Is the bridge club dead?

[jillybean]

Hi everyone!

 

Firstly, excuse me if this topic has been debated to death, direct me to the thread and delete this post.

 

I am struggling to get back to playing the game I once loved, for many reasons, but what is apparent is that the local clubs are closed or struggling.

Players don't seem to be venturing out to live games. Is this because covid is still a real threat, online bridge is convenient and safe or they've simply moved on?

 

What are the ACBL's long term plans to revive the game, what are they doing to support the clubs during this famine or have they too moved on to online bridge?

[johnu]

In my area, there were 2 full time bridge clubs that had games most days of the week. The largest one struggled during Covid closures, lost their lease, and have announced they are shutting down completely after failing to find an affordable replacement space. Another club ran games twice a week and shut down during Covid. The toughest game in the area runs in a once a week club. I'm guessing that their table count is about 60-70% of pre Covid numbers.

 

There's a current thread on Bridgewinners that has a little discussion about the ACBL

 

Online regionals

[pilowsky]

The world is moving on from Bridge.

All the young potential mind game players are playing Chess.

The days of sitting around the kitchen table and learning Bridge with Grandma are long gone.

 

To pick up Bridge as an older person is a daunting, and often unpleasant, experience.

[Lovera]

Yet we are emerging from the pandemic with concerts in stadiums resuming, theaters reopening as well as cinemas. However, I provide what is happening in Italy (the source is from Bridge d'Italia online):https://bridgeditali...le-marche-2022/

https://bridgeditali...le-stelle-2022/

(Probably you have to active the translation when you are in page by menù high on the right)

I add my suggestion to encourage more participation in tournaments: consider three levels (or steps) for the award ceremony where in the first 30% are rewarded mainly with local products such as cheeses, coffes, wine bottles, cured meats as is in customary for Christmas baskets, microwave ovens, toasters, phones, the second the 20% with objective, books, bicycles or even products for farms (chickens, rabbits) while subsequently in the first 10% with trips to England or even abroad (among which I don't think Italy will be missing) giving a lot of publicity . If, as I believe, you will soon see results, you might consider whether to refine this system or keep it.

[helene_t]

In New Zealand the lockdown was short and the clubs were back to pre-Covid levels quickly.

 

Here in the UK there has been a long lockdown followed by a long period where bridge was allowed but many people were afraid to play.

 

Some people found out that they prefer online bridge. Some are still afraid of Covid. Some had a long-time regular partner who stopped playing because of Covid fear and now they can't be bothered to play IRL if it requires finding a new partner.

 

Bridge was in a downward spiral already before Covid, and some clubs would have been close to shutting down now anyway even without Covid.

 

One of the four clubs I play at was close to collapse a few months ago, but then they started quite aggressively recruiting novices and now they have more tables than before Covid, although the quality of the play has gone down obviously. This is surprising since it is in a rual area without any nearby other bridge clubs to compete with, so it's not like it has grown by vulturing on other clubs.

[jillybean]

Wow, with clubs closing and members of the Unit Boards resigning there won't be anyone to run RL tournaments either.

I will have to content myself with club play when I'm back "home" in NZ.

 

What do the Units do now with the cash they have in the banks?