Any interest in a head-to-head debate option at Brewer Fanatic?

[Brock Beauchamp]

We rolled this out last year at Twins Daily and it's pretty fun. We only do it during the offseason to keep people engaged during what can be a pretty boring five months, particularly here in the upper midwest.

The way it works is this:

A topic is picked by someone and people silently enroll to be one of two debaters on that topic (the example I'll list below is Kirby Puckett or Joe Mauer: who was better?). Once two anonymous users have agreed to debate, the debate happens in four parts: Opening Statement, Rebuttal 1, Rebuttal 2, Closing Statement.

The debate moderator posts *for* the debaters under obfuscated special accounts, once every 24 hours so both debaters have time to research and respond. No one reading the debate knows who is debating in an attempt to avoid bias. This is key because it allows anyone from a brand new user to an owner of the site to participate without losing/gaining votes based on user popularity.

The debate topic is locked so no one can post until the debate is concluded.

After the debate is complete, a poll is added to the debate and everyone is allowed to vote on the more convincing debater. 

Then the polls close and the debate topic is open to all users to participate in the debate and continue the conversation.

Here is an example of a Twins Daily debate: https://twinsdaily.com/forums/topic/53816-debate-no-2-who-was-the-better-player-kirby-puckett-or-joe-mauer-debatepoll-concluded-thread-open/

Is this something you all find appealing as a way to kill a long, dark offseason?

[clancyphile]

I like the idea, especially on some topics.

[MrTPlush]

Seems fun....do people get to enroll under their preferred argument? Or can you be forced to argue for what you don't exactly believe in?

I'd be side guessing to see if I can figure out who the mystery posters are. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

23 minutes ago, MrTPlush said:

Seems fun....do people get to enroll under their preferred argument? Or can you be forced to argue for what you don't exactly believe in?

I'd be side guessing to see if I can figure out who the mystery posters are. 

No one is forced to debate any side, we try to find people who naturally find themselves on opposite sides of an argument.

[CheezWizHed]

Thumbs up. Sounds like an interesting forum twist.