Challenge Sites

The Team Challenge sites will be spread around the University of Tennessee campus and the Knoxville Convention Center. Teams are encouraged to see as many Team Challenge solutions as possible while at the event. The Instant Challenge sites will be in the Humanities building on the UT campus. After completing an Instant Challenge, the team members will be escorted to a Chill Out area where they can prepare a festive “Ta-da!” exit celebration. Encourage your team members to cheer for other teams as they present their unique “Ta-da!” performances.
The Presentation Sites will be set up so the Appraisers and the audience will be able to see and enjoy your team’s Presentation to the fullest. Each Presentation Site has a Prop Storage Area nearby. If your team’s props were shipped, they will be delivered to the Prop Storage Area for your Challenge. See the Props section for more information.

Presentation Days

Your team’s Team Challenge and Instant Challenge Presentations will be scheduled over a two-day span. You can check the days and times of your Presentations approximately 10 days prior to the event on the Global Finals website. Your Affiliate Director may also have access to your Challenge days (but not times).
On both your Team Challenge and Instant Challenge Presentation days, consider the time it may take to travel the bus route, as well as the time needed to ready all props and paperwork – and plan to leave your housing location early enough so the trip is fun and not stressful for the team. Try to arrive at each Prep Area earlier than the time indicated in your specific Challenge materials.

Prop Shuttles

There will be a prop pick-up/delivery service available for those purchasing a University housing/meal package. It will operate by reservation only from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. This service will transport your props between your housing location and the prop storage room at your Challenge site. If your team is in need of the prop shuttle service, please schedule pick-up and delivery times at Registration when you arrive. (Prop shuttle service cannot be guaranteed unless it is scheduled at Registration.)

Tuesday and Wednesday

If you arrive on campus in time to do so before the Tournament starts, make sure to take the team to see its Presentation Site. The way the site is configured may be different from what your team has experienced in previous Tournaments. Seeing the site early will give the team time to adjust. You are welcome to see the site, but you are not permitted to practice at the Presentation Site.

Tips for Competition Days

Your team will compete on two of the three Tournament days. It will present its Team Challenge solution on one day, and on the other day, it will complete its Instant Challenge. The following tips may help those days run more smoothly.

• Set your team’s competition day schedule in advance so there will be no confusion. The competition schedule is typically posted on the Global Finals website two weeks prior to Opening Ceremony.
• Require that your team stays together on your competition days until after Presentations.
• Allow a lot of time to gather all the props and get to the Presentation Site.
• If possible, let parents take the props to the Presentation Site so you can focus on the team. Never leave props unattended: they might be removed by security officials.
• Make sure you have new sets of paperwork. Every Tournament needs complete, new sets of all the required paperwork (i.e., Tournament Data Form, Declaration of Independence, Expense Report).
• Send a duplicate set of paperwork to the Presentation Site with a parent.
• Allow plenty of time for the team to get into costume, either at the dorm, hotel or Dressing Room at the Challenge site.
• Practice Instant Challenge without parents.