Have Some Fun!
Da$h for Ca$h
Here's What the Event is Like
This event provides the contestants with a chance to win money while the fans are entertained. To put it simply—spread cash on the court and allow the participants to pick it up. Of course, just placing money on the court and saying "help yourself" would be kind of boring. Following are several suggestions for making this event more exciting:
Blindfolds-Avoid this event from becoming a case of the "strongest" contestant wins. It is highly recommended that the participants be blindfolded.
How Much Ca$h? -There are several options in terms of money placed on the floor. You could: Tie it in with a significant event such as an anniversary, a team's record, the points scored by the team last game, all season, etc. Or, you could partner with a radio station and bring in an amount representing their frequency (Sportainment did this with a station found at 1050 on the dial, so there was $1,050 on the court). Make sure you pick an amount you can afford to lose if a sponsor is not covering it!
Suppose you decide to have $200 on the court. You then must determine what denominations to use. You want as many bills as possible on the floor—therefore, use primarily ones. You can also increase the excitement considerably by including a $100 bill.
Time-Limit the participants to 30-45 seconds to gather up the cash. Any longer, and the activity actually seems to drag on. The sense of urgency is lost. You may also tie this number into the game itself.
Extras-How about having the money brought in by an armed security guard? A Brinks truck? Invite members of an area martial arts school to perform, and while the Dash 4 Ca$h is taking place, have them "guard" the money from any overzealous fans. Get creative and have fun.
Guidelines for Running the Event
It is surprising how little money is picked up by the contestants if they are blindfolded and have a time limit. Unfortunately, it is also surprising how many bills need to be on the court to appear as though there is a lot of money. A minimum of 100 bills is necessary. Keep the bills in a relatively small area, so it seems as though there is a lot of money on the floor.
It is recommended that you go to an area pharmacy or discount store and purchase "real" blindfolds. They look better and are more effective than placing a towel around the contestant's face at the last minute.
A Few Words about Prizes and Sponsors
The prizes, in this case, are rather obvious—cash. You may, however, vary how this is awarded. Take your pick from the following: Everyone keeps what they pick up; everyone keeps what they pick up, and the one with the most gets whatever is left; only the individual with the most cash gets to keep it; or . . .
In terms of a sponsor, it is great to tie the event in with the name or type of business you have as a partner. Include financial institutions (banks, credit unions), radio or television stations, any company with a "number" in their name that you could use as a tie-in to the amount of $$ on the floor. A "natural" tie is not a requirement. Remember . . . the best partner is the one who agrees to be a sponsor!
Variations on the Da$h 4 Ca$h
Splash 4 Ca$h
A close relative of the Dash 4 Ca$h, this event is best suited for outdoor sports but can be used at your Tip-Off as well. Obtain a small children's pool and have it filled with water . . . the colder, the better. Then, place the cash (preferably coins) at the bottom of the pool. See the previous explanation for determining the amount of money. Once again, have two contestants compete for the rewards.
Sticky Buns
In this case, the participants are outfitted with "sticky buns." In other words, their back end is dressed with tape, and the sticky side is out. (One college actually had the participants sit in honey to create the "sticky" of the Sticky Buns.)
Cash is spread around the playing surface. Contestants bounce around on their backside to get as much money to "stick to their buns" as possible. How about a bakery for a sponsor?
