Lead Your Local Debate Scene
SuperDebate gives you complete control to build the debate community you envision. From single events to full clubs with hundreds of members, our platform handles the logistics so you can focus on fostering great debates.
Four Event Types to Choose From
Each type has unique features to support different goals
Single Debates
One-off debates perfect for regular club meetings or standalone events
- Quick setup
- Flexible scheduling
- Great for beginners
Tournaments
Multi-round competitions with brackets and eliminations
- Bracket generation
- Single/double elimination
- Prize tracking
Workshops
Educational events focused on skill development
- Training modules
- Skill assessments
- Group exercises
Panel Discussions
Multi-participant discussions on complex topics
- Flexible formats
- Audience Q&A
- Expert moderators
Customize Debate Formats
SuperDebate's modular format gives you complete control.
This is NOT a rigid Oxford or Lincoln-Douglas format. You configure team sizes, speech durations, and rounds to match your event's goals - whether that's rapid-fire practice debates or deep policy analysis.
Team Size Configuration
No limits - from solo debates to large teams
- 1v1: Best for focused individual debates
- 2v2 to 5v5: Popular team formats for balanced dynamics
- 6+ per side: Supported for large club events
- Asymmetric teams: 3v2, 4v3 configurations allowed
Speech Duration Control
Set custom time limits for each speech type
- Constructive speeches: 3-10 minutes typical
- Cross-examination: 2-5 minutes
- Rebuttals: 2-5 minutes
- Prep time: 5-10 min standard, or reveal topics in advance
Round Customization
Add, remove, or reorder speech rounds
- Add extra rebuttal rounds for deeper analysis
- Remove cross-examination for faster debates
- Reorder speeches to fit your preferred flow
- Save custom formats as templates
Real-World Format Examples
Quick Practice Debate
Fast-paced for training nights
Team Size: 1v1
Duration: 15 minutes total
Prep: 5 min on-the-spot
Format:
- • 3-min constructive (each side)
- • 2-min cross-ex (each side)
- • 2-min rebuttal (each side)
- • 1-min closing (each side)
Championship Final
In-depth competition format
Team Size: 2v2
Duration: 45 minutes total
Prep: 10 min on-the-spot
Format:
- • 7-min constructive (each side)
- • 5-min cross-ex (each side)
- • 5-min first rebuttal (each side)
- • 4-min second rebuttal (each side)
- • 3-min closing (each side)
Policy Deep Dive
Topics revealed in advance
Team Size: 3v3 (or asymmetric)
Duration: 60 minutes total
Prep: Topics announced 1 week early
Format:
- • Research period before event
- • 10-min constructive (each side)
- • Extended cross-ex rounds
- • Multiple rebuttals for depth
Design Custom Scoring Rubrics
Educational events need different scoring than competitive tournaments. You control the criteria, weights, and scoring scale.
Choose Criteria
Select which aspects of debate performance to score
Set Weights
Assign importance (percentage) to each criterion
Configure Scoring
Set max points per category and overall scoring method
Educational Mode
Focus on feedback over competition for learning events
Complete Club Management Suite
Everything you need to run a thriving debate community
Member Management
Control who joins and their permissions
- Approve/deny membership requests
- Assign roles: Admin, Moderator, Member
- Track member activity and engagement
- Remove inactive or problematic members
Automated Communications
Keep members informed without manual work
- Event reminder emails (24hr, 1hr before)
- New member welcome messages
- Announcement system for club news
- Debate result notifications
Analytics Dashboard
Track club health and growth
- Member engagement metrics
- Event attendance trends
- Growth analytics (new members, retention)
- Debate statistics (total debates, winners, etc.)
Event Scheduling
Plan and coordinate debates efficiently
- Recurring event templates
- Capacity management and waitlists
- Conflict detection (venue, judge availability)
- Integration with member calendars
Automated Judge Management
Finding and coordinating judges is one of the hardest parts of running debates. We automate most of it.
Auto-Assignment
System automatically assigns qualified judges based on availability and experience
Judge Pool Management
Build and maintain a roster of trained judges for your events
Auto-Approve Option
Let qualified judges self-assign to events or require manual approval
Conflict of Interest
System prevents judges from scoring debates with known participants
Quality Control
Review judge scores and feedback to ensure consistency
Training Requirements
Require judges to complete certification before scoring debates
How Judge Auto-Assignment Works
- 1. System checks judge pool for qualified candidates
- 2. Filters out conflicts of interest (knows participants)
- 3. Prioritizes by experience level and availability
- 4. Sends assignment notifications automatically
- 5. Confirms or finds backup if judge declines
Run Professional Tournaments
All the tools you need for multi-round competitive events
Bracket Generation
Automatically create single or double-elimination brackets
Seeding & Pairing
Seed participants by skill level and generate fair matchups
Multi-Round Management
Track progress through preliminary, semi-final, and final rounds
Live Updates
Spectators can view live brackets and results as they happen
Prize Management
Track winners and awards for each bracket position
Swiss System Option
Alternative to elimination - everyone debates every round
Getting Started as an Organizer
From idea to thriving club in 7 steps
- 1
Create your club profile with branding (logo, description, location)
- 2
Customize your default debate format and scoring rubric
- 3
Invite initial members and assign admin/moderator roles
- 4
Create your first event and configure all settings
- 5
Build your judge pool (recruit or use auto-assignment)
- 6
Promote your event to attract participants
- 7
Run the event, gather feedback, and iterate for next time
Explore More
Learn about other roles in the SuperDebate community
Ready to Build Your Community?
Whether you're hosting a single debate or building the largest club in your city, SuperDebate gives you the tools to make it happen.
Need help? Read our Complete Club Guide