EBU Calendar / Venue Consultation
Moving on from my ramblings of the previous thread, may I suggest a simple consultation to be sent to EBU members (probably those who have played in a congress in the last 5ish years). A separate consultation to those who haven't has been launched many times in the past I know with mixed success, but I don't think that's the priority right now - clubs are best positioned to ensure that they return to the game which is the main priority.
It would be a straight-forward list of congresses (potentially KOs / lockdown league too), with
- I've previously played in this
- I would / wouldn't play in this in future if it was f2f
- I would / wouldn't play in this in future if it was online
- I would / wouldn't play in this in future if it was hybrid (hybrid events, along with Sims to an extent, may be criticised if the SoF differs too much across sections)
- Given current venue, would you prefer f2f or online (if you've said you'd be willing to participate in either) - The fact that players are willing to play online doesn't mean that they wouldn't prefer f2f, and of course vice versa
- Any other suggestions
This sort of process isn't entirely about changes seen by the pandemic, as there were already signs pre-pandemic that some of the focuses were in the wrong place.
(I start rambling again here... obviously just my opinion:)
As it stands, the only 2021 EBU events in person will have been the Premier League and trials, which are designed for the elite and attract a hefty admission fee as a result, along with Eastbourne which on its own can't be viewed as "member caution" (lack of accommodation and notice due to lockdown changes and the dilution of all mid-week events through separate sections elsewhere, let alone the already evident decline in attendance for reasons discussed elsewhere).
In my mind, we need to use the next 6 months, and in particular the YE Congress and the Easter Congress, experimentally. The YE Congress will be online and that will give some indication of likely online turnouts in future (although there may be some bias either through some not attending out of principle, or some attending knowing that future congresses will be in person; It's hard to say). The Easter Congress must then be entirely in person, and consider that turnout on its merit. A hybrid event may, in the short-run, turn out to be more profitable, but that's not the objective here, since f2f congresses come to life when we absolutely maximise the turnout; Having half a hall of people and half the people online leads to the feeling of playing in one lower-tier event that happens to be at the same time as another.
Comments
If someone is to produce a survey can it please include starting times? I refuse to believe that I am the only person who dislikes early morning starts and early finishes. One of the reasons I didn't play in Eastbourne was because of 11:30 start; would have preferred 1pm at the earliest. Very upset that Xmas Congress cancelled without any consultation.
Every feedback form of the last 10 years has asked about starting times and they have consistently shown that members prefer earlier start times and shorter meal times. This is easier to put into effect for online events where people's travelling time does not need to be taken into account.
I'm sure you are right that you are not the only one who prefers a later start but as suggested by Gordon, above, the majority don't agree with you.
But these surveys only ask the people who have already attended the congresses! Why not ask those who choose not to attend? I regularly get emails reminding me of congresses but am never asked why I have not attended, which could be location, format, or indeed timing! Bridge, supper and then more bridge might attract more young people as well as night-owls like me.
I think you overestimate the clarity that would come from a survey of the type you suggest. When we have done them for the Summer Meeting, those answers we got didn't meet with your approval. We do listen to people and I am sure if lots of them thought "I would have gone to that congress if only it hadn't started so early" they would have told us. As it is, we hear this again and again from you, but rarely from anyone else.