How to Plan a Live Wii Tournament

Choose a game for your tournament. If there are sequels of the games or multiple versions, make sure you spell out specifically which game and version you will be using.

Choose a venue. Your location will determine, in part, how many participants you can handle. You may be able to rent a room in your local library or community center for a small fee. You can cover the cost of the venue by charging participants an entry fee.

Acquire multiple Wii consoles, TVs and copies of the game. Unless you want your tournament to take weeks, you are going to need more than one Wii. In your tournament advertisement, you can mention the need for consoles, and you will likely find participants willing to help. You can sweeten the deal by giving them a break on the entry fee.

Advertise your tournament. The local university, comics shops, game store, library and online forums like Shoryuken or Smash Boards are great spots to announce local tournaments. In your advertisement, let people know what to bring, including controllers and other needed equipment. Also include any special rules or limitations in your advertisements.

Select a prize structure. You can buy prizes in advance or simply announce how you will split the pot. A 50/30/20 split (with 50 percent going to first place, 30 percent to second place, and 20 percent to third place) would be a fair split, though sometimes prizes are more top-heavy.

Choose a tournament structure. There are many different manners in which a tournament can be held, but make sure you understand your tournament structure in advance.

Plan on having a referee or a team of referees dedicated to solving disputes, which will inevitably come up. Make sure your referees all know the rules in advance and are all on the same page when it comes to handling disputes.