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BGonline.org Forums
Picture, Cameras, Computers, Pads
Posted By: Phil Simborg In Response To: Picture, Cameras, Computers, Pads (Chiva Tafazzoli)
Date: Wednesday, 6 March 2013, at 3:07 p.m.
I agree with your premise that technology has "changed" the game, but I totally disagree that it has "killed" the game. What it killed was a lot of the access to fish, as now people who are bad know they are bad, and so they go to play poker or some other game where they still stupidly lose their money.
I believe the game has improved, but because the game is still largely run by people like you (good people who mean well but refuse to change with the times and accept that when times change, so must we all), the game has continued to lose momentum because you are still trying to market to and attract a market that is no longer there.
You recognize that we don't have the same people attracted to tournaments...people with fat wallets who love to gamble even though they are fish. But you, and most of the rest of the backgammon world, has steadfastly refused to adjust.
This game is a wonderful game EVEN IF IT IS NOT PLAYED FOR BIG MONEY AND NOT FOR GAMBLING. Realize that, and look to the new market. The market of people who are not interested in going to tournaments mainly to gamble, but to enjoy the intellectual competition. People who know they play at 9 or 10 or 11 PR but are excited to compete with other players at that level (intermediates), and people who believe that since they can play under 8 PR they have a chance to beat a Giant and would love the chance to play one, provided they don't have to pay an arm and a leg to do so.
In short, if you LOWER the entry fee, LOWER the prize money, and simply take a reasonable fee that allows you to cover your expenses and make a reasonable profit for all your work in promoting and running the tournaments, YOU WILL GET MANY MORE PEOPLE to come, and the game will grow. You will make as much money and for a lot less money, people will be able to come and afford the tournament experience. (Check out Bridge and Scrabble and Chess and many other games where there is no prize money and people travel across the world to win points and status and to compete.)
Yes, there are still a few that come for the gambling and think they can win money. 99 percent of them are "Open" players, and for those people, you can offer large and multiple side pools.
By the way, once you start getting dozens, and even hundreds more people to come to the events, you will also attract sponsors to help defray your costs and to provide added money. You can also charge for streaming (a small amount) and give your sponsors more world-wide coverage there and make some income from that.
Times have changed, and you, and others, have noticed this very clearly. Don't curse the technology....light a bandwith!
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