Become An Organizer Process - Outdated?

Hello World Bladers and Organizers!

Today we have a unique topic up for discussion that we feel needs addressing and input directly from the community. While, in general, we tend to come to decisions periodically based on direct feedback or informal consensus of the community regarding topical issues, we felt that the subject matter here required greater direct input from all of you!

"Become An Organizer" Process - Does It Still Make Sense?

For years the WBO has kept up a barrier to entry for prospective players wishing to turn into tournament organizers ("Organizers"). This manifested in the form of both an open book 10-question Quiz and a scheduled "interview" with a member of Organized Play staff as a further test of knowledge and general "vibe check". 

The WBO prides itself in being a de-facto sanctioning body of our hobby in the West and has often viewed Organizers and their Events as an embodiment of that effort and passion. As time goes on, though, we must be able to be more introspective and ask whether or not our existing framework continues to work in the best interest of the Organization as a whole and the players that constitute it.

Over the years we have noted some small but consistent public dissatisfaction with the "Become an Organizer" process. We have reduced Quiz expectations and tried to be more lenient overall as time goes on, and we have seen marked improvement in Organizer numbers as a result. However, we recognize that there are still many instances of dissatisfaction or disappointment with our system, from our lead times (how long it takes from starting a Quiz to finally being given the role and the permissions on Challonge) to how arbitrary our hoops feel to fresh faces just interested in getting their community together on the fly. 

We also note that there may be many missed opportunities by having a intimidating barrier at all - many people simply don't "think" they can pass, or that it isn't really worth their time despite being perfectly capable of organizing Events locally in other settings or outside of the WBO platform entirely.

As the WBO continues to provide Organizers with more and more leeway to play and organize for their community how they like, we must ask the important question what roles WBO should or could continue to fulfill? How do we maximize our impact at that highest level, what do our userbase and existing Organizers want and need from us? Do any of these safe-guards and processes actually help reduce problems or just reduce enthusiasm?

Because of all of this, we turn to you, the whole community, and present this discussion thread and the following questions for your input:

Should There Be an Organizer Quiz Anymore? Why or why not?

The Organizer Quiz does provide us with a very quick and simple assessment of whether an applicant is capable of reading our rulebooks and if they have an adequate grasp of the hobby. It also seems to scare people away that want a way to quickly and effectively advertise their Events, including those that have already generated their own following without our leveraging our organization's reach.

Should There Be a Scheduled Interview Anymore? Why or why not?

The Interview gives the Interviewer an understanding of that specific applicant, what their goals are, and whether they are able to appropriate handle some of the curve-balls that even the most routine Event can throw at you. The interview process also drains our Staff resources (particularly time) and bloat acceptance turnaround time.

Differing Thoughts? Better Ideas? Are We Missing Something? Fine As-Is?

Let us know your perspective, where you think we can take action to improve the Organization for everyone, where we are lacking, or what we may not be considering or missing through all of this! Staff are all community members too, and the more support and insight we get, the more we can provide!
I like the quiz and organizer interview. I do think consolidating the rulebooks would be helpful. Right now, you need to be familiar with Organizer Guidelines and Match Types, which isn't clear to everyone when studying for the quiz, I have heard many complaints about that. Some people don't do well with testing or have low confidence, but if that is a struggle, is hosting an event going to be a struggle? Maybe there is a better way to do it, but the basic quiz and interview feel like a low bar for entry.

The interview gives WBO staff a quick opportunity to discuss with folks, which I think is fair to ensure the person you are adding in to the community has an idea of what they are getting in to. There is an inclusivity that has been generated here, in my opinion. That's cultivated by making sure the people being added as organizers know that's a WBO value. People who already host events in their community should feel this is a formality more than anything, and not really expect to get turned down. I imagine you have your reasons for disqualifying people during the interview process as it exists now, and I expect that those are valid.

The sticky point is if someone doesn't pass the quiz, and needs another Organizer to help them host. This is difficult in many communities that are far apart, as not everyone is willing to travel great distance to the nearest organizer. This is certainly something I could see revisiting. Remote organizer help, just to talk people through things they might get stuck on - particularly with X and the removal of the admin tasks - is something that I think many organizers would be willing to step in and be available for guiding new people.
> "Become An Organizer" Process - Does It Still Make Sense?
> Should There Be an Organizer Quiz Anymore? Why or why not?
> Should There Be a Scheduled Interview Anymore? Why or why not?

Yes the process still makes sense. We should have a Quiz, we should have an Interview Process. But the material needs updating, as Brynessa and countless others have said before me.
10 questions is a perfect amount too in my opinion. A 30 min or hour long interview is more than enough to vibe check someone.

> The interview process also drains our Staff resources (particularly time) and bloat acceptance turnaround time.
If your interview process is draining your staff, I'd recommend more staff or scale down your expectations and accept that you won't have a high throughput. The goal isn't a high organizer count, the goal is quality organizers who understand the very basics of organizing within WBO.

One critical failure point is the post interview experience, and I see this often from the newer orgs in the past 6 months who are attempting their first event post. I think there needs to be more structure to follow up this process overall.

When I became an organizer, I looked to other organizers in my area who could help guide me through the process of just taking the test or reading the guidebooks or giving me their experience of being an org, but they were unable to answer my questions. My experience was that most just gave the face of a helpful person but were ultimately basing their reasoning on vibes rather than the text of the WBO rules or B4 rules and therefore ultimately misguiding.

I know that WBO staff is always available for questions and support, but it shouldn't have to be that way and I did end up asking Staff questions to meet the expectations within the test.

That was just my experience taking the test. Since then, there have been a slew of other questions I posed to orgs. For example, there is a question in Ask-A-Question which asks what they would need for a tournament, stadiums, a tier list of parts and blades, etc etc, all of this should be something a mentor provides for the new org. What this person received instead was a link to a bloated amount of confusing documents and a brief bit of guidance on how to approach the guides.

Since becoming an org, I distilled wbo documents, and b4 rulesets into my own interpretation for our community here in Ohio, and provided guidance to the two other people in Ohio who wanted to organize events, one successfully becoming a wbo organizer, the other still successfully running WBO quality events, but not an organizer due to failing the test.

This does not mean to say that we should get rid of the test or make the test easier, but that we need better structure up to the test, and following the interview.

2-3 months is what I expect from our Judges in the Black Crescent Community, and that is what I would expect from a mentee organizer as well. 3 months is more than enough for them to get their heads on a crash-course of organizing events and people management if they are dedicated, 5 months if not.
(Dec. 11, 2024  12:43 AM)Dan Wrote: Hello World Bladers and Organizers!

Today we have a unique topic up for discussion that we feel needs addressing and input directly from the community. While, in general, we tend to come to decisions periodically based on direct feedback or informal consensus of the community regarding topical issues, we felt that the subject matter here required greater direct input from all of you!

"Become An Organizer" Process - Does It Still Make Sense?

For years the WBO has kept up a barrier to entry for prospective players wishing to turn into tournament organizers ("Organizers"). This manifested in the form of both an open book 10-question Quiz and a scheduled "interview" with a member of Organized Play staff as a further test of knowledge and general "vibe check". 

The WBO prides itself in being a de-facto sanctioning body of our hobby in the West and has often viewed Organizers and their Events as an embodiment of that effort and passion. As time goes on, though, we must be able to be more introspective and ask whether or not our existing framework continues to work in the best interest of the Organization as a whole and the players that constitute it.

Over the years we have noted some small but consistent public dissatisfaction with the "Become an Organizer" process. We have reduced Quiz expectations and tried to be more lenient overall as time goes on, and we have seen marked improvement in Organizer numbers as a result. However, we recognize that there are still many instances of dissatisfaction or disappointment with our system, from our lead times (how long it takes from starting a Quiz to finally being given the role and the permissions on Challonge) to how arbitrary our hoops feel to fresh faces just interested in getting their community together on the fly. 

We also note that there may be many missed opportunities by having a intimidating barrier at all - many people simply don't "think" they can pass, or that it isn't really worth their time despite being perfectly capable of organizing Events locally in other settings or outside of the WBO platform entirely.

As the WBO continues to provide Organizers with more and more leeway to play and organize for their community how they like, we must ask the important question what roles WBO should or could continue to fulfill? How do we maximize our impact at that highest level, what do our userbase and existing Organizers want and need from us? Do any of these safe-guards and processes actually help reduce problems or just reduce enthusiasm?

Because of all of this, we turn to you, the whole community, and present this discussion thread and the following questions for your input:

Should There Be an Organizer Quiz Anymore? Why or why not?

The Organizer Quiz does provide us with a very quick and simple assessment of whether an applicant is capable of reading our rulebooks and if they have an adequate grasp of the hobby. It also seems to scare people away that want a way to quickly and effectively advertise their Events, including those that have already generated their own following without our leveraging our organization's reach.

Should There Be a Scheduled Interview Anymore? Why or why not?

The Interview gives the Interviewer an understanding of that specific applicant, what their goals are, and whether they are able to appropriate handle some of the curve-balls that even the most routine Event can throw at you. The interview process also drains our Staff resources (particularly time) and bloat acceptance turnaround time.

Differing Thoughts? Better Ideas? Are We Missing Something? Fine As-Is?

Let us know your perspective, where you think we can take action to improve the Organization for everyone, where we are lacking, or what we may not be considering or missing through all of this! Staff are all community members too, and the more support and insight we get, the more we can provide!

Disagree with having a quiz but feel like the interviews are more important imo. With the quiz, we are never told which questions we have gotten wrong and what sections to work on. It feels like if we miss the one question that would pass, we are left in the dark on what questions we got right and dont need to work on. Interviews allow for a dedicated team to check the vibe of the applicant and see if they are a good fit for advertising the hobby in their communities. I think more Organizers are a good thing as more official tournaments can have an impact on ratings and venues are more willing to take the hobby more seriously.
Org Quiz
I feel like the org quiz is a really good first barrier to inhibit people from either: spamming events that the org play team has to parse through or people that are not equipped/ready to host an event to do so, as they have to "put in the work" to become an org before they have to put an event greater work in at hosting an event

However, it's not an understatement to say that the quiz is in desperate need of an update
  • From questions of how many points to win a match in first/second stage that have changed since X was introduced (and clauses), to questions with a double negative that make it extremely difficult to read. We all know beyblade fans aren't the best at reading comprehension, but that doesn't mean that they're incapable of hosting. 
  • The cooldown of 30 days I also feel like it's way too long, if you missed the quiz by 1 question that you were confused on, it feels like way too big of a punishment.

Interview
I also feel like the interview is a good way to get a vibe check, but the way it's conducted right now feels very biased and not necessarily taking in what takes to host an event: be a person that can communicate clearly, is equipped to actually show up to their own tournaments, and, if they're a minor, access if they have the capability and support in order to host an event. 
Additionally, I believe co-hosting shouldn't be a requirement if it's not an option, but instead implement a "host 2 unranked events, we'll reach out to a random participant for their feedback" kind of system. Maybe weekly or monthly surveys where people fill what event's they've been to and their feedback on hosts.

Extra Thoughts
On another note, I feel like currently a lot of players get Organizer as a status symbol when they don't intend to host any events.  That is a waste of the org play staff's time and effort on conducting the interview and all the background that goes along with it. If it was up to me, organizers that haven't hosted anything within their first year, would lose status since they're not putting in the effort promised. Of course in the event someone is trying to start their own community, have different expectations. We've seen from experience areas that can't get jumpstarted because of getting a co-hosting requirement and they are unable to do that since there are no experienced organizers around. Having them go through trial and error in those situations is better than nothing at all.

While there is a lot of good with the entire organizers process, there are plenty of ways it can be streamlined and have a few parts where it can be improved. God knows we don't want a child posting an event just saying "come beyblade at my house here's my address" to a bunch of random people online.
My main tought is,beyblade shouldn't be distated by yalls specific rules instead simply having the specific tournament format mentioned in the post and or the rules be shorted and simplified
Ok so “should their be an organizers quiz anymore?” Yes. Of course. The point of the quiz is to make sure that people can read and understand the rules we use to play the game. That part is pretty obvious. Most competitive games have something like this for their judges and organizers.
“Should there be a scheduled interview anymore” honestly? Yes. The interview has its own nuances to it that help determine if someone is a good candidate to organize. “You can know the books but not understand the meanings” is a quote that comes to mind in this sorta thing.
“Differing ideas, etc.” I do believe that both of these things can be improved upon. I think that making it more accessible while yes can grow smaller communities in some little time, can honestly be detrimental to those areas over time. If these organizers arent willing to go look at the books when they are trying to become organizers, why would they do so if a problem arises at a tournament?
I'm all for keeping the quiz and interview process, despite the lengthy approval time that may follow.

End of the day, organizers are representing the WBO, and accelerating that process can be of great detriment if candidates are not properly vetted.

The 'barrier' to entry is beneficial, as it helps to sift organizers who would otherwise drop the ball and poorly represent the WBO.

Yes, it's work, but it's not overwhelming, and hosting events is more work than the interview process, which helps to ensure events are run smoothly.

Yeah, you might be saving a few hours off the candidate organizer, at the expense of many more hours of tournament participants who are now subject to an organizer who is running events crudely.

Very quickly, the WBO reputation can be tarnished as a result, and it can become a cheap thing.

Finally, and these are just my initial thoughts, in my area, we are seeing an over-saturation of events, where certain events are struggling to gain participants or really have to put work into ensuring they fill, which is problematic particularly when the organizer is purchasing prizes and renting venues at his/her personal expense. Having the floodgates open will not only reduce the quality and standard of tournaments, but create too many, leading to sloppy tournaments and unfilled tournaments, altogether cheapening the tournament experience and the WBO image.

Boundaries are needed.
(Dec. 11, 2024  12:43 AM)Dan Wrote: For years the WBO has kept up a barrier to entry for prospective players wishing to turn into tournament organizers ("Organizers"). This manifested in the form of both an open book 10-question Quiz and a scheduled "interview" with a member of Organized Play staff as a further test of knowledge and general "vibe check". 

The WBO prides itself in being a de-facto sanctioning body of our hobby in the West and has often viewed Organizers and their Events as an embodiment of that effort and passion. As time goes on, though, we must be able to be more introspective and ask whether or not our existing framework continues to work in the best interest of the Organization as a whole and the players that constitute it.

Over the years we have noted some small but consistent public dissatisfaction with the "Become an Organizer" process. We have reduced Quiz expectations and tried to be more lenient overall as time goes on, and we have seen marked improvement in Organizer numbers as a result. However, we recognize that there are still many instances of dissatisfaction or disappointment with our system, from our lead times (how long it takes from starting a Quiz to finally being given the role and the permissions on Challonge) to how arbitrary our hoops feel to fresh faces just interested in getting their community together on the fly. 

We also note that there may be many missed opportunities by having a intimidating barrier at all - many people simply don't "think" they can pass, or that it isn't really worth their time despite being perfectly capable of organizing Events locally in other settings or outside of the WBO platform entirely.

The Quiz is only currently a problem for 1 reason: Its not updated as rules are updated.
Take for example question 1: The Blader Passport is not purchasable, and hasn't been since 2020.

Obviously, doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but little things like that.
Question 10 option B "Only bring 3 launchers—1 launcher per Beyblade" - that verbiage is not present in the current rulesets. Easy to trick someone up because the rulebook does not make it clear if its supposed to be 1 launcher per Beyblade, just that you are only allowed 3 launchers.

Other than that, I have no issue with the current Quiz. But if you are going to make people take a quiz, the answers HAVE to be up to date with current rules AND current wordings. This is a problem with the rules as well, but players, judges, and orgs should not have to infer rulings that are meant to have explicit instances of them being in effect.

The current interview was, imo, really easy and the bare minimum of expectations for a organizer. Orgs have a large responsibility, and we should not lower the bar more than it currently is. This is not to gatekeep people, but because dealing with 10s of people in either a public space or a place you are renting out requires a lot of work, and if you are not prepared for that it can end badly. If we don't have the resources for interviews, then we have to replace it with something else that is equivalent as both a "vibe check" and making sure people know what they are signing up for.

(Dec. 11, 2024  3:38 AM)liwfie Wrote: We've seen from experience areas that can't get jumpstarted because of getting a co-hosting requirement and they are unable to do that since there are no experienced organizers around. Having them go through trial and error in those situations is better than nothing at all.

Agree with a lot of what you said, but for this specifically: I have heard from at least one staff member that they never do this for people who don't have any orgs around them, so either things are slipping through the cracks or people are misinformed
If anything the barriers to entry aren't high enough. There are people running events and tournaments who shouldn't be. Keep the interview, and increase the difficulty of questions and vetting.
I feel the overall process of becoming an organizer is fine but the quiz should be updated with all of the changes we have made to the rulebooks and ranked clauses over the past year or so. I feel the two changes that should be made to the quiz making it 20-25 questions long and only requiring applicants to have at least an 80% average to qualify for the interview. The additional questions should not only reflect updates in the rulebooks but also test the applicant's ability to be a proactive problem solver since an organizer will handle unexpected situations requiring them to think creatively.

The interview process should honestly be streamlined with more questions regarding testing the applicant's problem-solving and leadership skills when running an event. As some people on the thread pointed out, some people apply to become organizers either to use said role as a status symbol or don't end up hosting any events for over a year which is ridiculous. It is frustrating for a lot of people who don't pass either the quiz or the interview due to WBO staff not telling them what they did wrong specifically during any of them, but I feel it is reflective that the applicants will have to be proactive in being able to find and point out specific points of information just as organizers are expected to enforce and follow tournament/community rules.

The rest of my criticism is mostly directed towards the problem of organizers who do not host events at all. While I am aware that WBO members have lives outside of the community which can inhibit their ability to host events at all, I feel as a community, we reached a point where there will always be events as there are always people interested in becoming organizers. I feel for the individuals who don't want to host or have had no interest in hosting for over a year, their organizer status should be stripped and if they want to host events, it should be expected that they should go through the process to become an organizer again since it is not fair for them to maintain their roles because there are dozens of people currently working to become one.
Quick disclaimer to clarify: While I've read the rulebooks and I help with judging at my local tournaments, I haven't taken the organizer quiz, and I don't intend to apply for the role for my own personal reasons. That being said, I can't provide much personal feedback on the difficulty or timeliness of the application process; only general outsider suggestions and agreeing with the sentiments of other users.
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As others have said, keeping the quiz up to date is probably one of the most important changes that could be made at the moment. The quiz is basically a requirement if tournaments are to be run in a streamlined and well-organized fashion, and while the interview may take extra time; I do think that it plays a very important role as well. I do not see a way in which one process or the other could be removed without having a negative impact down the road.

I also agree with the sentiment that there may be some people who take the quiz because they want to have the status of "being an organizer" and either don't intend to host tournaments, or don't see it as a priority once they have the role. In that scenario, I'd imagine that the Organized Play team has more information than I do in regards to what levels of inactivity they might be seeing, and how much should result in a loss of the organizer role.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wishful thinking: Separate organizer quizzes, as well as separate organizer roles, for different generations (Plastics, MFB, Burst, X) so that prospective organizers looking to only host certain eras aren't required to answer questions that won't be relevant to their hosting experience. Of course, that would be a major overhaul and require a complete reworking of the Organizer role as a whole, so I doubt it would actually happen. Just an idea Smile
(Dec. 11, 2024  12:43 AM)Dan Wrote: Hello World Bladers and Organizers!

Today we have a unique topic up for discussion that we feel needs addressing and input directly from the community. While, in general, we tend to come to decisions periodically based on direct feedback or informal consensus of the community regarding topical issues, we felt that the subject matter here required greater direct input from all of you!

"Become An Organizer" Process - Does It Still Make Sense?

For years the WBO has kept up a barrier to entry for prospective players wishing to turn into tournament organizers ("Organizers"). This manifested in the form of both an open book 10-question Quiz and a scheduled "interview" with a member of Organized Play staff as a further test of knowledge and general "vibe check". 

The WBO prides itself in being a de-facto sanctioning body of our hobby in the West and has often viewed Organizers and their Events as an embodiment of that effort and passion. As time goes on, though, we must be able to be more introspective and ask whether or not our existing framework continues to work in the best interest of the Organization as a whole and the players that constitute it.

Over the years we have noted some small but consistent public dissatisfaction with the "Become an Organizer" process. We have reduced Quiz expectations and tried to be more lenient overall as time goes on, and we have seen marked improvement in Organizer numbers as a result. However, we recognize that there are still many instances of dissatisfaction or disappointment with our system, from our lead times (how long it takes from starting a Quiz to finally being given the role and the permissions on Challonge) to how arbitrary our hoops feel to fresh faces just interested in getting their community together on the fly. 

We also note that there may be many missed opportunities by having a intimidating barrier at all - many people simply don't "think" they can pass, or that it isn't really worth their time despite being perfectly capable of organizing Events locally in other settings or outside of the WBO platform entirely.

As the WBO continues to provide Organizers with more and more leeway to play and organize for their community how they like, we must ask the important question what roles WBO should or could continue to fulfill? How do we maximize our impact at that highest level, what do our userbase and existing Organizers want and need from us? Do any of these safe-guards and processes actually help reduce problems or just reduce enthusiasm?

Because of all of this, we turn to you, the whole community, and present this discussion thread and the following questions for your input:

Should There Be an Organizer Quiz Anymore? Why or why not?

The Organizer Quiz does provide us with a very quick and simple assessment of whether an applicant is capable of reading our rulebooks and if they have an adequate grasp of the hobby. It also seems to scare people away that want a way to quickly and effectively advertise their Events, including those that have already generated their own following without our leveraging our organization's reach.

Should There Be a Scheduled Interview Anymore? Why or why not?

The Interview gives the Interviewer an understanding of that specific applicant, what their goals are, and whether they are able to appropriate handle some of the curve-balls that even the most routine Event can throw at you. The interview process also drains our Staff resources (particularly time) and bloat acceptance turnaround time.

Differing Thoughts? Better Ideas? Are We Missing Something? Fine As-Is?

Let us know your perspective, where you think we can take action to improve the Organization for everyone, where we are lacking, or what we may not be considering or missing through all of this! Staff are all community members too, and the more support and insight we get, the more we can provide!

I think that 14+ is a silly idea Maybe 12+ if in state tourny or 14+ for out of state tourney- Of course I haven't thought abt other countries. Maybe no organizer quiz might not make people rage and slam their pc's to the ground-Of course that didn't happen to me.....But without it this website might descend into chaos. So I'm contrversal. Obviously seeing as I haven't passed I know it's probably not my place to be talking here-but I just say this and I had to state my opion (pls don't ban me)
I'm New Here so may not have much Clout and not taken the test yet but will soon. But Coming From Being a Store Owner For Several Years and Running Events (Pokémon Official, Yu-Gi-Oh! Official, Super Smash Bros. before Nintendo change Official Requirements, one Piece TCG Offcical and a handful more game).

Some Games like Pokémon has different test System for Organizers and Judges - Yu-Gi-Oh! just for Judges - others just require a Brick and Morter Store Front Proof required Photos and or a Semi Live Video tour of the shop.

Again, I've not taken or looked at test, but I've looked over all the Docs With my reading disability test are scary but still can be manage seeing its a open book test.

A test to become an organizer Over all id Say (Yes and NO)

No - for Store Organizer with them Showing basic requirements Space to safely play for weekly events

Yes - for Clubs like non-Store Fronts

Yes I have a Dog in the Fight and not taken the test yet and I'm a store front, but I also so far don’t see any problems yet learn about the World of Beyblade X
(Dec. 12, 2024  2:16 AM)Gambit\s-X Wrote: I'm New Here so may not have much Clout and not taken the test yet but will soon. But Coming From Being a Store Owner For Several Years and Running Events (Pokémon Official, Yu-Gi-Oh! Official, Super Smash Bros. before Nintendo change Official Requirements, one Piece TCG Offcical and a handful more game).

Some Games like Pokémon has different test System for Organizers and Judges - Yu-Gi-Oh! just for Judges - others just require a Brick and Morter Store Front Proof required Photos and or a Semi Live Video tour of the shop.

Again, I've not taken or looked at test, but I've looked over all the Docs With my reading disability test are scary but still can be manage seeing its a open book test.

A test to become an organizer Over all id Say (Yes and NO)

No - for Store Organizer with them Showing basic requirements Space to safely play for weekly events

Yes - for Clubs like non-Store Fronts

Yes I have a Dog in the Fight and not taken the test yet and I'm a store front, but I also so far don’t see any problems yet learn about the World of Beyblade X

I disagree with your suggestion that store owners can just show their space to safely play and be allowed to organize and host events for Beyblade without passing a test and being vetted.
(Dec. 12, 2024  2:26 AM)doublestar Wrote:
(Dec. 12, 2024  2:16 AM)Gambit\s-X Wrote: I'm New Here so may not have much Clout and not taken the test yet but will soon. But Coming From Being a Store Owner For Several Years and Running Events (Pokémon Official, Yu-Gi-Oh! Official, Super Smash Bros. before Nintendo change Official Requirements, one Piece TCG Offcical and a handful more game).

Some Games like Pokémon has different test System for Organizers and Judges - Yu-Gi-Oh! just for Judges - others just require a Brick and Morter Store Front Proof required Photos and or a Semi Live Video tour of the shop.

Again, I've not taken or looked at test, but I've looked over all the Docs With my reading disability test are scary but still can be manage seeing its a open book test.

A test to become an organizer Over all id Say (Yes and NO)

No - for Store Organizer with them Showing basic requirements Space to safely play for weekly events

Yes - for Clubs like non-Store Fronts

Yes I have a Dog in the Fight and not taken the test yet and I'm a store front, but I also so far don’t see any problems yet learn about the World of Beyblade X

I disagree with your suggestion that store owners can just show their space to safely play and be allowed to organize and host events for Beyblade without passing a test and being vetted.

I don't disagree with the interview part. having a store can be difficult to hire or have someone to get qualified to run events maybe limit store that pass the interview part only have a maximum of Ranked events a month or Months but if you pass the test as well open up the the qty of ranked events allowed.

another option is giving the stores a 30–90-day trial for ranked event without test and if they want to continue running event a test but 1st foremost ether way the interview would need to be passed

I know Pokémon also dose background check on all their organizers before allowing them to run event maybe that as a option id pay the a general fee of $20-$50 to be more vetted
(Dec. 12, 2024  3:09 AM)Gambit\s-X Wrote:
(Dec. 12, 2024  2:26 AM)doublestar Wrote: I disagree with your suggestion that store owners can just show their space to safely play and be allowed to organize and host events for Beyblade without passing a test and being vetted.

I don't disagree with the interview part. having a store can be difficult to hire or have someone to get qualified to run events maybe limit store that pass the interview part  only have a maximum of Ranked events a month or Months but if you pass the test as well open up the the qty of ranked events allowed.

another option is giving the stores a 30–90-day trial for ranked event without test and if they want to continue running event a test but 1st foremost ether way the interview would need to be passed

I know Pokémon also dose background check on all their organizers before allowing them to run event maybe that as a option id pay the a general fee of $20-$50  to be more vetted
I apologize for my initial response, I was foolish.
You're words give the impression that a qualification for being an organizer is having money or a venue. That is a part of a successful event but only a small portion.
Feel free to reach out if you ever have questions on hosting.
(Dec. 12, 2024  3:54 AM)doublestar Wrote:
(Dec. 12, 2024  3:09 AM)Gambit\s-X Wrote:
I don't disagree with the interview part. having a store can be difficult to hire or have someone to get qualified to run events maybe limit store that pass the interview part  only have a maximum of Ranked events a month or Months but if you pass the test as well open up the the qty of ranked events allowed.

another option is giving the stores a 30–90-day trial for ranked event without test and if they want to continue running event a test but 1st foremost ether way the interview would need to be passed

I know Pokémon also dose background check on all their organizers before allowing them to run event maybe that as a option id pay the a general fee of $20-$50  to be more vetted

You're words give the impression that a qualification for being an organizer is having money or a venue, this is not how it works. But maybe I misread.

for sure not my impression or thought unfortunately i do my self-have disability for reading and writing  ive not been good at putting my thoughts to paper but i can do the actions.  test doses trigger me a little not a much as when i was younger so i just want to apologize if that was the way it came off. 

being a shop that want a open safe place for people to play games weather buy product from me or not something i wish i had a place to do when i was younger i now have a group of now 6 to 11 people so far starting to show up for weekly fun free events now for about a month now and they wanted to have official events as a owner it can be difficult to add to add another hat to wear 

i am enjoying the group that comes plays they even let my 4yr hang with them i of course bought some for him and he seems to have fun witch making me want to learn more

and the money thing was just to cover a background check due to the WBO what i can call not made of money i mean nor am i but Pokémon flipped the bill for shops and non-shop Organizers background check i figured if i was offering another solution to vetting or additional step it be out of pocket Goal myself to take the test Tomorrow anyway 

the paperwork for reporting seems like a lot of steps would be my only issue i thing id have but the player they show up our now weekly said they would be more than willing to help in ways they could 

i use Pokémon as reference due to the nature of players showing up for both events all friendly an great full and want to grow the community
(Dec. 12, 2024  4:39 AM)Gambit\s-X Wrote:
(Dec. 12, 2024  3:54 AM)doublestar Wrote: You're words give the impression that a qualification for being an organizer is having money or a venue, this is not how it works. But maybe I misread.

for sure not my impression or thought unfortunately i do my self-have disability for reading and writing  ive not been good at putting my thoughts to paper but i can do the actions.  test doses trigger me a little not a much as when i was younger so i just want to apologize if that was the way it came off. 

being a shop that want a open safe place for people to play games weather buy product from me or not something i wish i had a place to do when i was younger i now have a group of now 6 to 11 people so far starting to show up for weekly fun free events now for about a month now and they wanted to have official events as a owner it can be difficult to add to add another hat to wear 

i am enjoying the group that comes plays they even let my 4yr hang with them i of course bought some for him and he seems to have fun witch making me want to learn more

and the money thing was just to cover a background check due to the WBO what i can call not made of money i mean nor am i but Pokémon flipped the bill for shops and non-shop Organizers background check i figured if i was offering another solution to vetting or additional step it be out of pocket Goal myself to take the test Tomorrow anyway 

the paperwork for reporting seems like a lot of steps would be my only issue i thing id have but the player they show up our now weekly said they would be more than willing to help in ways they could 

i use Pokémon as reference due to the nature of players showing up for both events all friendly an great full and want to grow the community

All organizers are pretty much the same: community members that want to run events, who know the rules pretty well, and seem to understand what it means to have these responsibilities. Many of us host at Local Game Stores, public parks, or rent out spaces. We also aren't as large as YGO, Pokemon, MTG, etc., so we don't have as many resources as a fan run non-profit to do background checks or anything like that.

I do hope you and your community can have an organizer to run events, whether that is yourself or someone else DJ - Yeah!
Honestly I feel great disbelief in how many inactive organizers there are; Therefore if organizers are not active for a year or more we should revoke their roles: Of course just a suggestion.

Whenever you fail the test it says and I qoute "We are a volunteer based organization"; With this being said if people want to volunteer to organize a tournament let em!

However I feel like the questions remain neccesary so we can judge fairly

With all respect We have been fairly low with tournament members because nobody wants to host in that area so for maybe for every state or country there is an overseer for this
(Dec. 12, 2024  6:12 PM)DRTACOS Wrote: Honestly I feel great disbelief in how many inactive organizers there are; Therefore if organizers are not active for a year or more we should revoke their roles: Of course just a suggestion.

Whenever you fail the test it says and I qoute "We are a volunteer based organization"; With this being said if people want to volunteer to organize a tournament let em!

However I feel like the questions remain neccesary so we can judge fairly

With all respect We have been fairly low with tournament members because nobody wants to host in that area so for maybe for every state or country there is an overseer for this
People have lives outside of Beyblade, theres no need to remove something they rightfully earned. Not to mention the Organizer Guide already has a way to handle inactive organizers


"Hosting After a Prolonged Absence (1 Year)
If you have not hosted an Event posted on the WBO in over one year, you will be required to
mention this and check in with the Organized Play team when you post your event proposal
so that we can ensure you are aware of any rules which may have changed or been added
since you last hosted. The Organized Play team may ask you a series of questions to ensure
this.
For Organizers that haven’t hosted an event in over a year we require a mandatory maximum
participant cap of 24 for their first returning event."

Having an overseer for each state is just ludicrous. First, theres no easy way to determine who could be the overseer. And the process to find the right person would take months. Also, if an overseer retires then we would have to scramble to find a good replacement.

(Dec. 12, 2024  1:08 AM)DRTACOS Wrote:
(Dec. 11, 2024  12:43 AM)Dan Wrote: Hello World Bladers and Organizers!

Today we have a unique topic up for discussion that we feel needs addressing and input directly from the community. While, in general, we tend to come to decisions periodically based on direct feedback or informal consensus of the community regarding topical issues, we felt that the subject matter here required greater direct input from all of you!

"Become An Organizer" Process - Does It Still Make Sense?

For years the WBO has kept up a barrier to entry for prospective players wishing to turn into tournament organizers ("Organizers"). This manifested in the form of both an open book 10-question Quiz and a scheduled "interview" with a member of Organized Play staff as a further test of knowledge and general "vibe check". 

The WBO prides itself in being a de-facto sanctioning body of our hobby in the West and has often viewed Organizers and their Events as an embodiment of that effort and passion. As time goes on, though, we must be able to be more introspective and ask whether or not our existing framework continues to work in the best interest of the Organization as a whole and the players that constitute it.

Over the years we have noted some small but consistent public dissatisfaction with the "Become an Organizer" process. We have reduced Quiz expectations and tried to be more lenient overall as time goes on, and we have seen marked improvement in Organizer numbers as a result. However, we recognize that there are still many instances of dissatisfaction or disappointment with our system, from our lead times (how long it takes from starting a Quiz to finally being given the role and the permissions on Challonge) to how arbitrary our hoops feel to fresh faces just interested in getting their community together on the fly. 

We also note that there may be many missed opportunities by having a intimidating barrier at all - many people simply don't "think" they can pass, or that it isn't really worth their time despite being perfectly capable of organizing Events locally in other settings or outside of the WBO platform entirely.

As the WBO continues to provide Organizers with more and more leeway to play and organize for their community how they like, we must ask the important question what roles WBO should or could continue to fulfill? How do we maximize our impact at that highest level, what do our userbase and existing Organizers want and need from us? Do any of these safe-guards and processes actually help reduce problems or just reduce enthusiasm?

Because of all of this, we turn to you, the whole community, and present this discussion thread and the following questions for your input:

Should There Be an Organizer Quiz Anymore? Why or why not?

The Organizer Quiz does provide us with a very quick and simple assessment of whether an applicant is capable of reading our rulebooks and if they have an adequate grasp of the hobby. It also seems to scare people away that want a way to quickly and effectively advertise their Events, including those that have already generated their own following without our leveraging our organization's reach.

Should There Be a Scheduled Interview Anymore? Why or why not?

The Interview gives the Interviewer an understanding of that specific applicant, what their goals are, and whether they are able to appropriate handle some of the curve-balls that even the most routine Event can throw at you. The interview process also drains our Staff resources (particularly time) and bloat acceptance turnaround time.

Differing Thoughts? Better Ideas? Are We Missing Something? Fine As-Is?

Let us know your perspective, where you think we can take action to improve the Organization for everyone, where we are lacking, or what we may not be considering or missing through all of this! Staff are all community members too, and the more support and insight we get, the more we can provide!

I think that 14+ is a silly idea Maybe 12+ if in state tourny or 14+ for out of state tourney- Of course I haven't thought abt other countries. Maybe no organizer quiz might not make people rage and slam their pc's to the ground-Of course that didn't happen to me.....But without it this website might descend into chaos. So I'm contrversal. Obviously seeing as I haven't passed I know it's probably not my place to be talking here-but I just say this and I had to state my opion (pls don't ban me)
The purpose of the quiz is to insure that an Organizer knows what they are doing and knows how to handle an event properly. If someone actually were to rage and slam their pc then I wouldn't see them as fit to host and be accountable for an event.
Hi, I am new here (obviously) and I am currently studying materials such as the Organizer's guide, WBO Match Types Guide, etc in preparation to become an organizer. I'm also relatively new to Beyblading as a hobby. I am going into this blind because I couldn't find much of a community presence in my area on other parts of the WBO forums.

It seems like there are really two jobs, or skillsets, that one needs to be able to fulfill: organizing/running a tournament and actually being involved in the sport enough to effectively judge it. Not only are these separate jobs/skills, the resources on Google Drive are even separated into an Organizer's Guide & a Judge's Guide. Reading the responses here, it feels kind of like these two skillsets are being conflated, and I'm not sure that's the best approach. For example, as someone newer to the scene, I believe I can learn to organize an event more quickly than I can learn to judge it.. but that also speaks to my personal strengths and may not apply to everyone either. In my opinion, judging effectively requires both an understanding of the rules as well as experience blading regularly.

I don't intend to host big or high profile tournaments right away.. I couldn't if I tried. The Organizer's Guide forbids it. I am, however, looking to found and foster community in my area where there isn't one.. that will take some time. Furthermore, there might not be anyone to help me co-host and it would really suck if that meant that I couldn't become an organizer or if it prevented me from judging. I plan to start small, maybe do an unranked club match my first time, etc.

So I guess my tl;dr is that I don't think there's an issue with a quiz or an interview. I do hope there will be some leniency for me, however. The system should not reject me just because I am new to Beyblade otherwise.. I believe the community will struggle to grow to its full potential. Also, you really need to let people know what they did wrong on the quiz and give them a chance to re-take it. I'm not sure if that's a thing but.. any reasonable test should give you that much. It's an imperative part of the learning process.
(Dec. 12, 2024  9:12 PM)FreezerS1 Wrote: Hi, I am new here (obviously) and I am currently studying materials such as the Organizer's guide, WBO Match Types Guide, etc in preparation to become an organizer. I'm also relatively new to Beyblading as a hobby. I am going into this blind because I couldn't find much of a community presence in my area on other parts of the WBO forums.

It seems like there are really two jobs, or skillsets, that one needs to be able to fulfill: organizing/running a tournament  and actually being involved in the sport enough to effectively judge it. Not only are these separate jobs/skills, the resources on Google Drive are even separated into an Organizer's Guide & a Judge's Guide. Reading the responses here, it  feels kind of like these two skillsets are being conflated, and I'm not sure that's the best approach. For example, as someone newer to the scene, I believe I can learn to organize an event more quickly than I can learn to judge it.. but that also speaks to my personal strengths and may not apply to everyone either. In my opinion, judging effectively requires both an understanding of the rules as well as experience blading regularly.

I don't intend to host big or high profile tournaments right away.. I couldn't if I tried. The Organizer's Guide forbids it. I am, however, looking to found and foster community in my area where there isn't one.. that will take some time. Furthermore, there might not be anyone to help me co-host and it would really suck if that meant that I couldn't become an organizer or if it prevented me from judging. I plan to start small, maybe do an unranked club match my first time, etc.

So I guess my tl;dr is that I don't think there's an issue with a quiz or an interview. I do hope there will be some leniency for me, however. The system should not reject me just because I am new to Beyblade otherwise.. I believe the community will struggle to grow to its full potential. Also, you really need to let people know what they did wrong on the quiz and give them a chance to re-take it. I'm not sure if that's a thing but.. any reasonable test should give you that much. It's an imperative part of the learning process.
I think you get a chance to retake it about everything 30 days. Besides that I agree with ya on most of that
The age requirements are stupid and not fair to the ones who study so so hard and don't get the role. I am sorry if this sounds rude I am Absoloutley ticked off and cannot think straight but in a way every part of me feels that it is true. Except for anxiety.
Maturity, responsibility, and accountability are things that with age thus the requirement. I studied pretty hard for the Organizer test and passed on the first try. If you study as hard as you say then you shouldn't have much of an issue. Not to mention that if someone did have an issue, then the quiz is literally open notes. If someone studies hard for the quiz and fails then they aren't ready to become one in their current state. I don't mean to come off as harsh just trying to be honest on my feelings towards this.