County Championship Venue Survey
Robert Richmond
The last two County Championships (June 2012 , Jan 2013) have been held at West Nottingham, following the High School increasing room hire cost. The adult entry was noticeably down at both events. So the Executive Committee commissioned a survey of Notts players, to be taken at the Congress (as the best way of getting a decent sample of players likely to consider playing in the CC), of the preferred venue on the basis of a £10 higher entry fee being charged for adults at the HS to cover the additional room hire. The result is a very clear preference for the HS, and subject to availability, the 2013/14 will return there.
Questionnaires issued: 57 Replies 48 (around 84%)
Preferred venue:
High School 33
West Nottm 6
No Preference 6
Will not play 3
The survey asked about the likelihood of playing at the HS and WN, given a choice between "Very likely", "Will Consider" and "Will not" for both venues
(Attitude to playing at the HS given first, then attitude to WN)
| HS preferred venue | adult | junior |
|---|---|---|
| a. v.likely / v.likely | 3 | 2 |
| b. v.likely / will consider | 6 | 4 |
| c. v.likely / will not | 2 | |
| d. v.likely / - | 5 | 5 |
| d. will consider / will consider | 1 | 1 |
| e. will consider / will not | 2 | |
| f. will consider / - | 2 | |
| TOTAL | 21 | 12 |
| WN preferred venue | adult | junior |
|---|---|---|
| a. v.likely / v.likely | 4 | |
| b. will consider / v.likely | 1 | |
| c. will consider / will consider | 1 | |
| TOTAL | 6 |
| No Preference | adult | junior |
|---|---|---|
| a. v.likely / v.likely | 1 | 2 |
| b. - / v.likely | 1 | |
| c. will consider / will consider | 1 | |
| d. will consider / - | 1 | |
| 4 | 2 |
Comments
- A very substantial majority for the HS (33 - 6). The sample could be biased, since players who would play WN but not the HS are, by definition, absent from a survey taken at the HS. However West Nottingham players are well represented in the sample, and any bias is not going to materially affect the overall result.
- It is striking that none of the 14 Junior respondents (a 100% response rate) preferred WN, and 12 positively preferred the HS. Of these 9 were more likely to enter at the HS (ie "v.likely" compared to "will consider" or "no response"). The junior entry at the CC in January was around 20. With the faster time limit and earlier finish in I think it reasonable to conclude that the junior entry would usually be higher than the congress, and that the junior entry would be at least as good at the HS as WN.
- Of the 21 adults preferring the HS 17 had a greater likelihood of playing at the HS (taking "no response" as less likely to play at WN). This is strong confirmation of the suspicion (and reason for the survey) that WN is a less convenient and attractive venue.
- For at least 3 of the other respondents prefering WN, the HS is either the same or a more convenient venue. The reason for prefering WN is therefore presumably cost - they would prefer not to pay an entry fee, but it would not deter them from playing.