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You can etransfer to Henry Lam at chesstalkforum at gmail dot com
Transfér à Henry Lam à chesstalkforum@gmail.com
Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
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I understand that annual membership numbers translate directly into annual revenue.
But they don't necessarily correlate with annual activity. Any easy way to compare, say, the number of tournaments organized each of the past two years, or the number of rated games played each of the last two years?
I understand that annual membership numbers translate directly into annual revenue.
But they don't necessarily correlate with annual activity. Any easy way to compare, say, the number of tournaments organized each of the past two years, or the number of rated games played each of the last two years?
A rough estimate might be collected rating fees. Or go through crosstables.
Not great news at all. The decline in the CFC membership has to be related to the perceived value: since the demise of the printed magazine membership has declined.
Of course, the decline cannot be blamed solely on that one fact (the current online magazine is actually extremely good in my opinion, but there are some members who remained members largely for the printed magazine and when that vanished so did their interest).
The only(!) other service the CFC provides is ratings. Since there is an extra per-use fee for ratings, players who play in a lot of tournaments actually pay a premium to have all their games rated (over an above the membership fee). I have not seen any positive change in the worth of a CFC membership in many years. It has been a hard sell for at least 20 years.
I think the fundamental business plan is flawed since the CFC does not get involved in any promotional activity, any active pursuit of sponsorships or anything other than the politics of running the office and the FIDE relationship (such as that is).
I understand that annual membership numbers translate directly into annual revenue.
But they don't necessarily correlate with annual activity. Any easy way to compare, say, the number of tournaments organized each of the past two years, or the number of rated games played each of the last two years?
You might want to look at this thread although the data is a bit out of date. ( which considers activity. I have some graphs on number of tournaments too somewhere)
You might want to look at this thread although the data is a bit out of date. ( which considers activity. I have some graphs on number of tournaments too somewhere)
Back in August I directed a small round robin at a chess camp. I submitted the crosstable electronically, along with the means of payment. The tournament was not rated nor was my payment registered on my credit card. I emailed back about a month later, supplying the crosstable again, but ... nothing.
This evening I get an email from the CFC thanking me for my payment. I hope it is going to get rated now.
"Tom is a well known racist, and like most of them he won't admit it, possibly even to himself." - Ed Seedhouse, October 4, 2020.
thinking about membership numbers and people's observations on the decline of adult membership and thought I would do a second take on this. Below is the ratio of adult to junior members. Not a completely accurate picture as it excludes life members (although most of those are not active) but anyway....
In relation to unfriendly chess clubs. In the 80's I joined the Weston Chess Club and we had the same situation as Windsor.
Juniors and new players were ignored and the club was not CFC rated. With the determination of Frank Thiele and myself we changed the club to a friendly CFC membership club that everyone was welcome. We were once the second largest club in the GTA behind Scarborough. I believe the Weston Chess Club is no more.
I do believe though that all clubs need to have junior/adult programs set up for younger children and adult beginners.
The biggest beef that older adults have about younger kids are they do not follow chess etiquette when they start playing in adult sections of a club.
It is very annoying to be in a club that you used to enjoy and then it is disrupted by kids being kids.
Mississauga Chess Club has the right idea but sooner or later the numbers will out grow the facilities or the older work horses will need a rest or step down. Then where do the new people find a place to go?
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