Revision as of 11:31, 5 August 2020

The NASPA Tournament of Champions presented by SCRABBLE GO will be held August 24 to 30, 2020, as a virtual online tournament. In this invitational event organized by NASPA, eight players will compete in a bracket - Best of 5 quarterfinals followed by a Best of 7 semifinals and final over the course of the week.

Players will compete in timed SCRABBLE GO matches with the NASPA Word List (NWL). Other than the use of void challenge, standard NASPA tournament rules will apply.

Scopely - the mobile games company behind SCRABBLE GO - will make a $5,000 donation to each of these organizations on behalf of the participants:

• NASPA Foundation for Youth Literacy - Fosters literacy, mathematics, strategic ability, and fair play among students through the facilitation and organization of word game play.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - Mails over 1 million free books each month to children from birth through age five in the United States, Canada, and other countries.

The donations will be allocated (with the total split between the 2 charities) as follows:

• 1st place - $4000
• 2nd place - $2000
• Semifinalists - $1000 each
• Quarterfinalists - $500 each

Schedule

Matches will be streamed on the NASPA YouTube channel on the following schedule:

Eligibility

NASPA will select 8 players who represent a diverse array of personalities, backgrounds, and voices according to the following criteria:

• You must be a U.S. or Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• You must be a NASPA member in good standing.
• You must not have been suspended for more than twelve months for any NASPA Code of Conduct violation.
• Preference will be given to players who meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • NASPA Master or NASPA Grandmaster
  • Winner of one of the following tournaments:
    • North American SCRABBLE Championship - NWL or Collins
    • Canadian National SCRABBLE Championship
    • North American School SCRABBLE Championship
• You must be at least 10 years old.
• You must meet the following requirements for streaming your games:
  • Computer with the latest PC or Mac operating system
  • Good internet speed and/or an Ethernet connection
  • Built-in or USB Webcam
  • Ability to participate in a Zoom call
  • Ability to play SCRABBLE GO

Registration

By registering for the NASPA Tournament of Champions, you agree to abide by the NASPA Tournament Rules and Code of Conduct, and agree to comply with the NASPA Tournament of Champions Terms and Conditions.

A Minor Release and Consent Form is required for all players under age 18 as of August 24, 2020.

We encourage you to introduce yourself with a short (1 or 2 minutes) video. The video should be authentic - no crazy costumes or stunts - because we may use the video to promote the event. Questions you might answer in the video could include:

• Why would you be a good representative for the game?
• Why have you succeeded at SCRABBLE?
• What does SCRABBLE mean to you today?
• How has SCRABBLE shaped who you are?
• What do you love most about the game?
• What else makes you tick aside from SCRABBLE?
• What was your favorite play?
• How long have you been playing?

To register for the selection process:

• Complete and submit this application
• (Optional) Submit a short (1-to-2 minute) video via email or as an upload in the application
• (If under 18) Return the Minor Release and Consent Form signed by a parent or guardian via email or as an upload in the application

All applications must be received no later than Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

Selection Process

The NASPA Tournament of Champions organizers will select and notify the players no later than Monday, August 17, 2020 according to the criteria listed above. The decision of the organizers is final.

If you are selected, you will need to be available before the event as needed for technical rehearsals and interviews to be used in the promotion and broadcasting of the event.

Commentators and Other Staff

Each match will be streamed live on the NASPA YouTube channel with commentators hosting and analyzing the match.

There may also be a need for staff to help with the clock and other tasks to keep the event running.

The criteria by which commentators and other staff will be selected include:

• You must be a NASPA member in good standing.
• You must not have been suspended for more than twelve months for any NASPA Code of Conduct violation.
• Previous experience as a commentator at SCRABBLE tournaments, such as the NASC or Crescent City Cup, or as a streamer of your own games or other online games is helpful.
• You must be at least 10 years old.
• You must meet the following requirements for streaming your games:
  • Computer with the latest PC or Mac operating system
  • Good internet speed and/or an Ethernet connection
  • Built-in or USB Webcam
  • Microphone and/or headset
  • Ability to participate in online video conferencing

As with the players, we will be looking for a diverse array of personalities, backgrounds, and voices in the staff.

To register for the selection process:

• Complete and submit this application
• (Optional) Submit a short (1-to-2 minute) video via email or as an upload in the application

All applications must be received no later than Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

You can apply to be a commentator or staff member in addition to applying to play in the event.

Organizers

The NASPA Tournament of Champions organizers from NASPA are:

• Will Anderson - Streaming
• Morris Greenberg - Project Management
• Josh Greenway - Social Media
• Christian Kay - Streaming

with the assistance of John Chew and Judy Cole from the Executive Committee.

Questions

Any questions may be directed to the NASPA Tournament of Champions organizers.