Event Prizes, Out Lived their welcome?

July 30, 2012

I come to question why we insist on having prizes at events.

At the first event I attended (5 or 6 years ago), it was understood by us adults that the prizes for the various games was mostly for the kids, the bragging rights was for us adults.

Fast forward to present day...

We had a minor scheduling mishap this past weekend, and the fur started flying (before we even got home from the event) because a couple attendees didn't get to participate in the poker hand.

I've personally received nasty e-mails because people felt cheated out of some prize or another (gave the BIG donated prize as a door prize instead of to the top event cacher).

It's not even the kids complaining, it's the adults. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't go to these game filled events for the prizes.

Going forward, if I am to host any more game filled events, I will not be doing prizes. Maybe a box of frozen treats at the end and some bragging rights, but that's it.

Anyone else do game events (poker run, closest to the pin, etc) without prizes?

I'm sorry if this thread appears to be more of a rant then a question. I'm a little frustrated that something so trivial has soured these types of events for me.

18.9k · July 30, 2012

I've always done some drawings and door prizes - never had any issues.

July 30, 2012

We've never had competitions during an event that had a "top event cacher". Not really sure what that entails.

Mainly we have door prize drawings.

Next event, how about having small cheap trophies for the Top Whiners.

5.2k · July 30, 2012

From reading the logs on your event, it appears that participants were told the prizes would be given at 3:30, but some people came back around 2:00 to find that the prizes were already given out and the event was ending. While I do agree some over-reacted, I also think the organizers brought the problem on themselves by prematurely ending the event.

July 30, 2012

Increasingly, this sport is seeing a lot of "adults" acting quite childish. And then some finding a way to defend it is an added bonus. I am hardly suprised at this. :laughing:

July 30, 2012

Increasingly, this sport is seeing a lot of "adults" acting quite childish. And then some finding a way to defend it is an added bonus. I am hardly suprised at this.

Can't this be said for most things in life nowadays, not just caching?

July 30, 2012

We've never had competitions during an event that had a "top event cacher". Not really sure what that entails.

Mainly we have door prize drawings.

Next event, how about having small cheap trophies for the Top Whiners.

What I meant by "top event cachers" was best poker hand, closest to the pin, etc. There has also been some events where numbered tickets where in the caches, which where pulled from a hat and prizes awarded accordingly.

From reading the logs on your event, it appears that participants were told the prizes would be given at 3:30, but some people came back around 2:00 to find that the prizes were already given out and the event was ending. While I do agree some over-reacted, I also think the organizers brought the problem on themselves by prematurely ending the event.

It was my understanding (I wasn't involved with this as I was chasing my two boys around who are 1 and 3yrs old), the host messed up, and offered some sort of solution.

More happen outside the gc event page.

2.8k · July 30, 2012

From reading the logs on your event, it appears that participants were told the prizes would be given at 3:30, but some people came back around 2:00 to find that the prizes were already given out and the event was ending. While I do agree some over-reacted, I also think the organizers brought the problem on themselves by prematurely ending the event.

I agree, changing rules in the middle of a game is not a wise idea. If I was one of the people showing up at 2 only to find the event was wrapping up I'd be upset as well, not because of the prizes but I'd feel I was left out, forgotten and neglected.

Just my 2 cents worth.

July 30, 2012

Increasingly, this sport is seeing a lot of "adults" acting quite childish. And then some finding a way to defend it is an added bonus. I am hardly suprised at this.

My thoughts exactly.

3.2k · July 30, 2012

I've won a number of prizes at events from swag to cache containers. I generally tend to find someone else to give my winning ticket to. I have more cache containers already than I have good places to hide them. I won my choice of prizes one time and selected a nice set of hot wheels cars. I gave them to the son of another person at the event. I've won my choice of stuff a number of times and almost always gave the ticket to someone else. Once I won and slipped the ticket onto the table of a couple who had gone to the counter to pick up pizza or something. When they got back they discovered the ticket on their table and claimed their prize.

I've never won a 50/50 where they sell tickets and the winner gets half the cash and the other half goes to our local group (N.U.T.S.). I remember when we were going to co-sponser GW VI. We had a pretty good 50/50 going and several of us stated that, if we won, we'd just donate our winnings back to the N.U.T.S. to help finance GW VI. I believe the person who won that one did, in fact, do that very thing. I can't imagine anybody at a N.U.T.S. even getting peeved about prizes.

1.4k · July 30, 2012

Anytime you set something up as a competition, the odds of people getting bent out of shape about the prizes/rewards are pretty high. Raffle drawings are one thing, encouraging people to be competative and then expecting that they won't be when it comes to the prizes is a little bit foolish IMHO.

2k · July 30, 2012

never seen an issue at events for prizes...the one event I did it went over very well. I do not expect anything at an event so if I get anything, albeit rare, its a bonus.

7.9k · July 30, 2012

There has also been some events where numbered tickets where in the caches, which where pulled from a hat and prizes awarded accordingly.

Typically this is how it's done around here...well, actually attendees are given their tickets at the 'door', and 'you must be present to win' is understood. If I go off to find caches while the event is in progress and miss the drawing...perhaps I shouldn't have left, eh?

I have been to PLENTY of events where I didn't win anything.

I don't attend events to 'win' prizes.

I attend to hobnob with fellow geocachers, and I ALWAYS win!

ANYONE...ANYONE who complains that they didn't/couldn't/were denied the opportunity to win a prize at the event has lost the spirit of what the event was really about.

2.2k · July 30, 2012

Anyone else do game events (poker run, closest to the pin, etc) without prizes?

I've seen people get upset when a puzzle game didn't feature a prize. No matter what you do you will offend someone.

3.6k · July 30, 2012

I am seeing plenty of "give me" "give me" "give me" attitude at some events. I do know a few selfish cachers out there but thats another story.

I go to events just to meet people, if people are driving to events just for prizes, something is wrong there.

1k · August 1, 2012

From reading the logs on your event, it appears that participants were told the prizes would be given at 3:30, but some people came back around 2:00 to find that the prizes were already given out and the event was ending. While I do agree some over-reacted, I also think the organizers brought the problem on themselves by prematurely ending the event.

I agree, changing rules in the middle of a game is not a wise idea. If I was one of the people showing up at 2 only to find the event was wrapping up I'd be upset as well, not because of the prizes but I'd feel I was left out, forgotten and neglected.

I agree too. This isn't so much about the attitude of the attendees, it's about the host stating one time and ending the event at another. In other words, you lied to the attendees. If I was told to be somewhere at a certain time for something and arrived to find out everyone decided to leave early, I'd be pretty annoyed as well.

Maybe a box of frozen treats at the end

Are you sure? There are a lot of things people can complain about in regards to those.

August 2, 2012

there are lots of ther things to complain about but if it happened to anyone else they would be upset as well

Edited August 2, 2012 by juliendon

2.8k · August 2, 2012

Maybe a box of frozen treats at the end

Are you sure? There are a lot of things people can complain about in regards to those.

Whattaya mean there are no strawberry left! I want strawberry! I'm gonna go complain on the forums that there weren't enough strawberry popsicles!

August 2, 2012

This thread kind of went sideways from what I had originally intended. I guess I should have left more details out.

I did not want to target the mishap this past weekend. I fully agree that it was a mistake on the host's behalf and I (along with most people) would have been somewhat upset. I suspect I might have handled things a bit differently, but who knows. I don't know all the happenings at this specific event as I was pre-occupied with my kids. I can not say what efforts where made to resolve this issue, or if any had been done at all.

My rant was more regarding what happen after the fact (2 hours or so). I became apparent that some folks had some real issues surrounding prizes at events.

1.4k · August 2, 2012

This thread kind of went sideways from what I had originally intended. I guess I should have left more details out.

I did not want to target the mishap this past weekend. I fully agree that it was a mistake on the host's behalf and I (along with most people) would have been somewhat upset. I suspect I might have handled things a bit differently, but who knows. I don't know all the happenings at this specific event as I was pre-occupied with my kids. I can not say what efforts where made to resolve this issue, or if any had been done at all.

My rant was more regarding what happen after the fact (2 hours or so). I became apparent that some folks had some real issues surrounding prizes at events.

Which is why one has to be careful setting up competition at events. Raffle prizes are one thing, competition prizes will open a whole new can of worms with the right people involved.

1k · August 2, 2012

I became apparent that some folks had some real issues surrounding prizes at events.

Folks have issues with being lied to.

I can not say what efforts where made to resolve this issue, or if any had been done at all.

Why not? You said you were the host. Now you're just refusing to provide details?

7.7k · August 2, 2012

I can not say what efforts where made to resolve this issue, or if any had been done at all.

Why not? You said you were the host. Now you're just refusing to provide details?

Reading comprehension on your part, or mine? Or are you deliberately trying to troll him?

]I don't know all the happenings at this specific event as I was pre-occupied with my kids.

Event Prizes, Out Lived their welcome?

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