WBC Orphans Information
Dec. 1, 2007

WBC closes to new events on March 1.

Century | Trial Events | Sponsored Trials | Alternate Trials

CENTURY: 100 events compose the Century Group of featured events which are supported by multiple prize levels ranging from two to six plaques and a Centurion shirt, based on a formula using recent statistics of attendance and player hours. Those 100 slots were pre-determined by performance the previous year and require only the commitment of a BPA member to GM the event by the Feb. 28, deadline. Failure of a GM to submit a suitable Event Form for the event by the deadline will drop it from the Century Group to be replaced by the highest ranking alternate in the annual membership vote.

PROBATION STATUS: In the past, we were reluctant to penalize players of an event for a GM’s failure to honor the commitment made when submitting an Event Form. However, this has made it difficult to provide sufficient incentive to maintain the higher standards we expect from a WBC GM. Consequently, since WBC exists solely as an organization of volunteers banding together for the betterment of our hobby, we feel that it is time for the entire membership to bear the burden of that responsibility. The most important factor in whether an event gets run is the availability of a volunteer GM with sufficient passion for the event to ensure that it is run correctly. All too many of us are more than willing to let someone else bear the burden of being a GM—with the result that we rely too heavily on the same volunteers year after year—many of whom do double duty in multiple events because others won’t step forward to run one. Starting now, the players of an event will bear a little more of that responsibility to provide a satisfactory GM or the event will not be run. Should a GM fail to meet our minimum standards, that person will be banned from running an event for one year and the event itself will go on Probation.

An event on Probation loses one status level; i.e., from Century to Trial, or from Trial to Ineligible. Events on Probation may continue to be run as a Continuing Trial provided they survive the membership vote (see the next paragraph). The effects of Probation last one year. Therefore, an event run as a Continuing Trial may re-earn its way into the Century in the same manner as all other Trial events.

CONTINUING TRIAL SELECTION: WBC caps events at 125—excluding Juniors events; 100 Century events and 25 Continuing Trials. Additional events above this ceiling may be added by Vendors and Sponsors or as Legacy Century events by the Board of Directors. Given the likely addition of new events added by membership vote, a dozen events run one year may be ineligible to return the next year. Consequently, the process by which Continuing Trial events are selected is as follows:

25 Trial slots composed of either new games or readmitted Trials drawing the most votes in the Annual Event Survey during the December Membership Drive are added at the end of Membership voting on Jan. 1. Regardless of vote, the winning events also require a GM commitment by the Feb. 28 deadline, or they will be replaced by an alternate with a GM commitment. Continuing Trials are limited to 25 events for which an acceptable Event form has been submitted by a participating GM by Feb. 28. Events not ranking in the Top 25 are ineligible unless selected by a Vendor, Sponsor, or the BPA. Should any of those top 25 events fail to have a satisfactory GM commitment by Feb. 28, BPA will fill the remaining slots based on the availability of GMs and suitability as determined by BPA in matters of balance between genres and subject matter.

The Annual Membership Event Survey is important. In summary, when deciding what events you should support on your membership survey, first check the Orphan List. Do NOT vote for any of the 104 Century events. Those events are already in—a vote for them is wasted and does nothing to alter its chances of inclusion. DO vote for any event that you wish to see included that is not already listed in the 104 Century events. We endorse those events listed as Alternates for which a GM commitment has already been made.

All events require a BPA member acting as GM to submit a satisfactory Event Form no later than Feb. 28, or the event will not be run. Prospective GMs should review the GM Guidelines to ensure they are familiar with the most recent version. Events will be reserved for the previous GM who satisfactorily completed all obligations until Jan. 1. After that date, any event not already taken may be run by the first BPA member submitting a satisfactory event form by Feb. 28. The Orphans list will be updated approximately weekly between Jan. 1 when reservations expire and March 1 when event submissions are no longer accepted. All requested event times are approximate and subject to change when the final schedule is made.

Boardgame Players Association Last updated 12/1/07 by kae.
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