Generating its fair share of controversy in comedy circles of late is the recently concluded SkitSkat Comedy Showdown and Awards.  A recent addition to the city's comedy festival circuit, the principal objection to SkitSkat is its venue: the Broadway Comedy Club, one of the old-school New York stand-up venues that is trying to capitalize on the booming sketch and improv scene.  At issue is the cost: $15 to get in, plus a two drink minimum.  Minimal poking around the site also reveals that the "awards" are somewhat dubious: 

Nominated troupes whom [sic] are selected to perform at the awards show on June 21st will receive heavier marketing campaigns throughout the festival as well as have their performances broadcast live on the jumbotron in the heart of Times Square.  The winners will be able to promote upcoming shows, videos, and website presence, a cash value of over $20,000.

On the matter of cost; SkitSkat has clearly not done their homework here.  One of the principal reasons for the thriving improv and sketch comedy scene is the affordability of the shows.  You can see the top performers in the industry on a weekly basis at the UCB, PIT, and Magnet theaters for between $5-8, and drinks, though available for very cheap prices, are completely optional.  Since the core of the audience at these theaters is comedy enthusiasts and their peers, you're talking about a demographic group that is going to balk at paying around $30 (after drinks, tax, and tip) for a half-hour comedy show.  

As for the "awards," there are plenty of problems with the structure proposed by the festival organizers.  For one thing, the only people who wander past the Spotlight jumbotron are tourists, not comedy fans, and when they do look up at it, they're looking to see other tourists making fools of themselves singing karaoke.  In the unlikely event that a tourist did bother to stop, pull out a pen and paper, and jot down a comedy group's website, that's not going to do much to help a New York-based comedy group build an audience, and it's hardly worth $20,000.  I assume this figure comes from the cost of buying advertising on the jumbotron, but buzz around comedy groups in the city doesn't come from giant neon ads in Times Square, it comes from word-of-mouth and artistic respect around the community.  From where I'm sitting, SkitSkat isn't offering much to that community with this festival, and isn't showing it much respect with its blatant attempt to exploit it, either.