Karaoke Rules I. Sportsmanship A) Sportsmanship: KC Crew, LLC (" KCC ") is dedicated to provide a safe and fun sporting environment. All participants should keep this in mind when becoming involved. Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship. Any behavior deemed unacceptable by the KCC staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league. Each game will have at least 1 paid official. Abuse of officials, referees, opposing players, and KCC or bar staff will not be tolerated. KCC will not tolerate fighting! Fighting will be an automatic ejection from any game and in most cases ejection from the league for the remainder of the season. Any behavior deemed unacceptable by KCC staff may result in a game suspension and/or ejection from the league. 1. If a player touches another player physically, inappropriately or with intent to harm, despite who may be "right or wrong", they will be immediately ejected from the game. a. On their second offense they will be removed from the season with no refund. b. On a third offense they will be removed from the season with no refund and banned from the league. 2. Remember, this is for fun. This isn t the Voice. No one is going to become a professional by singng in our leagues. Anyone exuding douchebaggery, rudeness or overwhelming ignorance will be ejected and possibly removed from the league as these actions eliminate fun for everyone else. II. Fundamentals A) Performing 1. Each week, teams are paired into one to one matchups for three songs each. 2. Teams will perform in this order (unless previously approved by the Host.) a. Team 1 solo vs. Team 2 solo b. Team 1 solo vs. Team 2 solo c. Team 1 group vs. Team 2 group 3. Solo songs are to feature one singer. Any backup performances should not distract from that. If a song has multiple parts, the soloist is expected to accommodate that. Duets are considered group performances. 4. Group songs must emphasize two or more singers. The group dynamic may affect judging, so a soloist with a backup chorus may be a disadvantage. 5. Engaging the crowd is a key part of the show, and some teams choose to incorporate choreography or props. Creative and memorable performances (whether in talent or show) set this contest apart from other singer/karaoke themed events.
B) Rehearsal 1. Some teams plan ahead and practice, but some of the most successful teams win with energy and spontaneity. Because karaoke versions are unpredictable, it is recommended that teams test their songs in advance. C) Scoring 1. Scoring of each round is based on the CUMULATIVE performance of the team, not just the strongest individual performance. Therefore, it is important that each team prepare a collection of strong showings. a. Judges may take notes to help with their decisions, but there is not score sheet. In the end, it comes down to a blend of technical performance (vocals and lyrics), crowd interaction (energy), and commitment (show). b. TIPS: Because there is often a lot of crowd noise, slow or quieter songs may not go over as well (unless they draw in the crowd.) Props can certainly add to a performance and overall excitement, but they are not the dominant element. The key is to be creative and surprise the crowd. Also, performers are encouraged to move throughout the crowd, rather than standing in place. Creative song choices are also appreciated. KC Crew shirts should be worn when out of costume, as it helps reinforce team identity. Group songs should really be a group effort. Solo songs can have backup performances, but they should emphasize, not distract from the performer. D) Voting 1. Voting will happen immediately following the last performance of each round. A winner will be chosen, but all points count towards the cumulative season total (for the finale bracket.) 2. Captain Vote: 1 point will be awarded to the team who gets the most votes from the captains of teams not competing in the round. In the event of a tie, crowd response is used to determine a winner. a. At check in, each Captain is given a set of ballots at the beginning of the night. At the end of the round, before judging, they choose one team and turn in the slip to the Host. b. The Captain should confer with their team to best represent their perspective. Voting should be based on that night s performance, not popularity or competition strategy. c. If the Captain is unavailable, they may choose a representative from their team to accept and fill the ballots. Teams who are not present to check in (unless excused) will not receive ballots for that night. 3. Host Vote: 1 point will be awarded to the team chosen by the Host. a. Brown nosing and bribery is encouraged, though it won t add up to much. Our Hosts are always scientifically methodical in their scoring and cannot be easily swayed. b. The Host has a difficult job that often involves controversial choices. They will do what they can to explain their decisions, but feelings may get hurt. If you have been unable to win over the Host, you are welcome to approach them for feedback/advice. 4. Outsider Vote: 1 point will be awarded to the team who gets the vote from the Outsider. a. The Outsider is someone not in the competition (or former competitor sworn to total objectivity.) The only preparation given to them by the Host is about the scoring/structure of the contest. They are not coached on winning/losing trends or teams. Therefore, the Outsider vote is always first, to avoid them being affected by the Captains or Host. On occasion, the bar staff may be needed to serve this role, and they may enlist the assistance of non competitors in the crowd. Page 2
E) Judging and Points 1. WINNING: The team that gets 2 out of 3 points (or more) wins the Battle for that week. 2. The judges do their best to focus on the stronger overall performance of that round, and even though one team wins the majority, it was probably a very close competition. Many teams have started the season without any wins or points and have rallied throughout to eventually dominate and take the win. Because this is a unique contest, it may take a while to get up to speed. Don t be discouraged! F) Themes 1. The regular season is comprised of weekly themed contests, announced before the first week. a. Judging may be negatively influenced by song choices that feel forced or do not connect properly to the theme. b. Props choreography are a great way to reinforce the themed performances, but contestants should show unity by wearing their team shirts when not in costume. G) Song Selection 1. Each Team Captain chooses all songs for the group via the KCC song list and submit changes through the website at least 24 hours before the week s contest. If allowed by the Host, substitutions may be made at check in, but have the song number ready. a. Songs can only be sung once per season, so reserve your song as soon as possible. If you encounter an issue with song selection, promptly contact KCC at leagues@kccrew.com for assistance with the website. b. Avoid choosing overly obvious songs or those that don t embody the spirit of the theme (even if on the list.) Because the Host and many competitors have carried over from previous seasons, you may be competing against previous standout performances. Keep that in mind when choosing popular songs. c. OffKey can get LOUD, and there are no vocal monitors, so keep that in mind when choosing songs. As a result, uptempo songs tend to fare the best. Don t avoid slow songs, as there are ways to catch the crowd s attention. 2. NON LIST SONGS: The song lists are different for each theme, but any song in the OffKey database is available. If you have a song in mind, check to see if it s available at www.singoffkey.com. Team Captains can then manually reserve that song through the KCC website. a. If approved by the Host, song substitutions can be made at check in, but the Captain is responsible for providing the song number. H) Check in 1. The Host arrives up to 30 minutes before the contest. A representative from each team must be available to confirm details with them before the first round begins. a. The competing team who checks in first determines the order of performance. If both teams are present, a coin toss between the two will determine the order. b. Failure to check in dismisses the team from that night s Captain votes. Continued failure to check in may result in a forfeiture or other disciplinary actions from KCC. c. Checking in early allows the Host to enter all songs for that night at once, instead of during some performances. d. All teams are expected to arrive before the first round, not only to check in but also to show support to Page 3
the other teams and avoid interruptions during performances. I) R.E.S.P.E.C.T. 1. This is a recreational league, not a contest to be signed to a major music label or win gas money. Therefore, keep things light and fun. Show support and encouragement to everyone. To those who make the most of it, the new friendships and personal development far outweigh the benefits of a trophy. Push yourself, take chances, and support other who do the same. 2. Don't be mean! Don t be a Diva. Don t scheme. 3. Don t sulk and complain. In every contest, there will be a non winner. Don t make other teams feel bad for winning. If you are concerned about the judging or overall process, inform the Host or KCC, so they can work together to improve or correct things. Be constructive about it, and wait until you re sober (and not while others are performing.) 4. OffKey quickly gets loud, especially as non contestants file in, so do your best to minimize chatter during performances. It can be very discouraging to those who are having to sing over a crowd that is not paying attention. Also, rehearsals and prop preparations should not interfere with supporting performances. 5. RESPECT THE BAR & STAFF! It is great to have a space to host the league. Therefore, we want to make sure that we set a great example and reinforce a positive relationship with the bar. a. The staff work hard, often dealing with a rush of people and loud crowds, so please treat them kindly. Be patient with their service and tip them appropriately. Also, clean up after your messes, whether it s debris on the floor or props at the table. 6. RESPECT THE JUDGES! It s not easy to choose between so many great performances. Some may be overwhelmed by a specific performance, since it s tough to assess an overall value to multiple performances. Also, some may be more familiar with certain songs. Once again, because this is meant to be a fun, recreational event, grumblings or rudeness to the hosts only serves to discourage those who are giving their time to make this a great contest. I) Teams/Substitutions 1. Teams are comprised of 4 to 10 members and must be signed up through the site to compete. III. Sickness & Absences, Make ups and Forfeits A) Sickness & Absences 1. Captains are encouraged to consider the wellbeing of other teams and substitute any singers who may have a contagious illness. Captains are expected to cover the absence with another teammate/song.. B) Make ups 1 One week is built into the end of each season for make up contests, but that is not intended for the karaoke league. Instead, if a make up round is approved in advance by KCC (and the competing team), it would occur the following week of the original date, after that night s standard performances. Unapproved absences will be considered a forfeit for that week, and all three points will be given to the present team. 2 If you would like to reschedule a round, call our office (816 812 1829) or email leagues@kccrew.com. C) Forfeits 1. If a team doesn t arrive to perform in their round, a win will be recorded to the team present with the score being all three points. 2. First Unexcused Offense Loss of game and warning issued. Page 4
3. Second Unexcused Offense Loss of game and KCC reserves the right to remove team from playoffs. 4. Final offense is loss of game and removal from the league with no refund. IV. Tournament A) Structure 1. The end of season tournament is the last week of the league. Each team is seeded based on their season record and will play the appropriate seed. Example: 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4, 5 vs 6, 7 vs 8, etc. B) Players 1. Rosters will be checked at the beginning of games and teams cannot have more than 30% subs on their roster. 2. Players are only allowed to play on one team during the tournament unless they payed to play on two teams during the regular season, then they may play on both teams during the tournament. a. If your teams play each other, you must choose which team you want to play on for that game. 3. If a team is short a player and has a sub, this must be approved by KCC prior to the start of the tournament. a. If a team asks a player from another team to sub, it must be approved by KCC. C) How It Works 1. During tournament week, karaoke league will take place as usual and scores will be updated. Following the completion of that week s themed competition, the tournament will begin. 2. Tournament brackets are determined by KCC and are available roughly a week before the tournament. Teams compete against each other in a single elimination until only one team remains. 3. Tournament songs are CHOSEN BY CHANCE. Each team will be given three songs to choose from before each leg of competition. The song pool may be chosen using OffKey s Roulette feature or by having Captain and Host submissions. Captain submissions will be limited to the same number per team. Page 5