I'm trying to reach some sort of critical mass with our fledgling local game club. Any nuggets of wisdom on what works and what doesn't in creating and sustaining a successful ASL club would be much appreciated
I'm trying to reach some sort of critical mass with our fledgling local game club. Any nuggets of wisdom on what works and what doesn't in creating and sustaining a successful ASL club would be much appreciated
A regular spot to play, say once/month. Hopefully some place that's reasonably convenient for most.Originally Posted by Mark Humphries
I'm trying to reach some sort of critical mass with our fledgling local game club. Any nuggets of wisdom on what works and what doesn't in creating and sustaining a successful ASL club would be much appreciated
First is the place to play. Then you've got to get people to show up no matter what. There's no point to having the club if players keep begging off because of other obligations. It has to be a priority with them to show up every week/month.
I once wrote an article about this based on our experiences building the ASL scene in central Texas (Austin). I think it was in Recon By Fire #1. Anyway, here are some thoughts.
0. As others have noted, you must have a regular time and place to play. We've had our best success by sticking to a schedule of the first Saturday of every month being a game day hosted at a member's house. At first there were only one or two hosts, but over time others have stepped up to fit into the rotation. We now have 4 members who host. I'm hosting tomorrow. This works far better than simply choosing random days and emailing everyone a week or two in advance. Having a set date on the calendar allows players to plan. This is especially important for many guys who have commitments and families.
1. Communication. We maintain an email list (actually two of them, as the Houston guys started their own, and there's frequent cross-posting between the two) which we use frequently to post about various club issues. There are many services available that will allow you to start a list. We use Yahoo Groups. That also allows us to maintain a calendar which sends out reminders for club events, a place to post photos, etc.
3. Patience and persistence. If you think a club will spring up instantly, you're fooling yourself. You have to keep at it all the time. Some players will show up once or twice but never pan out. We used to say that we'd get 3 or 4 guys to show interest for every one that actually stuck to it. But if you build it, they will eventually come.
The above are easily the most important things. Focus on that first. If you have more time and energy, or as you build momentum, you can try other things. We've tried many of the following, with varying degrees of success. You may or may not want to try any of these, depending on what you are good at and your energy level. Two in particular (tourney and newsletter) are huge and difficult.
4. Consider starting a tournament. This is tough to pull off and a huge amount of work, so make sure you're up to the task before you decide to try this. There are a lot of other well established tourneys out there competing for players too. Ours is in June and we'll be celebrating our 15th straight year this year. Check us out! :-) It might actually be better to try going to a few tourneys with some of your other local players to get more playing time in rather than trying to start one of your own.
5. Build a web presence. Get your club listed on MMP's website and others. Build a club web page or blog. Surf this site and others and check out the players wanted section every now and again.
6. Have a regular social outlet. Our club has a standing lunch date every other Friday at a local restaurant. Sometimes no one can make it. Other times we have 6 or 8. Mostly we have 3 or 4 guys, but it's good for building camaraderie to meet the guys outside of ASL now and again to share a meal.
7. Start a club newsletter. This also is a huge task, so don't undertake it lightly. I won't go into all the details of what's tough about it, but it is not easy to put something of quality together, believe me. In Austin we've had a lot of success with our newsletter, Banzai!!. This is definitely not for everyone.
8. Check out local game stores. Some have regular game nights. Ask if you can leave a flyer.
That's about it for now. As I said, focus on the first three items: a regular time and place to play, effective communication, and patience and persistence. Then do what you want. The play is the thing.
I'm moving to Texas... its much easier than starting my own club.
JT
Our club meets once a week on a Tuesday night. This gives a regular time slot and being a Tuesday there is less chance that other commitments will interfer.
We take turns in hosting, although some do it more regularly than others, and each player puts in $5 towards dinner each session. It is up to the host to prepare dinner, either pizza or cook it themselves.
We have been going for about ten years, and have always maintained a "critical mass" of about 6 players, although some have come and gone.
Last week we had 5 games planned, but one player had to drop out. We all play the same scenario once a month, last week being MP3 Holy Ground.
We have about 20 players on a play list. Some we do not see. Some use the club to order new products, and some turn up irregularly.
Meeting weekly and having dinner makes it a social affair as well as a gaming night. The down side to evening sessions is that it limits the scenario size, so we try to have a Saturday gaming session about four times a year.
Bill
There's plenty of room for more....
Also, mark your calenders for the last weekend in June.
Everyone is invited to a Texas BBQ.... Oh yeah, there's an ASL Texas Team Tournament happening in Austin as well....
Come all.... Watch the Texas players and LEARN............
In DC, we were having a bit of a club crisis as players were moving around and not coming out nearly as much as they used to. Things happen. People marry. Children grow up. Etc. What we did to reinvigorate the club was first and foremost start scheduling club meetings months in advance. As others here have pointed out, it helps players to schedule time to be at the meetings. We also started sending out email to people 3 - 4 weeks in advance, reminding people of the event and also serving as pimp, er I mean schedulers, matching people with opponents. Most of our veteran players have waited until the last moment to schedule games in an effort to make sure that everyone gets someone to play ASL with. We have been especially welcoming of SK games (as much as I hated to, even I bought them to be able to bring along new players). The other thing we did was to do away with our club ladder. For what ever reason, people seemed to think we were more about winning and losing that just playing ASL and having a good time. It seems to be working. We have been averaging 10+ players per meeting and we are adding more and more people to our mailing list. That brings me to the final point: much like the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of Patriots from time to time, the club elders have to be willing to shed some sweat and blood to keep the club vibrant. As silly as it seems, occasional AARs, club reports, clinics for new players, generally attempting to keep people energized is the most important ingredient to a strong and active club. Just my .02. YMMV -- jim
PS: If you are in the DC area and want to join, drop me a PM.
Jim B. has done a wonderful job with his fellow DC club officers in breathing life back into the club. So he is speaking from experience and knowledge.
Of course, most other times he is full of crap but that's for another thread.
That's the Jim I know and cuddled with at ASLOk.Of course, most other times he is full of crap but that's for another thread.
Psycho & Michelle's Home Page https://sites.google.com/site/psychomichelleshomepage/home
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