Chairman's Corner

No. 9, August, 2006

My previous columns have made reference to: ·

• The dual role of the NSWBA (the governing body for bridge in this state and the operator of a major metropolitan club)

• The structural changes that have taken place in tournament bridge over the past decade (the rise of professional players, the proliferation of gold point events, OzOne, online bridge, etc)

• The current NSWBA premises

All these factors are having an effect on our finances and, ultimately, on our future.

The Council of the NSWBA, cognisant of its responsibility not only to shepherd the organisation through 2006 but also to plan for the foreseeable future, is undertaking a comprehensive review of its structure, objectives and operations. Please be assured, though, that no precipitate action will be taken by Council. All that we would do is recommend a course of action for you, the membership, to vote on at a general meeting.

Not wishing to pre-empt the issue of which particular structure may gain member approval, Council has been examining various options, including:

1. To maintain the status quo and do whatever can be done to fix the problems with the current premises and, through better promotion and other initiatives, try to reverse the decline in table numbers;

2. To lease out the current premises and shift NSWBA’s operations to another location altogether;

3. To down-size to half the premises and lease or sell the other half;

4. To separate the club and State operations, lease out the current premises and operate purely as a state body from a less expensive suburban location.

Multi-faceted criteria are being used to evaluate each option. Firstly, is it fair and equitable to both our direct members and to the members of our affiliated clubs? To complicate matters, the direct members are not a homogeneous lot; they include life, perpetual, student and ordinary members. Secondly, is it conducive to the NSWBA’s long term commercial viability? To answer this question, each option is being meticulously costed. Lastly, will it preserve NSW’s enviable reputation as having the highest standard of bridge in the country by continuing to provide a tough school for future elite players?

All this is taking a little longer than expected, but that’s OK, the important thing is that we come up with the right answer in the end. Any thoughts or ideas you would like to contribute would be welcome.

Dr Alex Yezerski
Chairman NSWBA