As far as the ACBL is concerned, there are 3300 Star Clubs across North
America---and each of you works hard to support our great game and provide
a welcoming environment for the players in your community.
But in the past, very few of you have applied for ACBL “Star Club” status. In fact, last year only 113 clubs submitted applications. Why? We think we know the answer. We made it too complicated for too little reward. Some of our smaller clubs never would be able to meet the criteria---and
that’s most of you. More than 2000 of our 3300 clubs hold only one game per week, though many
in the same location and fewer than 300 hold more than three games per
week.
We have eliminated the multi-star and club of the year programs and developed
a program that can recognize Star Clubs large and small. We’d like to think of the new 2005 Star Club Program as a mutual-admiration
society. The ACBL needs you to recruit and retain our members and tot sustain the
game we love so well. Recent marketing efforts of the ACBL have been based on a principle that
we need to provide you with tools to be successful. We yhope you have taken advantage of the expanded rebates for the Cooperative
Advertising Program and other new programs you’ve seen in the Club Managers
Newsletter and Marketing Matters e-newsletter.
The 2005 STAR CLUB Program will reward you for your efforts to promote
bridge and the ACBL, with special emphasis on awareness of your club in
your community. The new program has been reviewed by members of the ACBL Board of Directors
Marketing Committee—club players and in many cases, club managers just
like you. We welcome your suggestions for future change.
We will post the new criteria for Star Clubs online so members of your
community know the efforts you are making to welcome them. We’ve also added some new (and wow!) rewards that we hope will show the
ACBL’s appreciation for your efforts.
Please review the application for the NEW 2005 Star Club Program. The application is available on the Resources for Clubs section of the
ACBL web site. We hope all of you will earn your Star Status.
Thos of you who already submitted applications for the 2005 Star Club Program
may be a bit confused. Unfortunately, when this program was set up, the timing was a bit off. You were asked to submit applications in December 2004 to be a 2005 Star
Club---when your recognition should be for your accomplishments in 2004. There will be two recognition programs in 2005---one announced in early
2005 and the other announced in 2006. Then we will get back on track.
Carol Robertson, Director, Club and Member Services