Georgia Boardgames Association

What’s the history of the Georgia Boardgames Association?

The GBA started as a club for my son and me.  We enjoy the board game hobby and like playing other people.  It is evolving from there.  Here’s the mission statement and nutshell version of what the GBA is about:

We are the Georgia Boardgames Association© and are eager to meet you.  Our mission is to unite boardgamers statewide and help them promote board game groups and clubs in their community.

Future plans are to help local board game group startups through a variety of means, such as planning, equipment, and budget help.  Our other plans include a bi-monthly magazine and board game convention.

We currently host monthly meetups in Cobb County and acquaint attendees not only with the Georgia Boardgames Association, but a lot of fun board games too.

How can I join the Georgia Boardgames Association?

 At the moment we are establishing our presence in the state.  This means the Georgia Boardgames Association does not have all of its products and services ready for you yet.  I do not feel it is fair to ask you to join the GBA and then not give you any reason to do so.  That would be not only unfair, but bad business.

Currently, our main outreach for promoting the boardgaming hobby is our monthly open board game meeting in Cobb county, Georgia.  This monthly board game “meetup” is and will remain free.  But, as interests grows, I want the GBA to offer more.  For example, a small, real paper, non-electronic (genuine paper), bi-monthly magazine will be forthcoming, as long as interest continues. 

Okay, but what else do you do?

In addition to the printed magazine, the GBA will offer its help across the state to any board game club that desires to be a certified Georgia Boardgames Association meeting, club, guild or other appropriate name.  One benefit to becoming a member in this capacity is budgetary and planning help.  The GBA can help you with funds (yes, money), and planning.  This will become increasingly important as statewide conventions are organized.

Other benefits will be realized as the GBA progresses.  As with any enterprise, expanding and innovation will occur as long as interest maintains itself.

What if I don’t want to start a club?

You can still joining the GBA to get the magazine and learn about various board games, board game reviews, articles, people in the state, and events in Georgia.  It will also allow you to get into conventions and events that are limited Georgia Boardgames Association members only.

How much does it cost?

No price has been set yet, but it will be economical.  Currently, the base of $24.99 seems about right considering our cost and your benefit.

There is no club in my area.  What can I do?

At the moment we have two chapter memberships, county and local, with different benefits and price.  Each level guarantees a certain level of restrictiveness for your geographical area and benefits. 

The county level is just what is sounds like – county.  This means no one else can organize countywide events under the banner of the Georgia Boardgames Association in your county.  Other county, city, and local groups may attend without joining your particular chapter, but your level guarantees that your group is controlling.  This will have ramifications in funding and planning. 

Another thing this means is that there can only be 159 county memberships in the state of Georgia.  Once a county membership is gone, it cannot be purchased, until that membership for the current owner is released or revoked.

County memberships are $199.00, but at the moment they are free for the first year.  This only applies to the chapter level membership (a single person).  It does not apply to the regular membership in your club.  For example, when a person becomes a member of the Cobb county chapter of the Georgia Boardgames Association, they are joining the GBA, and must purchase a yearly membership.  Your local chapter is allowed to sell approved merchandise, promote meetups, and more, and make a profit (in accordance with State and County laws, of course).  In truth, this aspect of the membership is still being worked out.  But what it is attempting to imitate is a franchise.  You can still make a profit, but you will have to coordinate with the GBA first.

The local level is meant for those who have their own interests, but still be a part of the GBA.  For example, a local group may be solely dedicated to certain types of games that don’t receive the same amount of attention at the county level.  The local level can also get help from the GBA in the form of planning and budget, and while the budgetary help is limited mostly to the county level for organizing events with local groups and members – and promoting the board game hobby in general - funding is not out of the question. Needs will be decided on  a case by case basis.  One benefit of a local membership is that it can be restricted via proximity to other groups as well as interests.  As an example, the GBA would not allow an official GBA chapter of two wargames clubs at the local level where the interests were too similar or in too close a proximity to one another.  This model has benefits of exclusivity for the chapter owner, but it also forces people to work together locally and avoid disparate clubs everywhere with no connection to the community or the GBA.   It also makes would be chapter members carefully consider what they are trying to do and not to reinvent the wheel, as well as count the cost of owning a chapter – it is not easy.

Any chapter membership, county or local, must first be approved by the GBA.   Single memberships require no approval.

Rules concerning chapter memberships will be forthcoming, including rules concerning revocation.  Sorry, there has to be rules.  It protects the GBA and all chapters, and helps guarantee a great experience for everyone.

This is getting complex.  I just want to join and play good board games.

You can do that.  You would simply sign up for the single yearly membership, if you want to be a member.

Hey, I don’t want to be a member.  I just want to play board games with nice people.

You do not have to pay one dime to attend a local board game meeting.  This will be true for any GBA county or local club.

Is the Georgia Boardgames Association a non-profit organization?

The GBA isn’t anything at the moment, but a local club.  We are still considering whether or not to proceed with obtaining a business license.  But, when we do obtain the proper legal paperwork, the Georgia Boardgames Association will be a for-profit business.

What do you mean in the process?  You just said…

Okay, at the moment the club memberships are something that you cannot purchase.  In fact you can’t purchase anything yet.  This document contains where I want the GBA to go, not where it is.  When it does get there, this particular FAQ will go away and the questions will be amended properly.

Is the Georgia Boardgames Association a corporation?

No.  At this time there is no need to be a corporation.  While it may lend prestige, there is no reason to for a corporation for liability reasons.  This will probably change as we grow larger and financial and physical liability becomes more of an issue.  We also have not created articles of incorporation, a board of directors, and so on.

How can I find out about your monthly board game meeting?

You can click the table “meetup” up top on the menu or click here.

Make up your mind.  Is it “board game” or “boardgames.”

I have decided to use both spellings.  The dictionary spelling is board game - two words.  Online, however, it is common to find “boardgames, boardgamers, and boardaming,” when discussing the hobby.  Honestly, it helps everyone searching if both terms are used.  And, GBA sounds better than GBGA.

Do you have a discussion group?

Not here.  At the moment we are using Boardgamegeek’s guild and forum functionality.  You can click here to discuss things. 

You don’t update your board game blog enough.

I have a full-time job, lots of kids and even a wife .  I cannot write all the time, but I do try and update when I have the time.   Hey, it takes time to write, take pictures, organize meetings, etc.

Hey, you didn’t answer my question.

I do apologize.  Just email me at the above link on boardgamegeek.

Is that all?

This document can change at any time with no warning; however, membership details will be announced at least 30 days prior and have lots of other legal jargon to make you feel better.

Okay, but what about other kinds of games?

Board games is a catch-all word.  In my own house we have wargames such as Hammer of the Scots, miniatures like Axis and Allies miniatures, and Battletech, and board and card games like San Juan, Puerto Rico, Memoir ’44, and Blokus (see the game list.)  Don’t let “boardgames” throw you.  We like all games.  In fact, we have a sister website named “Odd Battles” that discusses wargames, though it is not updated as much.  Here is a miniatures painting artcle if you are interested.  I like video games too and have video games from Atari to XBOX 360 and lots in between.  Video games are just not what I am promoting here.  In fact, I am a huge fan of Real Time Strategy games, so, I’m not anti-digital.  I work on computers for a living (and love it.)

I like podcasts and video.  Do you have anything planned to help me be fully obssesed with board games?

Yes.  I have purchased lots of equipment for my “hobby,” including a nice microphone, mic stand, sound mixer, firewire interface, and lots of cables.  I’ll be using a Macbook Pro for the podcast, probably Garageband for now.  And no, I don’t have an ETA on it.

As for a vidcast, we’ll see.  I enjoy video editing and like Final Cut Express on the Mac, so if I think I can put together something of quality and benefit, I’ll do it.  One thing I’d like to use video for are board game reviews and rules.  I’m not too bright and complain about rules too much, plus I like to spend my money wisely (most of the time, anyway).  I am hoping video can help with both of these.  But, again, that’s future.

Thank you.

John Marchant

Georgia Boardgames Association ©

“Together time all the time…”™