World's Largest Trivia Contest
One April weekend, every year in Stevens Point, the University radio station (90FM) hosts the world's largest trivia contest. Thousands of players from all over the world migrate back to Stevens Point to participate. These players form hundreds of teams that all compete to win.
How does the contest work?
The contest starts at 6pm on a Friday and last for 54 straight hours. Eight questions are asked over the 90FM airwaves each hour. Team contestants are given the length of time for two songs to play in which to respond with an answer. Each team is given one attempt to answer. All teams that respond correctly are given an equal share of the 2000 points that a question is worth, with a minimum of 5 points and a maximum of 500 points. So, if 100 teams got the answer right, the question would be worth 20 points. There are however, two hours during the contest when only four questions are asked. This allows the radio station time to read all of the team standings over the air.
What kind of questions are asked?
Jim Oliva (The Oz) and John Eckendorf, the writers of the contest, write a unique set of questions for each contest. Questions usually fall in several categories: movies, television, sports, music, radio, literature, current events, and product ingredients and advertising. I'm not sure if a question about a product ingredient is really trivia, but there sure are a lot of annoying questions about items that sit on grocery store shelves. In addition to the above questions there are "Running questions," "Trivia Stone Clues," "Music Questions" and "New Trivia Times Photo Questions."
Running Questions: The Running Questions are given at specific locations in Stevens Point at 7:00 A.M. both Saturday and Sunday mornings. Teams are asked to gather information within "running" distance of the meeting sight. Locations for the Running Questions are given in the Trivia Times (a newsletter given to each team).
Trivia Stone: The Trivia Stone is a rally, of sorts. During the contest, teams are instructed to follow a certain group of clues. These clues lead teams throughout the city and countryside, and at three times are instructed to get their Trivia Times booklet stamped. The stamps are then turned in at 6:30 Sunday evening for points. One stamp earns 50 points, two stamps 150 points, and three stamps 300 points. The first clue is given in the Trivia Times.
Music Questions: The music questions are snippets of 8 songs. There are three music questions, and each of the snippets is equivalent to one question. Question turn-in times are in your copy of The New Trivia Times. This is the booklet that you receive at the time of registration.
New Trivia Times Photo Questions: Every team is given a newsletter called the "New Trivia Times." Throughout the newsletter are pictures or cartoons with numbers. During the contest, teams are asked to identify who or what the picture is.
What do you win?
If you’re one of the top ten teams you will be awarded a trophy. All teams that participate in the contest also will be sent a certificate acknowledging their team name, place in the contest, and point total after the contest. Beginning with the 2000 contest, the winning team receives "The Point Cup" with their team name engraved on the side. The Point Cup is a traveling trophy. The first place team returns the trophy prior to the next contest.
Is there a parade?
Every year before the contest there is a parade that many teams participate in. Usually the parade takes place on the campus of the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. It starts a couple of hours before the contest starts on Friday. Teams are invited to participate by assembling a float or by just observing. Absurdity and bizarre behavior are common in this fun parade.
How can I play?
You can form your own team, or you could join ours! Follow this link to join The Collective. | 
