From britdisc-owner@csv.warwick.ac.uk  Tue Oct  6 18:18:34 1998
Received: (from daemon@localhost)
	by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.8.7/8.8.8) id SAA06564
	for britdisc-outgoing; Tue, 6 Oct 1998 18:09:41 +0100 (BST)
Received: from polaris.kbw.co.uk (dns1.kbw.co.uk [193.132.201.37])
	by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.8.7/8.8.8) with ESMTP id SAA06537
	for <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Tue, 6 Oct 1998 18:09:37 +0100 (BST)
Received: by dns1.kbw.co.uk with Internet Mail Service (5.0.1460.8)
	id <42YVM01P>; Tue, 6 Oct 1998 17:57:56 +0100
Message-ID: <5916162CC25BD21186D700A0C997E63D5676@dns1.kbw.co.uk>
From: Roger Thomson <Roger@kbw.co.uk>
To: britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk
Subject: RE: Tour 99 - how to run it?
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 17:57:54 +0100 
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.0.1460.8)
Content-Type: text/plain
Sender: owner-britdisc@warwick.ac.uk
Precedence: bulk

For what it's worth (and give up now if you're not a statto of any
description):

1) Given the number of teams and marked differences in levels of ability,
demotion and promotion could lead to good teams (Touch or Headrush for
example) being cast into the abyss below them for half a season, or weaker
teams (Violently or BAF) being elevated like kings then used as whipping
boys for the rest of the season.
2) 8 is probably too small for subdivisions as this would mean running the
equivalent of 4 tournies in place of what has been 1 tour event.

So...a compromise (but promising..) solution could be:

For Tour 1 have a 12-team Division 1, and a larger (16 or however many we
could cater for) Division 2 - probably at different venues (as the consensus
seems to be moving this way). Separating the top 12 would prevent the
exclusion of lower teams from the Tour and give everyone a chance at
experience-enhancing competition. 

For Tour 2 add the top 4 teams from Division 1, and again have whatever size
is deemed appropriate for Division 2. This would introduce a highly
competitve element into Division 2: Tour 1 games, as teams are playing for
promotion. Tour 2: Division 1 would also be highly exciting as, yes you
guessed it - the bottom four teams go back down to division 2.

Tour 3: as Tour 1

Tour 4: as Tour 2

Tour 5: as Tour 1.

This would:
1) solve the current problems of too many teams at one venue for Tour
events, and allow for expansion of the lower division;
2) allow significant opportunities for promotion and demotion during the
Tour, but in a way which allows a team to get back up/down having suffered
no more than one tournament out of their depth, and in a way which never
'swaps' teams in a football league fashion (they have played head to head in
the larger 16-team format to get promoted/demoted).

VARIANTS:
1) Could be 16 and 20 team Division 1s, depending on how many active teams
we think there are.
2) Could argue that Tour 1 should be the larger event to cater for teams
placed 8-16 having changed markedly since last season, and allowing them to
re-sort into new placings.

PROBLEMS:
1) I'm not sure enough of a consensus has grown behind a split Tour. Have we
yet considered the effect of separating 1st/2nd teams? Or of couples on
teams in different divisions? Or even of running twice as many events?
2) Shipley could probably make a fortune running a book on play-off
fixtures.

Anyway, I'll go plan something simpler and leave you lot thinking...

Roger
SHOTgone

PS how many made Tooting this week?


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	RCOLE.UK.ORACLE.COM [SMTP:RCOLE@UK.oracle.com]
> Sent:	06 October 1998 16:35
> To:	britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk
> Subject:	Tour 99
> 
> Christian suggested 4 divisions with teams being promoted or demoted at
> the 
> end of the season, but how about 1/2 way through? This would give teams
> the 
> opportunity to work hard and be rewarded earlier on in the season, and
> give 
> teams different opponents (the same 7 teams each tour for 5 tours? Sounds
> like 
> this years...) halfway through. Although it is fun to beat/lose to the
> same 
> teams every week, and you all improve, as shown by Chevy, and the 
> Headrush-Touch-Red trio, it gets a touch boring after a while. 
>  
> Rob Cole 
>  
>  
> **************************************************************************
> ***
>   
> Robert Cole				Tel:		0118 924 4873
> 
> Associate Consultant 			Mobile:		0961 170 759 
> Enterprise Methods and Tools		Internal Extn:	44873 
> Oracle UK				Fax:          	0118 924 5605  
> Building 530				Email:		rcole@uk.oracle.com
> 
> Thames Valley Park		 
> Reading, RG6 1RA			   
>    
> **************************************************************************
> ***