Leader Boards, good or bad?

[grimsby archer]

Are leader boards worth the effort required to keep them running?

[Tom]

I've added the poll. If you want it changed let me know.

[mixi]

I think its just flashy. Whenever I've been fighting for a win I wish they didn't have one. Maybe it's good mental practice though.

[WhitehartFB]

Robert at Mayflower last weekend at the 18m did a fantastic job of running a leaderboard it was posted after each dozen around the hall just after the first 3 arrows of the next end and not just for the top 3 or 5 but everyone.

I was doing everything possible not to look at it though until the end. This also speeded up the results as well and it was good to know when I had to leave before the final session where I was placed after the first 2 sessions.

Obviously a lot of hard work but it did keep many of the spectators up to date with whats going on and more involved in the shoot, as well as archers.

[PaulT]

I think leaderboards are very important at shoots, however I realise how hard they can be to maintain at some shoots where the T O doesn't get the support from their club members needed.

[ironmonkey]

at BUTC (head-to-head style university national comp) they update the leader board after every 3 arrows!! it takes nearly 30 people's constant effort throughout the competition to acheive this.

im particularly sceptical as until the half-way mark of the ranking round, i was oblivious to the fact i was in 1st place. i then had the misfortune to glance at the leader board, and finished joint 3rd!

[Ffish]

I hate them!

I was once in 2nd place at Racketts' Portsmouth last month, and appeared on the leader board after 3 dozen and then promptly fell apart!

[Furface]

As a TO, unless the board is fully automated, the effort required in updating it detracts from the accuracy of the other activities. If nothing else, the poor old scorer is at it all day, and needs the breaks so that he is at his freshest for the final tally and checking.

[Watch_Man]

I voted yes, although in reality my view is mixed. If you are spectating its interesting to keep a check, however it is a lot of work and I have seen how it can distract the archers, looking down the line with their bino's at the board.

[phil_r_58]

I've voted yes, BUT, not for small/club competitions.

I would agree with others, a leader board is a good thing for spectators, so they can see what is happening. Thats the sort of thing you need to do if you want to get live media coverage. The public want/need to see the competitors moving up and down the places, who's in the front, who's chasing them, who's getting knocked off the top.

We have a fishing match on the calendar now that attracts the Television, admittedly only sky, that has changed to the leader board format. I mean normally the anglers sit in a line for 5 hours, catch the fish, and at the end of the day weigh he catch and the one with the highest weight is the winner. A bit boring to say the least.

But step in Terry Hearn, the "match room" organisation, the boxing and snooker champs people. Then we get a £25,000 winners prize for 3 hours of fishing. Stewards weigh the fish as they are caught, in a shortened 3 hour match, to keep a leader board up to date. That gets spectators there, and the TV cameras, as the producers can then zoom the shots in on the leaders, gainers and losers.