BGB Champion Guide
What does being a Champion entail?
- You’ll play a game you love alongside other people who love the game.
- You’ll act as an authority for your chosen game. That means knowing the game well and passing that knowledge on to less experienced players.
- You’ll also represent the store by conveying enthusiasm, illustrating the rules of the space, communicating with staff, and making new players feel welcome.
- And you get to play for free—no gaming fees!
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AN EXPERT—ONLY AN ENTHUSIAST!
We appreciate our Champions being able to answer questions for passersby and newer/inexperienced players. This does not mean you have to know more nuanced rules details and be a more skilled player than every other player at your events.
We would much rather have an enthusiastic player with a moderate amount of experience than a grouchy tournament winner.
Feeling like a Champion already?
Let us know at BoardGameBarrister.com/events/event-registration
———————-READ ON BELOW FOR THE COMPLETE BGB CHAMPION GUIDE———————-
BGB Champion Guide
What are the responsibilities of a Champion?
Day of the Event |
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During the Event |
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End of the Event |
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Submitting your Event
Every successful event has to start somewhere, and that somewhere is called the Host an Event form. This form can be found at BoardGameBarrister.com/Events/Event-Registration/
Begin your Champion journey by visiting that form and filling in the details of the event you’d like to run—and please do so at least three weeks prior to your proposed date! If we have space available, we’ll add you to our public calendar.
Trial Period
If you’re running a weekly event, there is a four week trial period to see how the event thrives. If you have at least 4 consistent players (including yourself) after those four weeks, we’ll make it a part of the regular events calendar and marketing. If the event doesn’t seem to be drawing interest, we may need to clear the time slot for another potential event.
Unable to run your event?
Every event in our stores is represented on our public web calendar, as well as in-store signs, facebook and directly through staff conversations with potential players.
Because of all this, if a player shows up for an event only to be told that it won’t be held that day, it makes them feel terrible, and no one wants that.
So we try to be very clear with our community whenever we need to change, postpone or cancel an event. And that clarity begins with you.
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If you know in advance that you will not be available for your event:
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Contact the Events Manager as early as possible so you can work together to find a substitute event runner or reschedule your event.
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If something happens the day of (i.e. sick, car broke down):
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Call the store your event is scheduled for immediately and let the staff know.
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Contact the Events Manager about the situation.
- If it is an emergent situation and you will not be able to make contact with the Event Manager that day, you may request that the BGB staff person you spoke with reach out to them.
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Checking in at the Counter
We ask our Champions and Event Runners to check in for every event, and we feel that it’s a big help for everyone because:
- We know you’re present and ready to run the event.
- You get to interact with all the Barristers and familiarize them with your event, so that they can direct players your way!
- And we get to make sure you have everything you need for your event – whether that be event kits, product, or otherwise.
When you check in, we’re also going to hand you an event reporting form.
The Event Reporting Form
These forms will be used for every single event run in the store. They take between 30 seconds and 5 minutes to fill out, covering the basic event info, attendance, store materials you used (if applicable), and any feedback you might have for us.
After your event, please stop back at the register, bring your event form and players’ tickets, staple the tickets to the form, and then hand it over to a Barrister.
These forms allow the Events Manager to manage our inventory and react to any feedback you might have.
Reporting Digital Results
Some events must be reported digitally. In the event that this is the case for your event:
- This will be communicated to you by the Events Manager beforehand.
- You may be logged into and/or shown how to use the store event laptop.
Examples that sometimes require digital submission of results:
- Wizards Event Reporter (Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons)
- Wizkids Info Network
- Fantasy Flight Games tournaments (Relaxed Tier and above)
- Pokemon Events
Dungeon Masters for Dungeons & Dragons Events
Our Dungeons & Dragons community comprises many large and enthusiastic groups across multiple stores.
Because of this, we adhere to a number of programs and procedures that allow us to avoid potential pitfalls and which incentivize more players to become Dungeon Masters, all while improving and unifying the D&D experience across all our locations.
PLUS – Our Dungeon Masters receive additional perks beyond those of a Champion!
For details on Dungeons & Dragons programs, please reference the BGB Dungeon Master’s Guide document.
Dealing with Larger Events & Special Events
Occasionally, our store will host special events that we expect will fill our event space.
If you host a repeating event that will overlap with the date of any such event, we will reach out to you to inform you that we need to postpone your event for a week, and (when applicable) to inquire whether you would like to take part in the special event—most of which are SUPER cool!
And the moment you’ve been waiting for…
The Perks of being a Champion!
The Free Play
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. It would be a bit silly to ask you to purchase entry for an event you’re putting together for us, so we do no such thing.
For any of your Casual-Play events, you need not purchase a ticket. “Casual-Play” means the event isn’t tapping into any resources at the store’s cost. This includes weekly play events, Learn-to-Play events, etc.
When it comes to Non-Casual-Play events, we ask that you buy entry if you intend to partake of the available prizes/promos. There can be some nuance to this, so if you’re not sure whether or not to buy a ticket, feel free to check with the Events Manager.
[Note: Some event kits make a point of including prizes for the Event Runner or Tournament Organizer. If you are the Champion for such an event, receiving those prizes would not require you to buy entry.]
Our Appreciation
Seriously, we know this sounds mushy, but it needs to be said.
We know that you’re choosing to spend your time in our stores, creating a better experience for your players. We’ll do what we can to make your events as cool as we can, so please, talk to us and come to us with ideas. If you’re a Champion, you’re a leader among our players, and that means you’re in a unique position to connect the community’s needs with the store’s goals.
If there is anything you need, feel free to ask at the counter or reach out to the Events Manager, whether or not it’s related to your event. We’ll do our best to accommodate you and your players!
So we thank you, BGB Champion. Welcome to the Board Game Barrister Family!