Big news on the pub trivia front – the Michigan-based My Trivia Live pub trivia company announced that its first place prize for tournament winners is now $4,000, increased from $2,500.

I’ve been chatting a bit with a player who previously had a team in contention in this league, though it hasn’t been in real contention for at least about…a year and a half? Could he be trying to come up with a battle plan? I’m certainly encouraging him to do it! I’d love to see that team in MTL trivia battles again.

The MTL season is already under way, so it’s too late for me to try formulating any kind of trivia “plan” to get to tournaments. And that’s…OK! I’ve found seats at MTL finals tables the past two seasons, and I have little doubt I’ll be able to do so next time around. No guarantee, but I’m just not up for the “hustle” anymore. Barhopping is out of the question, and playing more than a couple of times a week isn’t an option, either. Add that to the fact that one of my players needs to be driven to games that he can’t walk or ride his bike to, and…(commence to tear out my own hair in frustration)! And once you do qualify, there’s the matter of finding asses to put in the tournament seats (which is not always as easy as you’d think). I’ve had to “hire” outside the team for this on more than one occasion.

My team also has a “horse in the race” in the competing Sporcle Live trivia league. I have a player whom is very solid in this league, and essential for our team in any tournaments. In the Sporcle league, questions favor the younger players, and, well…I have a 31 year old player in my mix who not only LOVES trivia – but is good at it! I’d be a fool to abandon the Sporcle Live ship as long as he’s still in my mix.

It’s a tough call. I also know my team is pretty solid in the MTL league, too. Me, Mike and Brad can easily win a bar if we set out to do it. The trouble is, we just don’t have a local bar we all agree upon playing in ATM. Mike and Brad are NOT fans of Powell’s. I’m flexible, and will play there if they’re eager to do it (who says I don’t try to keep my troops happy)? They seem happier with another Monday night show at Sticks. McShane’s is out, because Brad can only play every other Tuesday, and we’d have to drive him to games. Brad would love to play at Wurst again, but Mike and I are not sold on playing there every week.

It’s really too bad that MTL doesn’t coordinate their season dates with their end of season tournament. By the time tournaments roll around, the new season has already started. This makes it tough for teams to make trivia “plans.”

I’m not ruling out a future tournament bid for my team. But it’s not going to happen anytime soon!