2022 J! Tournament of Champions format announced

[Joe Mello]

Since there's usually 6 weeks of "event programming" and some of those events are now being put on ABC, I wonder if making the TOC longer is trying to fill the gap to some extent. I also wonder, since 12 games are guaranteed, if they'll tape in 6-a-day blocks instead of 5.

I think the GOAT part may be a little too much, but I don't mind the rest of the setup. 2-game semis would be too much bloat, and I think a 3-game final to balance it out is a non-starter. I feel a little bad for the other double digit champs, but being that there's a 7? game gap between 3rd and 4th, I get why they might be lumped in with The Rest.

[Strikerz04]

Curious how a variable-length TOC would work logistically with bringing in regular contestants for games after the TOC, since they won't know far in advance the number of shows they need to tape for that week.

Sale of the Century (at least with and before the 88 tournament) aired in sequence and didn't impact taping schedule. After the tournament, you air your next 5, in order, and if there's a reduced or extended taping schedule, adjust accordingly.

[jjman920]

Is this tournament going to be in syndication or primetime? I suspect the latter, but doing it in syndication fixes the one fault the GOAT tournament had (and I suppose this is only a fault for those tasked with doing the programming around it): the uncertainty of how many games the tournament will last.

If you do it in the normal run, you can simply revert to normal play once it's over, like 80s Pyramid did.

I think the affiliates would revolt if they moved the tourney to primetime. Though who knows, maybe in the future they consider making the ToC a primetime event.

Curious how a variable-length TOC would work logistically with bringing in regular contestants for games after the TOC, since they won't know far in advance the number of shows they need to tape for that week.

I think they could film around the ToC. In 2018, when Alex needed emergency surgery and tapings needed to be canceled, I thought they later filmed a tournament that had its taping postponed and just plopped it in where it was needed. I forget the tournament, either teen or college. Obviously, that tournament was structed with a known end point, but I can see them just filming the ToC on standalone tape days. If they happen to have a short taping day, they just have a short taping day.

[Unrealtor]

Curious how a variable-length TOC would work logistically with bringing in regular contestants for games after the TOC, since they won't know far in advance the number of shows they need to tape for that week.

If it were me, I'd plan the ToC as a standalone taping and plan on six episodes for the next few taping days with a couple SoCal-based contestants for each who can come (or not come) on short notice, then do as many of them as needed to get back to the regular cycle.

[TimK2003]

80's Pyramid wasn't the only show that ended a tournament mid-episode:

The Joker's Wild also resumed regular gameplay after the Tournament of Champions ended at least one year.  IIRC, they even pulled down the TOC signage during the commercial.

Of course, J! will not end a TOC mid-episode, but there should be no reason why they can't resume regular civilian play if the tournament ends sooner than they expected.  They could always shoot a drop-in/recap congratulating the TOC winner from the episode before if the regular episodes were already in the can.   

[TLEberle]

I’d think partially at least- plus you’ve got so many qualifiers plus the 2nd Chance winners.

I actually like the first to 3 wins final. A lot of times with a 2-day final you’ll either have everyone play it safe on day one, or someone gets a big lead or a big deficit depending on the category draw. At least with first to 3 that balances out.

I thin’ there’s something for everyone to not like. I think the beauty of the TOC at ten shows is there aren’t any free passes, and part of the fun is seeing if the powerhouses will wilt under the pressure or shine through.

If they are going to keep the race to three (which I’m fine with) make each win worth $25,000, or if you win you keep your bank. Either way.

[Jeremy Nelson]

I thought the two week tournament was a damn near perfect concept, so with the College Championship and now the ToC upending the apple cart, I'm a little shaky on this.

Is this tournament going to be in syndication or primetime? I suspect the latter, but doing it in syndication fixes the one fault the GOAT tournament had (and I suppose this is only a fault for those tasked with doing the programming around it): the uncertainty of how many games the tournament will last.

If you do it in the normal run, you can simply revert to normal play once it's over, like 80s Pyramid did.

I think the affiliates would revolt if they moved the tourney to primetime. Though who knows, maybe in the future they consider making the ToC a primetime event.

Well, Davies brought up the idea of possibly doing the ToC Finals in primetime live, but I would guess you'd need to at least give the affiliates the quarters and semis.

[weaklink75]

As an aside, Celebrity Jeopardy! is going to be a full 13-week tournament:

https://www.tvinsider.com/1056959/celebrity-jeopardy-abc-game-changes/

MD is saying things about it being "a somewhat new format”- don't know if that means they'll follow the GOAT game format with two full games in the hour with total points winning or something different than that- 13 weeks is perfect if they have 27 celebs in all (9 first round games, 3 semi-finals, 1 final)..

[weaklink75]

An interesting bit of news here- The 11/8 episode is not scheduled to be a normal ToC ep, because of the many pre-emptions likely due to it being Election Night. What’s being rumored is a aired practice match between Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, and Mattea Roach (since all three get a bye into the semi-finals they want to give them a chance to get back into the swing of buzzer timing and such before they play)…


https://www.tvinsider.com/1059414/jeopardy-election-day-episode-matt-amodio-amy-schneider-mattea-roach/

[BrandonFG]

An interesting bit of news here- The 11/8 episode is not scheduled to be a normal ToC ep, because of the many pre-emptions likely due to it being Election Night. What’s being rumored is a aired practice match between Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, and Mattea Roach (since all three get a bye into the semi-finals they want to give them a chance to get back into the swing of buzzer timing and such before they play)…


https://www.tvinsider.com/1059414/jeopardy-election-day-episode-matt-amodio-amy-schneider-mattea-roach/

It's a smart programming strategy but I'd actually love to see that match, considering my precincts will just be wrapping up at 7:30. Hopefully the J! Youtube page puts it online at some point.

[weaklink75]

FYI- Celeb J! will have 1 game per ep in an hour long format: Triple Jeopardy has been added (6 categories, 3 DDs)-

https://www.google.com/amp/s/parade.com/.amp/tv/celebrity-jeopardy-triple-jeopardy-exclusive

(And clues go 100-500 in J, 200-1000 in DJ, 300-1500 in TJ so the total values add up the same, though with the extra DDs- will be interesting to see how the strategies will change)