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But wait a minute. I thought the reason originally quoted for running tournaments was to generate revenue (in the end). The comparison was made to posting on Facebook and having customers organize themselves, pool money to buy your stuff, and market your product.

If the tournament actually COSTS payroll hours, and you roll all of the tournament fees back into prize support, then the tournament is COSTING you more money. Now it has to generate MORE revenue than open gaming/free tables/doing nothing to be worthwhile. That MIGHT happen, but it's not guaranteed. .

100% to prizes as store credit. That means that the store gets 100% of fees paid. Say $15/person x12 people. You just made $180 plus anything else they spend while they are there.

Mannahnin wrote:

NobleSeven wrote:I think pay to play for your LGS is a ridiculous notion.

Do you also think paying for play space in a bowling alley, or a pool hall, is a ridiculous notion?

That being said, it is a nuanced issue. Many successful FLGS owners (like Mikhaila) have said they feel there are better ways to get customers to spend their money at the store.

But I don't think there's anything ridiculous about it at all.

Let me put this in perspective: when I was part of an independent game club, I was paying between $30 to $40 a month dues. But I was also getting a key to come and go as I please, lots of tables with terrain, the ability for a small fee to store armies there, and the idea I was playing with similar like minded people(ie- no douchebags) who wanted to play the same variety of games as I did, with the notion that we could play any time, any day of the week with no hassle.

Compared to $5 to play at a LGS, the ones all around me.....the former was money well spent. The LGS? Overpriced by a large margin. I could play there, or play in my various friends basement with better results, and more convience. As Mikhaila has said there are better ways to get customers to spend money then charging them. Getting them in the door is half the battle.

My 2 cents: Vote with your dollars.

I'm lucky enough to have 2 amazing LGS within 25 miles of me. Any time I go to either, I try to spend at least $20 (usually becomes more). I do this because I have a free, clean place to play, have a chance to meet new people, and have a place to hang out that isn't my apartment. Paying the difference between internet prices and full retail is the cost I'm willing to absorb for this service.

If a store charged me for table time, that's dandy too. But I've just lost all impetus to buy stock from you bar small purchases (to save on shipping) or impulse buys.

That being said, I don't think the model of a gaming club (where members pay dues) is a bad one. Heck, if a bar or Dave & Buster's equivilant had gaming tables, I'd totally pay a $10 cover to play.

I am going agree with mikhaila here, partially due to the fact that where I game it is mostly military that come to play, and when we do come, we always buy something that we need before we leave, or at least I do because I want my gaming store to stick around, and the store owner sells refreshments and whatnot.

a store is a place to buy things IMHO.. if i want to pay to play i go to a gaming club. A store is there to sell stuff, give advice etc. If GW or my FLGS started charging to play there i would vote with my feet and wallet!

My local store, Game Parlor in NOVA, went to a pay to play thing last year.

There were a lot of people spending hours in the store and who would also buy everything online.

Now you can either pay $2 to play in the store or you get a free ticket to play for every $20 you spend. Anyone that regularly supported the store before is good to go and anyone that chose to buy online now has to at least chip in something to cover electricity and whatnot.

It's not perfect (I really get annoyed being asked to show my receipt after dropping $100+ there) but I understand why they do it.

If there was a fee to play regardless of how much you spend I don't think I'd ever pay for a figure there again. They way they do it works, though, and I spend what I'd normally spend and play as I normally play. Free loaders now have to chip in something, which seems to be a good thing.