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BGonline.org Forums
"Backgammon" / "Poker" ratio on Google searches as indicator of relative popularity
Posted By: Phil Simborg In Response To: "Backgammon" / "Poker" ratio on Google searches as indicator of relative popularity (leobueno)
Date: Tuesday, 29 January 2013, at 10:51 p.m.
Those of us who play tournament backgammon do not see the game growing at that level, and we tend to get somewhat depressed at the lack of growth and lack of young people taking up the game. What we must remember is that only a very small percentage of people who play backgammon ever make it to a live tournament. We must also do more to figure out how to get more people to tournaments...I have several theories, and that's another subject, but largely because of the expense and format, we are greatly limiting the number of people who might take up live, tournament play.
On a more positive note, because of the research I am my partners have been doing relative to backgammon socially and on smart phones and tablets, I am seeing numbers that are very encouraging. There are huge numbers of people out there who love and play the game that we never see in our little corner of the Backgammon world, and there is great potential for growth in all areas of the game with proper organization, structure, marketing and promotion.
Until I started getting involved in this research I was quite negative and depressed about the lack of growth, but I have become quite optimistic.
What I am saying is that I don't care if Poker, or Tennis or Golf or Movies are more popular than Backgammon or how they compare...though comparisons can be interesting as we might learn from what other pasttimes have done to grow. I do think we need to become progressive in getting more people to take up the game, find excellent ways to learn (which has proven to cause people to commit more long-term to a given activity), and find excellent, economical venues to compete in a fun, friendly, and challenging atmosphere.
How else but through organizations and volunteers can this possibly be achieved? For the very few of us here that are negative and critical of Federations and/or their leadership, even if those criticisms are valid, it's the best shot we have, so I encourage all to be supportive and work for improvement if you don't like things, but don't be a voice of complete negativity and discontent. There will always be kooks, dissenters, and simply, jerks who can never be pleased, but if nothing else, let's make sure they don't hurt the bigger cause and bigger picture and let's not help them spread their nasty vibes.
Off of soapbox!
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