All-Star Worlds Bids Question

[cheererinIL]

Two questions

Does the # of bids offered relate directly to the number of bid eligible teams at a competition, or is it set at the beginning of the season that X company will get X amount of bids and doesn't change after registration?

As the season draws to an end and companies are holding competitions where a portion of the eligible teams competing already have paid bids, and the paid bid ends up going to the 5th or 6th place team or 10th highest score of the senior division, is that really considered "best of the best"? Technically, a team could have a bad day and by default, win a paid bid to Worlds.

I'm not trying to say that people haven't earned their bids or anything of the sort. It was just a little thinking I was doing tonight (always dangerous) and I was wondering if other people were thinking the same.

 

[ACEDAD]

Two questions

Does the # of bids offered relate directly to the number of bid eligible teams at a competition, or is it set at the beginning of the season that X company will get X amount of bids and doesn't change after registration?

As the season draws to an end and companies are holding competitions where a portion of the eligible teams competing already have paid bids, and the paid bid ends up going to the 5th or 6th place team or 10th highest score of the senior division, is that really considered "best of the best"? Technically, a team could have a bad day and by default, win a paid bid to Worlds.

I'm not trying to say that people haven't earned their bids or anything of the sort. It was just a little thinking I was doing tonight (always dangerous) and I was wondering if other people were thinking the same.

Bids are based on the level of the Event Producer (Tier 1, etc) and the number of teams at their nationals the prior year.

You can see the specifics here:

https://ismmedia.com/usasf.net/ISM2//Member Documents /USASF_Eventproducer_Membership_09.pdf

As to your second question, there is a bit of truth to what you are saying. However, if a 5th place team gets a paid bid because the other teams ahead of them already had a paid bid, then they are in pretty good company.

 

[cheererinIL]

Thanks for the link!

However, if a 5th place team gets a paid bid because the other teams ahead of them already had a paid bid, then they are in pretty good company.

I agree, however- what if the 5th place team is in 5th place by A LOT of points? For example, they are competing level 4 tumbling, or stunts with some level 5 skills mixed in.

My mind was going towards a minimum score to qualify for a bid? But, of course then comes the subjectivity of judges & universal score sheets, etc. & I don't want to open that can of worms!

 

[ACEDAD]

Thanks for the link!


I agree, however- what if the 5th place team is in 5th place by A LOT of points? For example, they are competing level 4 tumbling, or stunts with some level 5 skills mixed in.

My mind was going towards a minimum score to qualify for a bid? But, of course then comes the subjectivity of judges & universal score sheets, etc. & I don't want to open that can of worms!

Not perfect. But we can't have a situation where an event producer doesn't provide a bid when they are contractually obligated to do so.

 

[cheererinIL]

Not perfect. But we can't have a situation where an event producer doesn't provide a bid when they are contractually obligated to do so.

That's absolutely true too.

 

[ACEDAD]

That's absolutely true too.

In case anyone is wondering, I always shimmy comments that compliment me or acknowledge that I'm correct.

 

[cheererinIL]

In case anyone is wondering, I always shimmy comments that compliment me or acknowledge that I'm correct

LOL. I can't argue with something that makes absolute sense.

My brain was just going round and round about this and to be quite honest, I don't even know what my opinion is on it- just that the thought was in my head and I needed more info.

 

[coach.elle]

Or, event producers can give paid bids to whoever they want, not based on score at all. You should go look at the thread on UPA nationals. As the producer stated before giving out bids, "I can say, I like that that team's uniforms are purple, and we could give a bid to them based on that". NOT joking.

 

[ACEDAD]

Or, event producers can give paid bids to whoever they want, not based on score at all. You should go look at the thread on UPA nationals. As the producer stated before giving out bids, "I can say, I like that that team's uniforms are purple, and we could give a bid to them based on that". NOT joking.

100% true. And I don't have any problem with it as long as that methodology is publicized in ADVANCE of the competition. Then when people decide that they don't want to put up with it any longer and stop going, it will resolve itself.

 

[megaflipper]

Like any Cheertech

 

[ACEDAD]

Like any Cheertech

Again, 100% correct.

 

[cheererinIL]

@coach.elle

I was a very active reader/poster on that thread! Something about the event as a whole just didn't seem right! Hopefully they've paid attention to the public's opinion!

However, like ACEDAD said ('cause he's right, shimmy away) it's not a perfect system. There's definitely some flaws with bids & scoring. We can hope (and stay involved with the USASF) that they'll be repaired and corrected in the coming seasons. Worlds is only 7 or so years old (I think I've got that math right) and for being such a young and large comepetition it's doing a pretty great job! The Super Bowl and football are far older than competitive cheerleading & Worlds, and they are still making new rules and corrections.

I think I'm contradicting myself in my own thread. If this is the case, my apologies. It was a thought that needed to work itself out for me "on paper" (or laptop)!

 

[NJ Coach]

It's not a perfect system. It's harder to get a bid earlier in the season. Also, depending on where you are located, or where the competitions you attend are located, it may be more difficult. By this time in the season, there are less teams looking for bids. As long as the bids are in the event producers hand, and there's no stipulation from USASF on how they must be awarded, we'll continue to have this issue. Though, as evidenced by the situation with bids for the Junior divisions last year, USASF isn't exactly perfect in awarding bids either. I agree with ACEDAD though. As long as the EP's state up front and in advance how they plan on awarding their bids, I have no issue. It's their money, and they can do as they please. It's when they start changing the rules midstream that I hate.

Yes, there are teams that are awarded bids and attend Worlds that may not reflect the "best of the best" that we all wish to see. But, those teams generally don't make it out of Prelims. If they want to spend all that money for a 1-day, that's their prerogative.

 

[Raymond G McKee]

To fix the problem of companies being forced to give out bids due to contract situations... I think USASF should come out with the rule that bids may only go to 1st, 2nd or 3rd... maybe 4th or 5th place teams at every event. Because from my point of view Worlds is a prestigious event that should only have the best of the best teams competing. Because as some of you may have heard or seen... at NCA in Dallas just last weekend, some teams got some very low placed bids. The lowest I heard was a 23rd place At-Large bid...

But from USASF's point of view they probably wouldn't create a rule like that because...well they're a business and doing something that would keep their competition small wouldn't really make them a lot of money.

 

[PullandPray23]

Actually to be absolutly honest...we NEED teams who go to worlds by default...I mean Im certinally not going to the bathroom during World Cup Shooting Stars's performance and Im definatly not going to get a pretzel during Stingray Orange's routine...EP's know by sending teams to world's with at-large bids that get 23rd place at NCA they are building in bathroom breaks and snack breaks for spectators...god bless default teams! <3