▁scale . ▁The ▁season ▁sp ans ▁from ▁September ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March ▁and ▁at ▁times ▁into ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁April . ▁Colleg es ▁and ▁univers ities ▁host ▁tournament s ▁most ▁week ends ▁during ▁this ▁span ▁of ▁time . ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁Tourn aments ▁are ▁hosted ▁over ▁a ▁three - day ▁period ▁of ▁time , ▁in ▁most ▁instances . ▁This ▁can ▁either ▁be ▁Friday - S und ay , ▁or ▁more ▁often ▁Saturday - M ond ay . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁r ounds ▁per ▁tournament ▁ranges ▁from ▁ 6 - 8 ▁usually , ▁although ▁small ▁regional ▁tournament s ▁may ▁have ▁fewer . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁days ▁of ▁competition ▁are ▁when ▁the ▁pre lim inary ▁r ounds ▁occur , ▁possibly ▁beginning ▁the ▁first ▁out - round ▁the ▁second ▁night . ▁The ▁final ▁day ▁of ▁competition ▁is ▁reserved ▁for ▁out - r ounds . ▁ ▁Bre aking ▁into ▁Out - R ounds ▁The ▁same ▁system ▁is ▁used ▁for ▁determ ining ▁who ▁particip ates ▁in ▁elim ination ▁r ounds ▁at ▁the ▁college ▁level , ▁as ▁at ▁the ▁high ▁school ▁level . ▁It ▁is ▁common ▁for ▁tournament s ▁to ▁break ▁to ▁double ▁oct a - final s . ▁The ▁deliber ation ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁jud ges ▁in ▁these ▁elim ination ▁r ounds ▁is ▁often ▁length y , ▁hence ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁full ▁day ▁for ▁the ▁elim ination ▁r ounds ▁to ▁be ▁completed . ▁ ▁College ▁National ▁Championships ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁single ▁un ified ▁national ▁championship ▁in ▁college ▁debate ; ▁the ▁National ▁Deb ate ▁Tournament ▁( ND