• There is no restriction on the number of events a single student may enter. 

• All programs and speeches must not have been used by a student in any competition (high school or college) prior to September 1, 2026.  Competitors must be undergraduates working on their first degree.   

• The same event recording will be used for preliminary and final rounds. Please ensure the video is “unlisted” on YouTube rather than set to “private” so that judges can successfully view the recording. It is important that you confirm your team’s video links are accurate and accessible by the registration deadline.  

• LP prompts will be released as a downloadable file on SpeechWire. LP Events only need to provide one video for all rounds. Impromptu videos should include prep time.  Extemp should NOT include prep time. 

• Recordings are expected to be unique to the Mardi Gras Asynch Classic. Competitors should not submit the same recorded speech entry to a different asynchronous tournament (previously or in the future). 

• Entry fees are $10 per event slot. 

• Please provide one qualified judge for every six events. All schools must include one judge with their entry, regardless of entry size. If you seek an exemption from this requirement, please reach out to Mallory to clarify your needs. 

• All uncovered slots will incur an additional $20 fee. The tournament director reserves the right to limit the number of uncovered slots per team due to tournament needs. 

• Any judges dropped after ballots have been released will each be assessed a $100 fee.  

• Any judges failing to turn ballots in on time will each be assessed a $100 fee (unless arrangements have been made in advance with the tournament director). 

• A finalized invoice will be emailed directly to head coaches or team captains along with payment information. 

Fee Payment Options 

• CREDIT CARD: You may pay by credit card via the following link: https://commerce.cashnet.com/COMMSTUDY. Please be aware there is a 2.5% processing fee. 

• MAIL A CHECK: Dr. Ashley Mack, Louisiana State University, 136 Coates Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (Make checks payable to: LSU Speech & Debate Team) 

• We will use AFA-style rules and tabulation. All relevant AFA-NST legislation for regular-season qualifying tournaments will guide the tournaments’ policies as applicable. 

• Events that have 7 or fewer entries will be judged "head-to-head" by three judges.   

• Events with 8 or more entries will be judged by two judges in "preliminary" rounds and then broken to a "head-to-head" final with at least one judge (3 if the pool allows).   

• From prelims into the final, ties will be broken by speaker points.  In "head-to-head" rounds, ties will be broken by speaker points and then by judges' preference.