NSWBA Transition

What’s New - The Long Update

Clarifying areas of concern

Some NSWBA members and players in Goulburn St and Canada Bay have raised questions and concerns about the NSWBA restructure. Thank you to many who have openly shared. We need to speak candidly to understand each other and find an optimal solution.

There has already been a fair amount of communication from the NSWBA Council about the anticipated changes. However, some inaccuracies and rumours persist, and several key messages need repeating.

So, in this and further updates, I aim to clear up a few of the potentially confusing areas and misunderstandings. Hopefully those of you who want a greater understanding will gain comfort about what is happening, and why.

Using our history to inform a fair future

The NSWBA has a long and proud history as a successful association that both owns a club and is also the state governing body.

For several decades the NSWBA club operations generated a surplus. This money enabled the NSWBA state governing body to establish the competitive state and national events framework that is still in place today, and support development of bridge across NSW.

However, over time several changes have impacted the financial sources and expenses, and the club operations no longer produce a surplus. This history needs to be reflected in the planned separation of the organisation and its assets.

Drivers of long-term change

There are many changes in the world of bridge that impact on financial performance of clubs and components of the NSWBA. Their impacts are driving the need to modernise and update. The below is just a few examples:

A clear trend of declining membership numbers and regular social players attending duplicates sessions at most clubs across NSW including NSWBA’s own clubs – Goulburn St and Canada Bay
The number of affiliated clubs increased significantly from when NSWBA started to 163 clubs today. This necessitates a state body that assists with their challenges including director development, teaching frameworks, growth strategies, and marketing assistance.
An increase in the number of state events hosted by the NSWBA, but with far fewer players attending, which use people and equipment resources differently.
Internet evolution and players’ expectations of technology services from NSWBA and clubs. COVID has accelerated this, and introduced many players to online bridge, which appears here to stay.
Change in the culture of volunteering has contributed to making it harder to find skilled volunteers that want to invest time in a multi-purpose organisation.
A reduced influx of new youth players, impacting the pipeline of new members and future of competitive events.

These big trends are mirrored across Australia. Clubs need a peak body that focusses on strategies and services to help modernise the game, support club growth and sustainability, and treats all clubs equally. The NSWBA’s club needs a board and management committee that focusses, without distraction, on its growth and creative new approaches.

Bridge associations in other States and Territories responded to these trends and separated peak bodies from clubs long ago. The VBA and NSWBA are the last to undergo this change.

Competitive events and tournament players

This restructure is not just about the NSWBA club and other clubs, there is a key third stakeholder group – tournament players, who mostly play in bigger competitive events.

Many of these players have been members of the NSWBA for decades, dedicated many hours to volunteering in the bridge community, pay a premium to play in events, and contributed significant funds to buy the Goulburn St premises. These players need to be fairly treated too.

Since the current NSWBA competitive events are often to represent NSW, they should be run independently of any club. Therefore, they will remain a responsibility of the state peak body.

The best use of limited funds

During COVID many tournament players tried online play, which they now prefer. Players outside of Sydney especially benefit from online being a far more cost and time effective option. As events played online no longer need a dedicated physical premises, it makes no sense to incur that cost. Funds can be better spent to help the game across NSW, or reduce the cost to all players in these events.

Without funding from such events, the financial justification to retain the Goulburn St property is further stretched. While retaining it might be possible, that would undoubtedly come at a cost. The decision to retain the property or invest in services, people, promotion of the game, education of players, physical premises etc. is a difficult trade-off.

The current NSWBA Council have clearly stated they believe a significant reduction in property costs is needed, and have explored options. If the Goulburn St property is not sold before restructure, future Boards and members of the newly invigorated ‘Sydney Bridge Club’ will need to wrestle with this decision.

The NSWBA club operations, aka the SBC, continues and how you can help!

Even if the premises is sold, and that is by no means agreed, the club will continue! There are several options being considered, and it is possible the club could reduce its size in the present location, or relocate. The club could also own or rent premises.

Please continue to support the NSWBA club, especially by playing regularly. There are many sessions a week in Goulburn St, two a week in Canada Bay, frequent courses and many bridge events, including more social or more competitive sessions. Recent table numbers in some sessions and the beginners courses continue to climb after COVID.

Thank you for your continued help and support,

Jake Andrew
NSWBA Transition – Project Manager
21 April 2023