For background: I’m a student who works on the school’s AV team. I’ve been doing sound and production for about 8 years through interning at large churches in my area. I’m very familiar with complex A/V things. At school, our AV team run all assemblies and outsider events. We show up early, stay late, and try to stay professional even when people are stressed.
Yesterday we had a big Baseball Bash event. I got there at 3 to start setting up. While we were preparing, a woman tried to get into the building early. I let her in and used my usual polite “service voice.” About 30 minutes later, that same woman complained that computers were supposed to already be set up. We already referred her to the IT department, and the IT said these were the computers ready for them. They weren’t yet, and she got rude with us. We didn’t argue, we just handled it.
Later, I found the coach running the event and asked for the full rundown, slides, order of events, and equipment needs. He said he needed two handheld wireless mics. I brought them down and clearly explained how to mute/unmute and, importantly, how to hold them properly for best performance. For context, this coach has a history of being rude to our AV team.
Our wireless equipment can cut out in certain areas if you move around too much, and it definitely doesn’t work properly if you hold the mic by the antenna. Sure enough, the audio started cutting in and out due they were walking around and covering the antenna. The coach began making snarky comments about the mics. During dinner, I politely explained again how to hold the mic and where to stand for best signal. He ignored the advice. Then he made another comment saying the mics must be “four dollars” and that we “can’t run things.” Another person even said, “Hey AV guys, pay attention and go to the next slide,” while we were literally waiting for their cue to change slides after 30 minutes past their schedule.
At the end of the event, the coach said, “Hey guys, come get your mics that don’t work.” I’ll admit, I got a little petty. I went to the booth, grabbed the mic, tested it in front of them, and said, “Test… wow, it works!”
The same woman from earlier screamed me that wasn’t necessary. Then the coach came up yelling and asked who my boss was. I told him and said, respectfully, that he didn’t follow the instructions we gave him. We even had a picture of him holding the mic by the antenna after being told not to.
Later, my boss texted me saying he was on my side and would’ve done the same thing. He’s been documenting the ongoing treatment our team; from the staff, unlike outside events; gets to bring to the head of school since it’s ridiculous.
To top it off, when we were putting the podium back and testing it (which our dean regularly uses), the coach and another guy started clapping sarcastically because it worked “unlike the mics.”
So AITJ for testing the mic in front of them and pointing out that it worked after being blamed all night?
NTA. You were polite, professional, and clearly explained how to use the equipment. The problem wasn’t you—it was them ignoring instructions and being rude. Showing that the mic worked wasn’t petty, it was just the truth. They brought the blame on themselves.
NTA and this was just good petty revenge on the Ahole.
You are a student club, not a paid employee of an AV business. Even if the microphones WERE broken and you were paid staff, you don’t belittle the employees. You don’t personally own these microphones. The fact that these coaches would act this way towards STUDENTS who are volunteering their time to manage their event is baffling. Your faculty supervisor should refuse their events in the future. They can raise money to hire an organization to manage their AV and berate them all they want. When they can find anyone willing to work for them while paid, maybe they’ll reconsider their behavior.
NTA. Why do they let you all be treated this way? This is not okay and whoever is in charge needs to have a friken backbone.
Why do you put up with this grief? Who would voluntarily do all this work for little or no pay just to get yelled at by others. NTA but you really need to rethink if this is something you want to spend your time doing.
NTA. I am so sorry that the adults around you can’t be basically decent to the hard-working students.
NTA, you are a volunteer kid and this is a learning experience. Now you know to use mics WITHOUT switches, or tape the switches ON and control them from the console so idiots don’t make you look bad. Sadly you must also teach your elders how to treat technicians – make sure the people who are rude to you never get a properly working piece of equipment again, and always blame cheapskate management when things don’t work…