band bonus and an on-time bonus, each being 5%?

I want it to be enough of an incentive, but not an overwhelming amount. I can see how having multiple bonuses would make it difficult.

Maybe 5% each, or drop the on-time and go 10% Band until you get everyone aboard. Then the on-time can resume.

As a matter of fact, your on-timers may help pressure the non-banders to get their schitt together so they can get their full on-time bonus back.

 

[DeeVee8]

Band Bonus is super clever. Definitely let us know how it goes.

Thanks, @Dodger. I had to be creative early in the history of our group of players, and bonus tournament chips are like candy to children. Use that power sparingly and wisely.

 

[legonick]

OK, brainstorming here - how can we use bonus chips to get people to play? I have a chronic problem with slow responses on my invites. I have like 2 "regulars" who are really good about responding with a quick yes. Another "regular" who likes to Hollywood before dropping his yes, but usually does drop a yes. The rest of my players are like herding cats. Ghost forever.

Maybe I can give bonus tournament chips to people who respond quickly - like within 5 days of the invite going out (I try to send mine out 2-3 weeks in advance, monthly game).

Anyone have any experience with that? Would it backfire on me in people opting to NOT come because if they didn't get in early enough, they'd be joining "at a disadvantage"?

 

[DeeVee8]

Not sure that chips would entice those types of players, and I'm pretty sure it would deter them if they didn't make the bonus. Do they really want to play? Best advice I could give would be to find more players.

 

[legonick]

Not sure that chips would entice those types of players, and I'm pretty sure it would deter them if they didn't make the bonus. Do they really want to play? Best advice I could give would be to find more players.

Yeah, agreed. My upcoming game includes 2 friends-of-friends, so I'm hopeful they'll stick and become regulars. Otherwise I'm going to have to really hustle to find players because I'm atrophying them heavily, and it feels like I'm getting through my list of friends. Think joining a bar league to recruit from or something like that.

 

[DeeVee8]

Friends of friends is the best way to recruit. I've been successful once or twice with bar leagues. I'm careful to really vet those players. Meetup.com is also good. Set up a group on their page to recruit players. They charge for making a group. So I use it to recruit players, then delete the group so I don't get charged again. Then repeat it a couple of months later. Guerilla tactics.

Sounds like you're better off getting new players than banging your head trying to get blood from stones.
Good luck!