[hrothgar]

I was perusing through the Daily Bulletins from the ACBL Nationals when
I ran across a rather front page article regarding the ACBL's efforts
to target young players. As usual, I'm like to applaud the ACBL for
recognizing the need to increase this demographic. With this said and
done, I have some concerns regarding implementation...

More specifically, does anyone else cringe when they hear the title for
the new web site. I'm really not sure whether "Bridge is Cool" is
really going to grab the attention of todays media savey youth. In all
seriousness, I haven't heard the expression "cool" used in 30 years...

[keylime]

The best the ACBL could come up with is "Bridge is Cool"; considering between the US and Canada we have some of the best juniors in the world?

Once again, I feel shorted.

[MickyB]

I've probably used the word "cool" about twelve times tonight. I propose the alternative title "Cool Bridge"

[jillybean]

LOL maybe "cool" is making a come back?

[luis]

The Dark side needs new apprentices.
A great danger I sense.
We must teach the force to those young padawans before they start with the Standard Sith system.
Use the force Richard!

[guggie]

Oops. Dont know for the States, but here in Amsterdam cool is OK according to my daughters of 15 and 19.
By the way they think bridge sucks;-)

Like opera.

As a parent you should not try to hard

[Al_U_Card]

Only need to make it a single credit course in High school for the introduction to take place, after that all of the monomaniacal, egocentric, skewed personality types will be hooked!

btw the ACBL should be going after the kitchen bridgers of which there are 25 million in the US. Just oblige club directors to hold a free "kitchen" game once a month. We all know people who are afraid to play duplicate but actually like the game per se......

[Gerben42]

As long as they don't do this INSTEAD of the youngsters. The last thing they need is more old players, right?

Quote

Just oblige club directors to hold a free "kitchen" game once a month.

How does that work? I'd be sort of afraid to play in such kitchen games, playing with sharp knives nearby.

[Al_U_Card]

Gerben42, on Jul 26 2005, 08:46 AM, said:

As long as they don't do this INSTEAD of the youngsters. The last thing they need is more old players, right?

Quote

Just oblige club directors to hold a free "kitchen" game once a month.

How does that work? I'd be sort of afraid to play in such kitchen games, playing with sharp knives nearby.

Well, the high school part was sort of directed to youthful types.....hehehe

For the kitchen bridge variety, they could even offer to hold 2 table Howell movement duplicates in the Kitchen bridgers homes. Mrs. Jones finally gets to prove that she is better than Mrs. Smith....

[Elianna]

I was at the junior reception when they announced the "bridge is cool" webpage, and it was met by many eye-rolls. Seriously, even if the word cool is still used, being TOLD something is cool by older people makes it even less appealing than before.

I couldn't believe the lack of awareness of their audience.

-Elianna

[pbleighton]

"I was at the junior reception when they announced the "bridge is cool" webpage, and it was met by many eye-rolls. Seriously, even if the word cool is still used, being TOLD something is cool by older people makes it even less appealing than before.

I couldn't believe the lack of awareness of their audience."

Don't trust anyone over 30!

Peter

[pigpenz]

like wow, Bridge is RAd
Turn on, Tune in, Get high on bridge

lets face it Poker on TV has done everything that bridge would like to have been able to do.

[Al_U_Card]

pigpenz, on Jul 28 2005, 12:29 PM, said:

lets face it Poker on TV has done everything that bridge would like to have been able to do.

Because the human element is accentuated, not the complexities nor the subtleties. To get mass appeal you need to get visceral.

Everyone understands losing your shirt on a bet, most know that 3 of a kind beats 2 pair, few understand the subtle ecstacy of pulling off a coup or other obscure bridge technicality unless you have done it.

[mike777]

1) I notice Harry Potter says "cool" and that seems to be selling ok.
2) Me thinks the Hog has not got out much in the past 30 years based on not hearing the world cool in 30years.
3) Perhaps Bridge to the death might draw an audience? Bridge Battle at the Bellaigio? Caged bridge, 2 teams go in, only one walks out?
4) Perhaps if we bring back drinking and smoking at the table as in Poker it would make better tv? Side proposition bets? example: my partner will play for the drop not finesse, my partner will mess up Kickback responses, my partner will defend poorly, etc?

[Walddk]

mike777, on Jul 28 2005, 09:53 PM, said:

example: my partner will play for the drop not finesse, my partner will mess up Kickback responses, my partner will defend poorly

Latest Ladbroke odds: 2/13 against, so don't bet on it

Roland

[Double !]

Elianna, on Jul 27 2005, 08:44 PM, said:

I was at the junior reception when they announced the "bridge is cool" webpage, and it was met by many eye-rolls.  Seriously, even if the word cool is still used, being TOLD something is cool by older people makes it even less appealing than before.

I couldn't believe the lack of awareness of their audience.

-Elianna

The words "were met by many eye-rolls" as Elianna reported are significant to me assuming that I interpreted her message correctly.
So, I am curious to know whether younger players, teens, juniors, (perhaps even a little older) were ever even consulted or polled about this "bridge is cool" idea to elicit their feedback, opinions, and/or suggestions. Assuming that the answer to the above is essentially "NO", I am curious about whether that feedback was ever provided to the decision-makers, and whether there was even a vehicle for doing so?

[mike777]

Double !, on Jul 28 2005, 05:25 PM, said:

Elianna, on Jul 27 2005, 08:44 PM, said:

I was at the junior reception when they announced the "bridge is cool" webpage, and it was met by many eye-rolls.  Seriously, even if the word cool is still used, being TOLD something is cool by older people makes it even less appealing than before.

I couldn't believe the lack of awareness of their audience.

-Elianna

The words "were met by many eye-rolls" as Elianna reported are significant to me assuming that I interpreted her message correctly.
So, I am curious to know whether younger players, teens, juniors, (perhaps even a little older) were ever even consulted or polled about this "bridge is cool" idea to elicit their feedback, opinions, and/or suggestions. Assuming that the answer to the above is essentially "NO", I am curious about whether that feedback was ever provided to the decision-makers, and whether there was even a vehicle for doing so?

They hired a marketing firm to come up with the theme and name.

To assume no marketing research or incompetent research is not a reasonable assumption. That does not mean your assumption is incorrect but let's deal in facts and not guess work.

[mike777]

Here are a few facts, I let you draw the conclusions.
1) Recent poll done over 3-4 months to 3,500 south calif. dues paying members. Only 51 bothered to take the poll.
2) From ACBL CEO 8-05. Satisfaction with our marketing efforts has increased from 82% to 86.3%. Well what the heck does that mean and why is it important? It could still mean our marketing stinks. Another case of statistics for the sake of statistics?
3) 17,500 ACBL games sanctioned online per month. Up more than 5,000 from a year ago. Does anyone know the f2f numbers?

[Double !]

pbleighton, on Jul 28 2005, 07:27 AM, said:

Don't trust anyone over 30!

Peter

Hey!

That quote is reserved for those of us who grew up in the 60s! If you qualify, then, "groovy" and "out-of-sight",......and, mowing "grass" was considered to be a moral sin.

[Double !]

mike777, on Jul 28 2005, 06:28 PM, said:

Here are a few facts, I let you draw the conclusions.
1) Recent poll done over 3-4 months to 3,500 south calif. dues paying members. Only 51 bothered to take the poll.

Sorry, not a lot of numbers, and is this (Southern California) really a representative sample of the total population of targeted "consumers". (Come to think of it, who exactly are the targeted consumers in this survey and campaign?) Did they actually go out into schools including in the inner cities, and survey these populations? I work in an inner-city middle school in the northeast USA, and I have yet to meet any student or more than a few parents, and not that many adults in general who know what Bridge is, much less whether or not it is cool and could lead to a career in the NBA! I suspect that, to this potential consumer group, Bridge is something you have to pay a toll (or take a crowded subway) to cross.

OK, fine, refer this to the acbl education department.