District 24 Director News
As District Director, I had planned on sending regular updates on the goings on of the ACBL Board and District 24 (New York City and Long Island). Like everything else, the bridge world has been turned upside down by the coronavirus. Both units were set to run Spring regionals with new dates. We have followed government advice and cancelled them. We expect to apply our deposits to the Fall regionals. The Columbus NABC was cancelled.
ACBL Board Meeting Summary The ACBL board was able to hold a full slate of meetings electronically during the NABC time frame. The impact of the coronavirus was first concern. The well being of our players, clubs and employees is the priority. Especially in our district we have a set of large clubs who cannot easily sustain long term closures. ACBL management is working with BBO and others to run “Support Your Club Black Point Games”. Next week clubs expect to hold their own games where you will play against the club regulars. Please check with your club and BBO for more information. This will be a great way for us to stay connected with our fellow club players and provide financial support. Full scale tournaments are also be planned.
GNT and NAP. The 2020 NAP Finals will be held at the Montreal Summer 2020 NABC. The 2020 GNT Finals will be held at the Tampa Fall 2020 NABC. The details of the Finals, including the scheduling of those. events, will be established by management at a later date. The deadline for the completion of District GNT Finals will be October 1, 2020. Lots of details need to be worked out
ACBL Board Size The board did finally agree on a motion to reduce its size. See the actual motion HERE. This will reduce the ACBL board from 25 members to 13. The method used to select the new board is far from ideal, but it will bring the board to a size that is efficient and much more functional.
New NABC Event. Starting next spring there will be a 0-2500 2 day pair event.
Back to Bridge
I know we are all looking forward to a time in the not too distant future when we can get back to life and bridge as usual. Before the virus, the status of bridge in our district simultaneously challenging and promising. The overall challenge is that ACBL members are getting older and fewer in number. Table count at regionals has been falling by a steady 2-4% over recent years.
On the promising side, we have many successful teachers and novice/social programs in the district that are introducing new empty nesters to bridge. We even see a full group of millennials who are drawn to the area for its new economy and are picking up bridge with enthusiasm. A challenge is how to convert these players into ACBL members and tournament attendees.
On Long Island, the NSBA board has a new location for its regionals and is looking at ways to make the tournaments more attractive to its regular club players. In NYC, the GNYBA board has changed the dates of its regionals and added new events. This June for the first time in years, the GNYBA hopes to run an open sectional. Thanks in large part to some energetic younger players, the 2020 GNTs was the best attended in decades. 50 teams competed across the four flights compared to 32 in 2019.
I look forward to future reports of normal bridge activity more focused on our successes at the tables. Stay healthy
Thanks
David Moss
ACBL District 24 Director