TournItUp! Messaging
TournItUp! Messaging makes it real easy to open a back channel to everyone helping to run the tournament.
What is this messaging thing anyways?
It’s pretty simple actually.
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Each ring being run becomes a messaging channel.
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Any ring manager can send a message to any other ring manager.
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Any ring manager can send a message to the host on their own channel.
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The host can listen for all channels and respond to a specific ring or all rings.
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Emergency personell can monitor to all channels.
The great thing about messageing like this is that no-one needs to coordinate cell phone numbers. The ability to text one another is baked right into the TournItUp app.
What’s it good for?
Example 1
Let’s say you’re running a tournament in multiple buildings and there’s a medical emergency in Ring 2 in the gymnasium.
The host can’t be everywhere at the same time. Neither can emergency personell.
With TournItUp! messaging they don’t have to be!
Ring manager 2 broadcasts a message to the host and the emergency personell on duty to let them know they’re needed ASAP in ring 2.
Example 2
Or say little Tim Smith is missing. You want to start the bracket, he was there when you took roll call, but now he disappeared !?!
Again messaging to the rescue.
The ring manager broadcasts to the host and get help finding this kid before it’s too late and they miss their chance to compete. Otherwise the kid’s parents, who drove 4 hours to get Tim to the tournament, will be sorta pissed and not happy about how the event is run etc.
It’s this kind of mood killing scenario that doesn’t encourage future tournament participation but which TournItUp messaging can help you avoid.
So, how do I start using this thing?
Glad you asked.
Again it’s pretty easy.
On the ring management screen in the header menu there is a bell icon.
This bell icon will turn red when you have a message.
You tap the bell icon to start a conversation or view messages sent to you.
Here’s what the messaging UX looks like when you tap the bell icon:
Notice the channel for the ring you’re on (in this can ring 2) is pre-selected for you. If you want you can click any other ring channel including All (broad cast channel) and send a message.
Otherwise you’re limited to the ring you’ve selected which is typically good from a default message receipt and reply mode perspective.
To send a message you can tap the button in the top right menu as shown above.
You’ll be presented with the following dialog:
Once you add your message it will show up in the message list like this:
Message Types
You don’t have to choose a message type when entering a message but you might want to. When you do it highlights the message so it stands out for the recipient who needs to act upon it.
There are 3 optional message types you can choose from:
- Medic Needed - highlights message text in red.
- Missing Competitor - highlights message text in gold.
- Missing Referee - highlights message text in gold.
Give it a try.
Wrap Up
And that’s a summary of TournItUp’s messaging capability. Hope you enjoyed it.
Why don’t you give it a try in your next tournament and let us know how it works for you.