Opportunity brief
Concept:
Squabble is a fast-paced, face-to-face debate competition built for energy and audience engagement rather than a slow, formal debate format. The core twist: Topic Swap — teams don't know their stance until the round begins, and stances can be swapped mid-round by the moderator to test adaptability.
Format:
Expected Participants: 70+ participants
- Team size: 2 members per team
- Number of teams: Confirm based on registrations
- Rounds: Preliminary rounds → Semi-final → Final
- Round duration: ~12–15 minutes, including transitions
Round Structure:
- Topic reveal (1 min)
- Opening statement preparation — both teams (5 min)
- Opening statement — both teams (3 min speaking time each)
- Rapid rebuttal round — alternating 30-second bursts (4 min total)
- Closing statement (1 min each)
Rules:
- No personal attacks — arguments must target the motion, not the opponent.
- The timekeeper's buzzer/bell is final — speaking after time is up results in a point deduction.
- Topics are picked blind from a sealed set; no repeats across rounds.
- The Swap can only be triggered once per round by the moderator, no earlier than the rebuttal phase.
- Judges' scores are final; no on-the-spot disputes — concerns can only be flagged via the scorekeeper.