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How to run a Wii night??

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I'm running a Wii bowling league in my local pub for anyone to enter with cash prizes as there will be an entrance fee. Winner takes a cut. I'm sure it will be a 'bit' good so I'm looking for your ideas as to the format...Anyone have any ideas about teams or if you think it is better for ppl to go alone? I've so many ideas and was thinking it would be teams of three, randomly selected and the games would be one game only with the loser being knocked out. As this will be a one off event I want an outcome there and then. If popular it will become (hopefully) a league format with a long running design. Any ideas please present...I want this to be huge and want to start doing more pubs in the local area. (North East UK).

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Moved this to Wii discussion since it's not really looking for the kind of creative input you'd get from our "creative" board, and will get more responses here.

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offtopic:

 

is it true that pubs close at 11 in england?

 

No, we have 24-hr licensing laws now. Liver disease for all!

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Sounds like an excellent idea mate, i wish someone round my area would do this! how long is the event going to run for on the night? It would be easier to give suggestions if we had a time scale to work with :)

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I'm holding a one-night event (initially)..I'm looking to start around 6pm and run it until around 12pm. I can have the pub till 2am. Which is nice. The main problem I'm deciding over is whether to prebook names by leaving a phone number on leaflets dispensed at pub/gamestation/student halls etc..Or to just have an open night and those names down by a certain time on the night are in.

 

GAME FORMAT:

 

I was looking to have it on an individual basis. Especially if there is a prize. I have contacted Nintendo about posters, t-shirts, games, Wii console etc and have told them I've contacted the newspapers, tv stations about this too. As I said, any further suggestions would be welcome.

The recent wiimbledon event in the USA was easily ran as an individual event as tennis lends itself to it (bowling could too with highest average on (3?) games going through?) and they borrowed TV's and Wii's from friends and family. I've got 2 Wii consoles and 5 wiimotes. Obviously looking for more, as I need to work out number of games to ppl who enter ratio (anyone spread any suggestions on this?) but if pre-payment is made; this could cover the cost of me buying a couple. The gamers themselves can also bring wiimotes of their own (obviously welcomed due to their cost and susceptability to breakages off walls when drunk!) There are 3 TV's available to me, and a projector which I will use to show the final game. I'm waiting for Nintendo's reply and have asked Chips, Gamestation and GAME to promote anything they have in return for free advertising. (Where possible). Any more ideas people? I want this to become huge and start running it as an ongoing event around the region.

 

WHERE IT IS:

 

The Venue is a pub called The Golden Calf in a village called Hesleden. It is near Hartlepool in the North East, which is a turn off on the A19 motorway. The pub has rooms available for around £20 for a night too..Only 5 rooms though. Although 3 can fit in one room I'm sure. (families welcome). There is also a restaurant and food can be eaten in the bar. Usual things and also takeaway food served too. The drinks are also cheap. Bonus!

 

As previously mentioned, I hope to run this at the end of August and have already started production of flyers, posters etc for places of interest, like bowling alleys in Durham etc... Now I need your help on the format... :)

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It should definately have a turn up and play thing, I know i wouldnt turn up to something like this if i had to put my name down as I am too lazy and I often find out about stuff last minuite.

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Yeah, spoke to pub owner today and he is thinking a £1 entrance fee with winner takes a cut of it...Anyone think this is a good amount. I was thinking it should be £2 if the prize is pretty amazing. A game of normal bowling is about £5 at my local alley. Setting this up i more difficult than I thought :(

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Setting stuff up like this always is difficult mate, i had alot of troubles whne i set up an all day gig for chairty a while back. £2 entrance fee seems a fair price to charge to be honest!

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The design runs on...More posters done and Nintendo postalio mailed (asking for freebies etc). TV's and newspapers all said would make a note of date/time and will try to send someone along. And it's going to be £2 entrance and £1 to enter the highest scoring game. Peace 'a cake. :o I hope lol. August 21st starting at 6pm till whenever we finish. Everyman for themselves :D. Prizes to be confirmed for 1st, 2nd, 3rd (Hopefully a shiny new Wii in there).

I'll keep updating here about what is happening like what is working / not working etc and finally post shots of night to all interested....Just incase anyone wants to emulate this. Bring it on! :yay:

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If you went to a Wii themed night at your local 'ale house' - What would you want to be happening?

 

I would think cheap drinks AND plenty of prizes ensures success no?

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I should say so! Congratulations for getting this all set up - contacting Nintendo, local press etc. Sounds like a right laff!

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Cheers Dyson, I'm a firm believer in the power of the Wii and the power gaming can have as a social event. Hopefully this will be as big as I can possibly make it. There is an opportunity to create one hell of an evening. I was even talking to the pub owner about running a FIFA/Pro Evo league on a Saturday morning in conjunction with the new season kicking off. He is well up for it and has already looked into getting a "game area" into the pub. He was discussing the need for pubs to try to get new people in as pubs are, by their nature, social arenas just ripe for entertainment. And with the recent smoking bans and the changing of generations from past to present, things like Bingo, singers etc aren't as much a draw as they used to. He even feels clubbing is seen in a negative light by many youths now and it is only done as there is little variation in night time events. (I kind of agree). Anyway, he is well up for bringing new ideas into the pub and has really got into the spirit of this Wii night. I'm hoping to make this something big and get a bit of a tour event going on around many more pubs. Will be difficult to gauge as I'm not making money from it...And if I do I'll probably get Nintendo breathing down my neck. We. Will. See.

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All posters have now been dispensed. Game and Gamestation were a bit arsey with me. Game said they would only put it in the staff room because advertising in store was a no-go. Gamestation asked me why I was bothering to do such a thing then said they may put it up in store after a POS (Postion of sale) change on Thursday. They said they get money for ads (?) so I'll see if it's up after Thursday. (Doubt it). Another Gamestation put it on the counter though (in a nice frame, oooo). The manager is always decent with me and my fiance in there anyhoo, so it was a nice gesture. Many more posters out and about but ppl don't seem too interested. We will see who turns up. Some little ads placed in various spots. See pic attached:

 

I've also started a practice night for bowling which happens every Wednesday in the pub. It's been going well (2 weeks in). People are reluctant to try but then when they do they are entranced.

All go.

 

No reply from media nor Nintendo themselves who haven't replied to any of my e-mails, letters nor have they called me back (they said they would). I've been hassling them too...Maybe TOO much lol. I thought they would jump at the chance but apparently not..

 

All go though. I'll update as and when required :D

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cheers for the initiative, great effort you're pulling there so I wish you the best luck.

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Sounds great, stick with it, I run a theatre and film company and I organise events all the time, I'm currently doing a month long arts festivals with over 50 events so I can appreciate how hard it is to get things off the ground and moving. So well done for doing it off your own back and going along, whatever happens though, don't give up. if only a few turn up then more will turn up the next time and more the time after that - word of mouth is ridiculously powerful!

 

Invite your local paper and radio (often ignored but radio is great free adveertising) to come to your bowling practice nights, take a picture and do a=n article encouraging people to attend!

 

Good luck and can't wait to her how it goes. And your posters look great too

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