How to Reduce Event-Day Stress for Combat Robot Events

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned from running Robot Smashing League events is that smooth events are usually the result of preparation long before the doors open.

Event day moves fast. Between registration, safety checks, brackets, stream setup, questions from competitors, and troubleshooting unexpected issues, it’s easy to get overwhelmed if too many decisions are left for the last minute.

Our general philosophy is simple:

Reduce event-day decisions.

Anything you can prepare ahead of time becomes one less thing you need to solve while the event is actively running.

Whether you’re hosting your first combat robot competition or refining your existing process, here are some of the biggest things we recommend preparing ahead of time.

2–3 Weeks Before the Event

Confirm Venue Logistics

If you’re working with a new venue, this is one of the most important steps in the planning process.

Before the event, confirm:

• Parking and load-in areas
• Power availability
• Internet access
• Pit space layout
• Table and chair setup
• Spectator flow
• Venue opening times
• Any restrictions or venue-specific requirements

One thing we’ve found especially helpful at new venues is creating a simple parking or load-in map for competitors. Even a basic visual guide can reduce confusion significantly on event morning.

If you’re evaluating a new venue for future use, this is also a great time to check out our venue assessment checklist.

Coordinate Volunteers and Staff

Even smaller events benefit from clearly assigned responsibilities.

For our events, we typically have:

• 3 judges
• 1 stream operator
• 1–2 MCs or announcers
• 1 referee or cage manager
• 1 concession stand manager
• 1 runner/helper

The “runner” role is often overlooked but becomes extremely valuable during busy periods when people need breaks or extra assistance.

Clearly assigning responsibilities ahead of time helps reduce confusion once matches begin.

About two weeks before the event, we recommend sending a confirmation to your volunteers and staff to make sure everyone is still planning on attending and what time they should arrive. This gives you time to fill any missing roles before the event gets too close.

Confirm Food and Concessions

If your event includes concessions or food options, it’s important to confirm those plans ahead of time as well.

Whether you’re coordinating with a food truck, ordering pizza, or stocking a concession stand, confirming your food plan early helps avoid last-minute scrambling and gives attendees a better experience during the event.

This is also a good time to review concession inventory and general event supplies such as:

• Zip ties
• Tape
• Extension cords
• Power strips
• Batteries
• Cleaning supplies
• Pens and markers

Waiting until the last few days can create unnecessary stress if something is missing or delayed.

Perform Initial Equipment Checks

We typically do our first major equipment check about one to two weeks before the event. This gives enough time to identify problems and replace anything damaged or missing before event day.

Things we usually test include:

• Stream setup
• Audio equipment
• Cameras
• Visual displays
• Power distribution
• Cables and adapters

Finding issues early is always easier than troubleshooting them while competitors are waiting. We weren’t able to do this for our May event, and we had technical issues all day.

1 Week Before the Event

Send a Competitor Information Email

About one week before the event, we send competitors a high-level information email covering:

• What to expect
• What they need to bring
• General schedule information
• Check-in expectations
• Basic venue details

Competitors are significantly less stressed when they know what to expect before arriving.

Print Physical Materials

There isn’t a lot of physical materials that we bring to the event, but you’ll want to think through what items you need printed and print them early.

Before the event, we recommend printing:

• Judge sheets and rules
• Any concession pricing sheets
• Any Event QR code links or other notices.
• Direction signs (arrows for how to get to the specific location or to restrooms)

Prepare Social Media and Stream Assets

The day of an event can get hectic very quickly. It’s easy to forget to post updates or share livestream links when you’re focused on running the competition.

Preparing content ahead of time makes this much easier.

Consider preparing:

• “We are live” posts
• Livestream links
• Sponsor shout-outs
• Event graphics
• Pre-written captions

If you plan to livestream your event, it’s also a good idea to create and schedule the stream ahead of time.

For newer YouTube channels, livestreaming may require additional setup or verification. When we first started, we could not immediately go live without advance setup, so it’s worth checking this before event day.

3 Days Before the Event

Send Final Competitor Instructions

We usually send a second competitor email around three days before the event, although sometimes this ends up happening the night before depending on venue familiarity and final logistics.

This email typically includes:

• Parking instructions
• Load-in details
• Venue maps
• Final schedule reminders
• Any last-minute updates
• How to Speed up Check-in (pre-pay or fill out waiver early)

This communication becomes especially important when working with a new venue.

Review Backup Plans

You do not need to prepare for every possible problem, but asking a few “what if” questions ahead of time can help reduce stress significantly.

For example:

• What if the internet stops working?
• What if stream equipment fails?
• What if someone doesn’t show up?
• What if software has issues?
• What if the food truck doesn’t show?

Even simple backup plans can make event-day problem solving much easier.

Finalize Brackets and Registration Information

One of the biggest time savers on event day is preparing registration and bracket information ahead of time.

We try to:

• Add competitors into the event management system beforehand
• Verify registrations
• Update competitor information
• Set up brackets before the event starts

The less typing and data entry required on event morning, the smoother the event usually runs.

If you don’t yet have a structured check-in process, using a check-in sheet can help guide organizers through registration step by step. Here is the template that we’ve used in the past. It works well with the RCE report.

The Day Before the Event

Perform Final Equipment Checks

The day before the event, we perform one final equipment review to verify everything is at the venue, charged, and functioning correctly.

This includes:

• Charging batteries
• Testing audio and stream scenes
• Verifying cables and adapters
• Confirming internet plans

Small issues caught the night before are much easier to solve than problems discovered during the drivers’ meeting.

Final Thoughts

No event runs perfectly.

Unexpected issues will always come up, whether it’s technology problems, schedule delays, or venue surprises. The goal is not perfection — it’s reducing preventable stress so you can focus on competitors, spectators, and running a great event.

The more decisions you eliminate before event day, the easier it becomes to adapt when things inevitably change.

That preparation is often what separates a stressful event from a smooth one.