Spectator Interference

Oh, another important topic that I would like to bring up is the proper role of spectators.

During the Thursday Qualifier (still playing my Banishment/Might of the Camarilla deck), there was one round where we had been granted 3 extra minutes because some of the players had needed to take bathroom breaks.

Once official time had been called, we continued playing with our 3 extra minutes. However, *multiple* spectators kept interrupting our game to tell us that time was called and we kept having to tell them "please leave us alone. We have 2-3 extra minutes left and you're really disrupting our game."

For one of the other players at this table, this apparently happened 2 other times during the week (once during the storyline tournament, once during a WoN event) where spectators kept interfering to tell the table that time was called when there was actually still time left.

There are two related (but separate) issues, involving:

- Whether spectators should point out potential misplays
- Whether spectators should be scouting

but I'm not going to address those at this time. To keep the scope of this post narrow, it's mainly about spectators pestering tables about time being up when that table still has a little bit of time!

What can (or should) be done? Or is it not a problem worth dealing with?

I have seen at some events, the judge placing a card on the table that says "# Extra minutes".
Also, the Judge could remind players at the start of the event that if a table needs to stop the clock, let the judge know and he will add time to the table. Then remind everyone that when time is called, there may be tables that are still going so keep quite until an announcement that all tables are finished is called.

No need to do anything about it, since spectators can't talk with players.
They can only talk to a Judge.
Those spectators where breaking the Tournament Rules.

Tournament wrote:

A spectator of a game is defined as any person other than a judge or an organizer who is not playing in that game. A player who is ousted from a game is considered a spectator for the remainder of the round. All spectators are expected to remain silent during the course of a game and are not permitted to communicate with players in any way while a game is in progress. Spectators who believe that they have observed rules violations should inform a judge, but they must not interfere with the game. Players have the right to request that any spectator not observe their game. All such requests must be made through a judge, who may grant or deny the request as he or she sees fit. The judge or organizer may choose to prohibit all specatators at any table(s) or round(s) of the tournament.

If a table needs extra time for any reason they should call a judge and have the judge issue extra time.

If spectators need to be silenced because they are interfering at some level and a player request doesn't do it then the table should call a judge and have them silenced.

If spectators are pointing out mechanic errors in a friendly way, I don't see a problem (although some players might view it as intrusive, I suppose). If it isn't in a friendly way or they are pointing out non-mechanical errors, the players should ask them to stop and/or should call a judge to deal with the situation.

If spectators are spectating, well, that's what they do, by definition. As long as they are silent, no one should care. If a player does care then that player should call a judge to deal with the situation.

Brum wrote:

No need to do anything about it, since spectators can't talk with players.
They can only talk to a Judge.
Those spectators where breaking the Tournament Rules.

Tournament wrote:

A spectator of a game is defined as any person other than a judge or an organizer who is not playing in that game. A player who is ousted from a game is considered a spectator for the remainder of the round. All spectators are expected to remain silent during the course of a game and are not permitted to communicate with players in any way while a game is in progress. Spectators who believe that they have observed rules violations should inform a judge, but they must not interfere with the game. Players have the right to request that any spectator not observe their game. All such requests must be made through a judge, who may grant or deny the request as he or she sees fit. The judge or organizer may choose to prohibit all specatators at any table(s) or round(s) of the tournament.

Well, the problem is that there is the formal rule (no communication from spectators) and what actually happens (there is plenty of communication).

It's kind of like how there are plenty of laws against speeding or jaywalking, yet those are rarely enforced and people largely ignored them. For example:

- You're ousted (and now a spectator). "I have to go, so can you proxy the Coven so I can take my card back?" (Rules violation!)

- "Hey Joe, the rest of us are going for lunch. Do you want us to bring you something?" (Rules violation!)

- "Honey, can I borrow the room key?" (Rules violation!)

Technically, these would all be rules violations. Practically, I have *never* seen someone get sanctioned for any such of these incidents.

echiang wrote:

Technically, these would all be rules violations. Practically, I have *never* seen someone get sanctioned for any such of these incidents.

What is your suggestion?