[Walddk]

Apparently, the hotels in America charge a fortune for internet connection. I don't know why it has to be like that. The host hotels this time are the Renaissance St. Louis Suites Hotel and the Renaissance Grand Hotel.

One would assume that ACBL provides plenty of income for the hotels by placing the NABC right there. So wouldn't it be reasonable if the hotels paid something back by giving ACBL an internet discount?

With this said, I don't think it will ruin ACBL's budget even if they have to pay $100-200 a day. Aren't the NABCs money machines for them? I don't know for sure, but my (usually reliable) sources tell me that they are.

Roland

P.S: Still no info regarding broadcasts on BBO. Fred is in St. Louis now and will try to push as best as he can.

[Gerben42]

Also it should be possible to find volunteer operators. As someone who has been an operator I can tell you the experience is well worth it.

[Walddk]

Gerben42, on Mar 8 2007, 01:12 PM, said:

Also it should be possible to find volunteer operators. As someone who has been an operator I can tell you the experience is well worth it.

I agree to a certain extent, because it's not enough to find volunteer operators (newbies) without giving them a chance to practice. If they don't get that chance, it will more often than not be embarrassing for them, ACBL, BBO, our spectators and staff.

I am not in the same camp as those who think it's better to get a nonsense broadcast than nothing at all. The quality of the operators determines the success of the broadcast. It's as simple as that.

Roland

[mrdct]

Fact sheet from the official hotel website:

http://marriott.com/hotels/fact-sheet/trav...d-suites-hotel/

Scroll down to the bottom of the page where hotel features include:

High-speed Internet access
Locations Connectivity
Public Areas Wired Wireless
Guest Rooms Wired
Meeting Rooms Wired

I just rang the front desk at the hotel and they advised me that the wireless internet in the public areas is FREE. That's right FREE. Wired internet access in guess rooms (where I believe the finals are played) costs $12.95 per day.

It hilarious that it's taken a 25 post thread over 4 days to get to the facts that can be ascertained with one 3 cent phone call to the USA on skype!

The incredibly high cost of internet access at the venue should no longer form part of this debate.

[Gerben42]

Quote

I am not in the same camp as those who think it's better to get a nonsense broadcast than nothing at all. The quality of the operators determines the success of the broadcast. It's as simple as that.

Me neither!

But I'm just saying that the experience should be enough award in itself. Maybe that is just my mentality and not the common one of aspiring VG-operators in the US but I know that for many other broadcasts the operators are normally not paid or just a symbolic amount, or just travel cost reimbursed.

[Walddk]

Walddk, on Mar 5 2007, 07:47 PM, said:

... whereas the ACBL apparently regards live internet broadcasts as a minor issue. Everything is decided at the last minute.

If this is correct, and I trust Dave Thompson (mrdct) of course, it only goes to show that I am proven right when I wrote this in an earlier post.

I can accept that ACBL doesn't know how many teams enter the event until they hit the deadline, but there has been a time schedule for a long time, so they do know the exact timings for the Vandy.

There can only one explanation for the lack of info: no-one knows if they can get volunteer operators or not. As usual, they are going to advertise in the daily bulletins and take it from there.

We must live with that and then ACBL must live with the fact that it will be impossible to schedule commentators in advance.

Roland

[fred]

mrdct, on Mar 8 2007, 11:26 AM, said:

Fact sheet from the official hotel website:

http://marriott.com/hotels/fact-sheet/trav...d-suites-hotel/

Scroll down to the bottom of the page where hotel features include:

High-speed Internet access
Locations Connectivity
Public Areas Wired Wireless
Guest Rooms Wired
Meeting Rooms Wired

I just rang the front desk at the hotel and they advised me that the wireless internet in the public areas is FREE. That's right FREE. Wired internet access in guess rooms (where I believe the finals are played) costs $12.95 per day.

It hilarious that it's taken a 25 post thread over 4 days to get to the facts that can be ascertained with one 3 cent phone call to the USA on skype!

The incredibly high cost of internet access at the venue should no longer form part of this debate.

I doubt the hotel considers the playing rooms to be "public areas".

They are likely considered "meeting rooms" (which is what they are).

Furthermore I doubt that a random person phoning the front desk hotel would necessarily get accurate information about such things. If you feel inclined to phone again I suggest you try to get in touch with someone from the hotel's department that is responsible for booking convention space.

It is possible that you are right about this hotel, but in the past few years I have never heard of a hotel in America that has policies like those you describe.

By the way, I agree with the other poster who said the ACBL should try to get a good deal on Internet access when the make the original deal with the hotel. Problem is that they tend to make these deals several years in advance. It is entirely possible the ACBL booked the St. Louis space before Internet vugraph became a consideration.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[uday]

We'll get a schedule Fri/Sat, with luck.

[uday]

The acbl plans to to start the internet broadcast of Vanderbilt in the round of 16
(Wednesday).

They will show a selected match of interest. The match may change each quarter,
depending on status.


That's all we know at this moment, but at least we can prepare for 1 table on Wed

I will supply update as I learn more.

[Walddk]

The Vanderbilt is now scheduled on our vugraph web page. It's provisional but I expect it to be very close to the whole truth, if not *the* truth.

http://online.bridgebase.com/vugraph/sched...?order_by=event

Roland

[mycroft]

Walddk, on Mar 5 2007, 11:47 AM, said:

We always get accurate info from the USBF well in advance. That is not the case as far as the ACBL is concerned. All ACBL members are also automatic members of the USBF, so one would assume that both federations are interested in serving their members as well as possible.

I know this is too late, and way off topic anyway (There were much more important things for me to do during the NABC than watch Vugraph, like getting married), but I should point out that the second sentence is by no means correct.

I, for one, am not a member of the USBF, although a member of the ACBL. In fact, they wouldn't let me even if I wanted to be - Alberta's request to become the 51st state not yet having been formally approved. Plus, while I may be a member of the CBF, unless I pay my $12 a year, I am not a "paid-up member" and don't get any of the benefits. I know that the USBF has a similar restriction (I don't know if all US ACBL-registered players are de facto members of the USBF).

What that means as part of Roland's argument is probably nothing. I'm just being pedantic.
Michael.

[Walddk]

mycroft, on Mar 21 2007, 12:54 AM, said:

I, for one, am not a member of the USBF, although a member of the ACBL.

I should have been more specific.

http://usbf.org/index.php?option=com_conte...&id=4&Itemid=51

USBF Membership
All members of ACBL and ABA who are United States citizens are members of USBF. Any of them may become an Active Member of USBF by completing an application form and paying dues. A non-citizen who is a permanent United States Resident may become a Resident Member by completing an application form, being approved by the USBF Board of Directors and paying dues either by credit card online or by check. Active and Resident Members have the right to play in USBF tournaments and to vote in USBF elections.