Prize Money is Out of Control

[Michael Farthing]

There was a rumour a few years back that one of the country's biggest congresses might lose its hotel venue.

Probably more about the hotel risking losing a posh wedding if it continued its relationship with a congress that generates little income. No sponsorship or philanthropy involved - a purely commercial matter. [Is there any congress where a hotel could reasonably be described as a 'sponsor''? I doubt it very much].

[Kevin Thurlow]

Apart from the gardening clothes, (if they're as good as that) it's frequent rudeness to the unfortunate person doing the prizegiving. You manage to persuade the mayor to turn up then too many of those that actually attend the prizegiving, shamble up, grab the prize and disappear without a smile or a thank you.

Some organizers have perhaps offended sponsors in the past. I remember one county organizer (no, not in Surrey) getting furious when another committee member managed to talk to the sponsors, and found out how much money the sponsor was paying, which somehow was rather more than the organizer had said. Harsh words were spoken, alas.

I understand Geoff's point, but the top players are all pretty good, so draws are quite likely. But if someone offered Geoff and me a million pounds to play a 20 game match against each other, I'd probably accept. The games wouldn't all be drawn.

[Roger de Coverly]

[Is there any congress where a hotel could reasonably be described as a 'sponsor''? I doubt it very much].

I'm sure I've seen Congress entry forms that have name-checked local hotels as sponsors. If it's the venue and they aren't charging commercial rates, that could be seen as sponsorship. Alternatively they could be offering accommodation deals.

At http://www.hastingschess.com/

I read

The 93rd HICC was sponsored by —
Tradewise Insurance Services, Hastings Borough Council, The White Rock Hotel and the Lansdowne Hotel

[JustinHorton]

It's more generalisations than specifics

Then I'll take it that the problems you're noting may be more imaginary than real.

There was a rumour a few years back

Who cares what there was a rumour of? There are runours of lots of things.

Another example, albeit going back ten years ago now, was the Chess For Schools fiasco. That appears have to have been a disaster in just about every direction

Including the cowboys at the business end of the project.

the very real number of individuals with professional backgrounds who have tried to get involved with English chess and ended up throwing their hands up in despair should tell us something as well.

Well some actual names and circumstances might help here, since absent those details it doesn't tell us anything at all. Since we're "noting" things though, perhaps we could note that the people you're proposing as villains here are the very volunteers and officials who you usually scold other people for criticising.

[IM Jack Rudd]

[Is there any congress where a hotel could reasonably be described as a 'sponsor''? I doubt it very much].

Gibraltar. They publish a list of the sponsors, and the Caleta Hotel is one of them.

[Roger de Coverly]

Gibraltar. They publish a list of the sponsors, and the Caleta Hotel is one of them.

That counts as commercial in part, that they are filling the hotel and conference facilities in an otherwise quiet period.

That said, they've moved on to Backgammon

http://www.gibraltarbackgammon.com/schedules

[Ian Thompson]

Is there any congress where a hotel could reasonably be described as a 'sponsor''? I doubt it very much.

Taking the dictionary definition of sponsorship - "A person or organization that pays for or contributes to the costs involved in staging a sporting or artistic event in return for advertising." - I'd be surprised to find any hotels that weren't sponsors. The advertising comes automatically from being named as the event venue. They only need to contribute something very small to the event to meet this definition. It matters not that, overall, the event might be very profitable for them.

[Michael Farthing]

[Is there any congress where a hotel could reasonably be described as a 'sponsor''? I doubt it very much].

Gibraltar. They publish a list of the sponsors, and the Caleta Hotel is one of them.

Jack, you and Andrew miss the essential word "reasonable". Of course, being described as a "sponsor" on the entry form looks good for a hotel and you will be able to find plenty of examples. I'm talking about material financial contribution - which has to exceed the "discount" that would be available to any customer that decided to bargain.

[Alex Holowczak]

That counts as commercial in part, that they are filling the hotel and conference facilities in an otherwise quiet period.

So what you're saying is that the sponsor is putting money in in a way that benefits is business is "commercial in part"? Isn't that how fully commercial sponsorship has always worked?