All-Star Competitions Giving Out More Bids Than Advertised

[BlueCat]

So we agree that the best way for EPs to follow what the USASF wants you to do is to NOT trust the information USASF gives you.

 

[King]

I guess it would be a question of whether you think giving USASF more authority/power would improve things, or make them worse. The answer likely depends on who you ask.

Logistically and organizationally speaking by not having one organized central point things like this will continue. And there are unintended consequences because of it.

 

[King]

So we agree that the best way for EPs to follow what the USASF wants you to do is to NOT trust the information USASF gives you.

The USASF cannot function correctly unless they attain responsibility for all possibly pieces of information.

How can you give a correct answer if you don't have all the facts. Simple computer terms: garbage in garbage out.

 

[SarahS]

I truly don't believe anyone on here thinks Wildcats should be required OR pushed to give it back.

If ACA had to give one less paid bid next year would that not be the best solution?

Yes, this exactly.

 

[BlueCat]

The USASF cannot function correctly unless they attain responsibility for all possibly pieces of information.

How can you give a correct answer if you don't have all the facts. Simple computer terms: garbage in garbage out.

The classic chicken/egg scenario. If only the USASF had more power, they could do better things. If only the USASF did better with the things they have, people would be willing to give them more power.

 

[socratesofcheer]

Not sure if this is the proper time to bring this up, but, I'm sure BlueCat will agree with me on this....

It's time for real-time scoring and more scoring information to be given to coaches BEFORE awards. This can help alleviate unnecessary mistakes by the USASF and EP's. As Bluecat has mentioned, he has witnessed several scoring mistakes already this season, it was only a matter of time until it happened in a World's bid division.

 

[tumbleyoda]

It is unfortunate and IMO ACA should lose one less paid for next year.

Going forward - EP's should check all reasonable available resources before the event and including the coaches meeting with all level 5 teams the day prior to the competition to double check their status with bids, and what they will accept is the best answer. Too much extra chatter of who already has bids, who previously declined at the time of the awards potentially cheapens the award moment to the athletes and parents as "Team C is receiving a bid only because Team A wont accept an at Large and Team B already has a full paid." Not that people wont argue it here on the boards afterwards but to me if a team plays by the rules and earns a bid, the EP gives it out according to their published procedure and it follows USASF guidelines then it don't matter who declined it and why. JMO.

 

[newcheerdad]

Or here's a modest proposal - stop worrying about this, and let the EP's give out as many bids as they can. If an EP wants to give out 20 bids to worlds, then so be it. If they want to give a 21st bid at their comp because they liked the color of Craptastic All-Star Bedet's uniforms, then so be it. It's their money, and let the market decide what companies survive.

Otherwise, don't have the rule.

And it lays out the big issue with the USASF, which is they are good at creating rules, but either don't have the manpower or will to enforce them.

 

[yojaehs]

See here is my question BlueCat and this might just be what you're saying. In PAST scenarios when the EP made the mistake, they were fined by the USASF. IF the USASF made the mistake, what is their penalty?

 

[CAhybrid]

Yes UCA did this last year and set a president that if you screw up and award a BID to the wrong team USASF will help you out! Especially if your a varsity brand... Not surprised it happened again. I'm sure it will continue to happen because it benefits them. Win Win... Everybody is happy and they get to give a worlds bid to an undiserving team that they didn't earn.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

And it lays out the big issue with the USASF, which is they are good at creating rules, but either don't have the manpower or will to enforce them.

The perception that they may not have the "will to enforce them" bothers me. I don't claim to have excessive knowledge of the USASF but do deal with them as PAC Chairman. I've not experienced them not wanting to do something but more of an extreme balancing act of keeping gyms and EPs happy.

 

[cheerinfo]

Yes UCA did this last year and set a president that if you screw up and award a BID to the wrong team USASF will help you out! Especially if your a varsity brand... Not surprised it happened again. I'm sure it will continue to happen because it benefits them. Win Win... Everybody is happy and they get to give a worlds bid to an undiserving team that they didn't earn.

I don't think Wildcats was undeserving at all. And that is not the issue here. The issue is that they were supposed to award 2 and awarded 3. Who got the third bid and those specifics are not even at issue. It's the fact that the EP or USASF did this. What should the consequences be?

 

[CAhybrid]

They shouldn't recieve an extra bid for messing up... That opens the door for Event Producers to mess up at any premier event to make one extra customer happy... They should have to stick with there orignally awarded bids or revoke one of the bids and award it to the correct team... They shouldn't be granted a special circumstance to award more bids than the company has the right to award... It is all based on previous years numbers... The mistake should be corrected or dealt with... not made ok by the USASF...

 

[BlueCat]

There are several other factors that may be worth considering:

1. The erroneous information given to ACA about the bids - it COULD have been a mistake on USASF's part where they typed something in wrong. It also COULD have been a mistake by Spirit Celebration - a competitor event producer where SOT IOC was originally given the bid. They may have sent in the wrong information to USASF. If ACA is punished by reducing the number of bids, it could conceivably benefit Spirit Celebration, who also gives out bids in the DFW area. Would that be fair for SC to benefit from their mistake like that? (I am not suggesting that either SC or ACA knowingly did anything wrong, just bringing up a hypothetical.)

2. ACA actually had enough attending teams this year to qualify for 3 paid bids. I personally think that if an EP gets enough teams to move UP in the number of bids beyond what they had advertised, they should be given the option to give additional bids that year, rather than wait until the following year. (As a gym owner, I of course want as many paid bids as possible given out, however.)

3. CA called ACA and offered to decline the Wildcat bid this morning, but ACA was very adamant that we keep it (pending USASF decision on the matter.) Yes, we have the option of declining it anyway against their wishes, but at some point, the interests of our athletes and their families have to be put ahead of "making a statement." Also, declining that bid means that one team, somewhere, will end up without a paid bid that otherwise would get one. Besides, one instance of Wildcats declining a paid ACA bid is probably enough (2006).

 

[BlueCat]

Not sure if this is the proper time to bring this up, but, I'm sure BlueCat will agree with me on this....

It's time for real-time scoring and more scoring information to be given to coaches BEFORE awards. This can help alleviate unnecessary mistakes by the USASF and EP's. As Bluecat has mentioned, he has witnessed several scoring mistakes already this season, it was only a matter of time until it happened in a World's bid division.

More precisely - it was only a matter of time until it was DISCOVERED in a Worlds bid division. I have no doubt that it has happened multiple times that we don't know about.