Run of Show

A Trivia Mafia event should last 1.5 to 2 hours. Too long, the players will get antsy. Too short, the customer site is losing patrons. Two hours from intro to pack-out, just right.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE (for 8pm start)

7:40pm Arrive and set up sound, then set up the game in the app site, jotting down the game code. Place your order with the staff, if desired. 

7:50pm Make an announcement inviting everyone to play the FREE trivia game starting in just ten minutes. Share the app mobile site address and the game code. Begin passing out app cards, or answer sheets + pens.

8:00pm Introduce yourself. Go over the rules. Let people know they can still join at any point. Introduce Image Round (Round 4), which is already revealed in the app; make sure teams know how to find the slideshow online if you’re using answer sheets. Begin Round 1.

8:13pm Begin Round 2. Announce prizes and thank the staff. Remind players about working on Round 4. Repeat the rules if you had any late joiners. 

8:23pm Begin Round 3. Remind players they need to finish Round 4 by the time Round 3 is done.

8:38pm Give a 2-minute warning before locking the rounds. Lock rounds/collect sheets and grade the first half. Let players know they have about ten minutes to refresh their drinks, stretch their legs, etc!

8:55pm Read first half answers. Update the leaderboard. Announce first half leader, then give a minute for any corrections or clarifications from teams.

9:01pm Remind everyone of the rules. Invite latecomers to join. Mention the Mega Round. Begin Round 5. If using an Image Round for Round 8, you can introduce it and reveal it now (or wait until after Round 7).

9:12pm Explain the Mega Round. Begin Round 6 (Lightning Round).

9:18pm Begin Round 7; if a Sound Round, play through MP3. If using a second Image Round and it hasn’t been revealed yet, introduce and reveal all images now, allowing at least five minutes for teams to work on it. Shout out the staff.

9:30pm Mega Round explanation/reminder. Begin Round 8.

9:35pm Give a warning before locking rounds, and remind people again about the Mega Round. Lock rounds/collect sheets. Correct the answers; hand back sheets.

9:45pm Read answers and then update leaderboard. Announce winners after players have a minute to review and address any disputes about scoring. Take photos and hand out prizes.

10:00pm Fill out Host Feedback, settle any balance on your tab and tip the staff. Pat self on back for another successful and fun trivia event!

Nitty Gritty

The Rules

  1. Use your noodle, not your Google.
  2. Please don't shout out answers. 
  3. Teams should be eight people or fewer. 
Notes on the Rules:

We ask people to use the internet to enter their answers, not to look them up! The game is much more fun when it's a conversation between teammates, and the results are more satisfying when they came from folks' own heads. Emphasize the value in being honest, and remind them that Googling is cheating, and cheaters get indigestion, bad karma, etc.

Shouting in a bar or taproom can sometimes be part of a fun atmosphere, but when it's trivia answers, it frequently comes from people who are not, in fact, playing. You can use the line, "I don't yell at you when you're at work, so please don't yell at me." Or you can tell them that they're giving away free points, and if they know so much, why aren't they playing? You'll find more options for managing hecklers in the What If section, but it's always valuable to remind people to behave up front. 

As to team size - in general, use your best judgement. We have set eight as the limit for regular trivia (and six players per team for theme trivia); for every person over the limit, the team is docked one point. The point comes off of the final score (after you lock Round 8). Some sites' owner/managers will encourage large teams, and since the prize value is the same no matter how many players, you can follow the guidance of the staff at the site.
You'll also want to be judicious about children - unless it's "Bluey" trivia, humans who can get discount meals (i.e. 11 and under) probably shouldn't count against team totals. However, when a group of adults is pointing to the ninth person at the end and saying, "Oh, they're not really playing," you should still count that person because of how it appears to other teams. 

If you have a big team, make sure that you are telling them that they'll lose a point as soon as you notice their size! (It might be good to even

Nuances

Make sure to read each question twice. After the first time through, say something like, “That question again,” and read it again. In the app, reveal the question before you read it the second time.

End each question by saying, “That is question X of round Y.”

Round 1 is always General Knowledge, so you can dive right in to the first question after the rules. Give about 1 minute between each question, and about 2-3 minutes between each round.

The halfway point is a good time to count how many teams are playing and estimate the average team size (which you need to know for the Host Feedback). If there are teams that joined in the app but didn't submit more than one round of answers, you shouldn't count them.

SAMPLE SCRIPT:

Don’t forget to give yourself extra points by assigning a Mega Round. You can choose Round 5, 6, 7, or 8 to be your Mega Round. Here’s how that works: Pick the round you feel the best about, the one where you know you got the most correct answers. Then go to the Mega Round section in the app, select that round number, and assign 5 points to the answer you’re most confident about. Your next best answer, give 4 points. And so on, down to 1 point for the answer you’re least confident about. That’s 15 points total if you ace your Mega Round. Let me know if you are confused! If you don’t assign a Mega Round, you can’t win, because Math.

After the Party is the After Party

Fill out the “Host Feedback” form within 24 hours of your event: hosts.triviamafia.com
Click "Regular Night"
Password: FeedMe

This is where you upload those team photos, and lets us know how many people played, what their scores were, and any other notes you have about the event. We may provide these stats to our customers, and it is the best way for us to know if you need support (marketing the event, getting better sound gear, navigating player issues, shifting the editorial content, etc etc.)

Do not forget or neglect your Host Feedback duty! It is required, and will affect your job prospects if you habitually forget. 

We recommend doing it before you go home for the night (rather than after you're home, or the next day, but whatever works for your routine, do it and stick to it).

Host Feedback is recapped and reviewed every week on Tuesdays by the Admin Staff (all of Editorial, Sales, Host Manager, Brand Engagement, Systems + Chuck and Brenna).
If you need to share something personal or sensitive that you'd rather not have read by a dozen people, after you complete the feedback with the basics, just email or message the Host Manager/key person. 



Revision #3
Created 17 July 2024 21:37:44 by Brenna Proczko
Updated 26 July 2024 17:45:20 by Brenna Proczko