Common sparring area

[Angela Christine]

Hmm, if a major concern is people taking an OOC interest in the area to max out their combat skills, why not make it a room where skills can not improve?  If you want to spend 7 hours out of every 9 sparring because it is what your character would do, fine, but you can't max out your skills doing it.  That would leave it useful for settling disputes or putting on a show for your friends, but useless for skill maxing.

AC

[crymerci]

Good idea, AC.

Another possibility: only have the establishment open on certain days and times, or only have the ring open to PCs at certain times. Amateur night, if you will.