There's a balance. I've been to some really well run, smaller tournaments with no huge master scoreboard. You do pretty much need a PA -- and even then you have to send a couple of runners around for half the events. Rent on a facility for the 8 to 10 hours you're likely to need (don't forget set up and tear down) will run you somewhere around $1000 to $2000 -- or more. Sometimes an extra fee if you need AC running... You can't forget insurance, either, because almost any facility is going to insist that you have insurance. Say another $1000 for the day, at a guess. You see how it starts to run up in cost... Let's skip the monster trophies that are so common, and let's just have medals or ribbons. Keep the divisions to a manageable level*... and you're still talking several hundred or more.
Running a tournament runs to the tune of at least a couple thousand in the States, I think... and probably more like seven to ten thousand... And there just aren't lots of spectator tickets sold in general. There are only so many friends and families willing to hang around a gym on a Saturday!
*Figure 3 event categories (sparring, empty hand forms, and weapon forms). Break the youth division up into about 4 or 5 divisions (8 and under, 8-10, 11-13, 13-15, 16-17), and 4 weight classes (light, middle, heavy, super) for fighting. Maybe 2 or 3 adult age divisions (18 to 35, 36 to 50, 50+). About 4 or 5 skill levels -- novice (white/gold, 9th -6th kyu ), intermediate(green, 5th to 3rd), advanced (brown, 2nd-1st kyu), black belt, maybe advanced black. And, of course, mens & womens categories.... Adds up to a lot of medals or trophies or ribbons quick, huh? I keep hitting something like 144 first place alone, in the youth division! I'm doing the figuring in my head, so it's very possible I'm not right... But that'd be 2 (for sex) times 18 (5 youth divisions in 3 events plus an extra 3 for sparring) time 4 (skill levels)... Somebody who's run these check that, 'cause it seems like a hell of a lot!
