The Reisinger in SF

[Walddk]

The 2007 Fall NABC will take place in San Francisco from November 22 - December 2. At this point I think it's a good idea to pre-empt the inevitable question:

 

"Are you going to broadcast from the Reisinger BAM Teams on November 30, December 1 and 2?"

 

To be honest with you, we don't know, but I would be surprised if it is not going to happen. Most organisers worldwide plan their vugraph broadcasts well in advance, but the ACBL approach has always been to postpone decisions until the last minute.

 

Whether it's a smart thing to do is debatable, but BBO can't and will not interfere with those decisions. I will keep you posted when/if I get info from Rick Beye.

 

Roland

[JanM]

I also hope to see Vugraph from the Reisinger, but it isn't really fair to pick on Rick Beye this way. NABCs are probably the most difficult tournaments from which to do Vugraph. They're HUGE and each one is in a different hotel in a different city. Rick has a lot to do to make sure that the tournament runs smoothly. We should all be grateful that he takes the time to arrange for BBO Vugraph of the main events.

Doing that is far from easy. There are all the issues of internet connectivity in a new hotel (and having tried to arrange internet connections in advance, I can tell you confidently that doesn't always work). In addition, he has to find operators. That's particularly hard at an NABC because of the number of events. Most people go to bridge tournaments to play bridge, after all. Even those of us who are happy to take some time off from playing to be Vugraph operators don't always know whether we'll be available on a particular day. For example, I have told Rick that I'd be happy to help with the Reisinger, but only if my team has been eliminated from the NA Swiss. I suspect there are some other "regulars" who have said something similar.

The Reisinger is an awkward event for Vugraph because of the short rounds (for a team game), and the constantly changing teams. There are serious security issues (I'd be very surprised to see Vugraph the first day because of that). In addition there's the scoring - we all find Vugraph more interesting when we know the scores, but that adds a burden on the people at the site to try to get the scores (which of course aren't available until the computer finishes doing them, by which time the next round has probably started). And the sessions are very long - the players and the Vugraph organizer and operators pretty much have to be willing to give up their dinner hour and any after the game socializing time.

[nickf]

As one of the pioneers of BBO VuGraph broadcasts in Australia, I empathise with some of Jan comments.

 

But all the issues of ensuring internet connectivity and finding operators etc have been addressed here by the formation of a National VuGraph Unit, whose agenda is to work with tournament organisors to provide the infrastructure and labour to run these broadcasts. The ABF has invested about $15K this year in establishing this unit - buying all the necessary equipment, training operators around the country all without burdening any tournament organisors who have enough on their plate. These outlays are marketing costs for the ABF and I'd like to think other large national bridge organisations (eg ACBL) could easily fund a similar unit.

 

I should point out that everyone who works for the National VuGraph Unit is paid - form the National Co-ordinator right down to the operators and runners (where required). For years this was a labour of love for many of us, but that was never going to work long term.

 

nickf

sydney

[Walddk]

I also hope to see Vugraph from the Reisinger, but it isn't really fair to pick on Rick Beye this way.

I don't pick on Rick Beye; I am merely stating the facts. And facts they are because the procedure is the same every time. I also think it's a fair point to bring forward when I write that it's debatable whether this is the best approach.

 

Since nothing has changed in this respect over the years, the ACBL must believe that this is the best way to do it. There is nothing disrespectful, but I can assure you that many ACBL members think that it can and should be done in a different way. And the members who pay their fees can't be ignored.

 

I realise that it's all a matter of priority and resources. From a professional point of view (vugraph coordinator) I prefer the Australian way, and judged by the number of e-mails and questions I get on a daily basis I suspect that our viewers share that opinion.

 

We can all understand that Rick has plenty on his plate as it is, but then it would seem like a good idea to let someone else be in charge of vugraph presentations. I would be surprised if no one would be willing to take on that task.

 

For years this was a labour of love for many of us, but that was never going to work long term, says Nick Fahrer. He is obviously right, so this question must be asked:

 

Is it worth spending money on? If the answer is "no", keep it as it is. If the answer is "yes", change it.

 

The venues for the NABC's (spring, summer, fall) through the fall of 2009 have been picked and hotels booked, and that should give the organisers plenty of time to plan. After San Francisco comes Detroit, MI, in March.

 

Roland

[mike777]

Did I read this right that the Australian bridge federation has only one..I repeat one full time paid staff member. This is for the whole country? The ACBL has over 100?

[hrothgar]

Did I read this right that the Australian bridge federation has only one..I repeat one full time paid staff member. This is for the whole country? The ACBL has over 100?

I'd be shocked if the ACBL had 100 full time employees...

[mike777]

I will be the first to admit my memory at times may be a bit foggy but at least this time I seem to have got the article quoted correctly. :)

 

Australian Bridge Magazine Oct-Nov. 2007 page 5.

 

ABF has a full time staff member of one, Jane Rasmussen. "ACBL is run by a full time staff of over 100 people, based in Memphis."

[hrothgar]

I just checked the ACBL's web site and found the following:

 

Founded: 1937

Chief Executive Officer: Jay Baum

Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee

Membership: 160,000

Employees: Headquarters staff: 75; tournament directors: 200

Annual Dues: $35 ($26 for first-year members)

Annual Budget: $18 million

 

A headquarter staff of 75 seems a bit excessive, especially given the fact that the organization is exiting a number of tertiary markets. However, it does suggest that 100 employees nationwide might be possible.

[nickf]

Did I read this right that the Australian bridge federation has only one..I repeat one full time paid staff member. This is for the whole country? The ACBL has over 100?

Correct. I'd say however that the ABF is structured quite differently to the ACBL.

 

Each state and territory (n=8) has two delegates that represent it at the national level. The ABF is essentially run by a Management Committee and a bunch of sub-committees comprising these people plus other professionals (solicitors, accountants) voluntarily giving their time.

 

Day to day administration is run out of a small one-person office in Canberra. I think at last count we had about 40,000 members. We never had the merchandising and sales wing to the extent the ACBL had and what we had was disbanded about 15 years ago.

 

nickf

sydney

[Walddk]

I received this e-mail from Rick Beye earlier today (Saturday):

 

Hi Roland,

 

Sorry for the delay in communicating. We will definitely broadcast the final two sessions of the Reisinger next Sunday (12/2). We may do the finals of the Sr KO this Tuesday. I will try to get back to you today on that.

 

Rick