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BGonline.org Forums
USBGF - how to raise revenue and succeed
Posted By: Rod
Date: Friday, 19 July 2013, at 5:33 p.m.
1. License "official X of the USBGF" - board game makers (one of them will see it as enough of an advantage to pay - structure it properly, don't give too long a contract since the brand value will grow over time and you'll want to have the advantage of being able to renegotiate, and possibly allow for licensing to other, different tiers or board makes), other equipment makers (dice, cubes, cups, etc. even if this is for less - even if it's just for giveaways throughout the year for door prizes), online backgammon sites (between pogo, yahoo, msn, etc. I'm sure one of them wants to be "the official online preferred site of the US Backgammon Federation), etc.
2. Live events as discussed under David Levy's post.
3. Sponsorship for the federation and for live events.
4. Fundraising - founders cubes were a start. There are naming rights (multi year and permanent - stay away from perpetual until the brand has more value) for all of the different tournaments, USBGF kids/educational area, the magazine, etc.
5. [i can't take credit for this one] sign up a single hotel chain for all of the live tournaments - get as low rates and a contract for $X / night / room. Or a percent of total bill (hotel restaurant money too) and get members 5-10% off at the hotel restaurants.
6. A corporate backgammon challenge - like the Chase 5k that's in every city - so so so many casual bg players in the US (I pulled the US census data before starting the USBGF). 5 man corporate, university, etc teams. Or individual corporate challenge. Or both. Those who "cash" get to determine which charity that % of the prize pool gets donated to by the USBGF. Have corporations pay for the donation pool plus some operational fee. Profit comes from those corporations having sponsorship opportunities.
7. Remember the tennis star, Anna, the honorary cube was given to? When I contacted her agent, wrote the press release (and handed it off to the new Director) it was never meant to be the only one. EVERY month there should be one. Write up a press release once a quarter and pay to send it out on the AP news wire (used to be $150, probably more now) with the latest inductees. Newspapers will pick it up, especially regional ones and tabloids. Ultimately when there are 30-40 celebrities, get 4-8 of them to commit to a tournament matching them each with a Giant for some kind of weird doubles event that doesn't embarrass them (less than perfect play). Get sponsorship. Get it televised (espn 3 or something - some network with pick it up to edit into a 1/2-1 hour program). Have a big chunk of the sponsorship money go to a prize pool for donations to each celebrity participant's charity of choice. Have the largest prize be enough to entice the celebrities to come and play for a single match each. You don't want them wasting their time - photo shoot with each possible matchup, maybe some video. It would have to be very modified so they don't have to stick around a whole day, unless the money was significant enough.
8. Reach out to all existing backgammon and general games Meetups.
9. Canvas universities, digitally, seeking kids to start clubs. Post on Craigslist. Other places.
10. Reach out to places of worship (a nice emailed PDF) for members - notices about upcoming (live USBGF) tournaments - I have yet to attend a synagogue where there weren't at least several casual players who fancied themselves great, who might be more than happy to compete on a random weekend.
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