NOVEMBER 17-20, 2008

Report from BILL COOK, JR

District 10 Representative

Board decisions were as follows:

Clubs are only permitted to hold regularly scheduled club master point games (no special games) when a sectional (excluding STaCs) or higher rated event is being conducted within 25 miles of a club games playing site.
The ACBL Youth Program has been redefined and separated into a Youth Division for kids under 20 years of age who are ACBL members in good standing and a Junior Division for those under 26 years of age who are ACBL members in good standing. Special Benefits and Events are being designed for each division.
A youth NABC is approved for the summer of 2010 at a site and date to be determined.
Appeals and Charges committee’s review of the ACBL Ethical Oversight Committee’s charges brought by ACBL against Ken Gee resulted in the following decisions:

1. That the finding that Mr. Gee violated CDR Section 3.1, 3.2 and 3.7 is affirmed.

2. That the discipline imposed is modified as follows:

a. That Mr. Gee is suspended from the ACBL for the period from and including November 22, 2007 through May 31, 2009.

b. That Mr. Gee serve a lifetime probation under ACBL rules commencing June 1, 2009.

c. That all ACBL master points earned by Mr. Gee for the period July 31, 2006 through December 31, 2007 be removed from his ACBL master point record. He shall forfeit any titles or awards won during the same time period.

Defeated a motion brought by the Board of Governors that no person may be prevented from active, in hearing, representation at any hearing held by an ACBL disciplinary body merely because they hold a law degree and/or are or were licensed to practice law in any jurisdiction.
Approved that for all games at NABCs, the hands used in NABC and events shall be different from the hands played in other games (Regional, Side, I/N).
Serving as Director of Appeals does not disqualify a member of the Board of Directors from serving on the Appeals and Charges Committee.
Online bridge clubs may run club championships under similar conditions as face-to-face clubs. All master point awards will be non-pigmented. In an online club championship each pair must play 18 boards in length. One open club championship may be awarded per quarter for sessions 1 - 12 (Monday – Thursday) with a maximum first place overall award of 3.90.
STaC charges for 2009 will computed using the following formula:

Tables

Factor

0 - 500

500 – 1000

1000 - 2000

2000 - 4000

4000 +

$4.35 x # of Tables

$4.10 x # of Tables over 500 + $2175

$3.75 x # of Tables over 1000 + $4225

$3.30 x # of Tables over 2000 + $7975

$3.00 x # of Tables over 4000 + $14,575

Subject to a second reading at the Houston 2009 Spring NABC, approved the establishment of the Platinum Pairs as an annual event to be held on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Spring NABC beginning in 2010. This will be a six-session qualification pair event open to members that have won 50 or more platinum points in the three years prior to the event or a total of 200 platinum points lifetime.
The strat levels for teams in a stratified Board-a-Match team event can optionally be determined by the average master point holding of all the team members.
The 2009 budget was approved with a projected deficit of $195,475.00 and included:

1. An increase in NABC card fees per player per session as follows:

a. NABC + events $18.00 to $20.00

b. NABC limited events $16.50 to $17.00

c. Regional two session events $15.50 to $16.00

d. Single session and I/N events $14.50 to $15.00

2. Sectional surcharge increase from $135.00 to $165.00

Eliminate Quorum Requirements from Election Regulations.

The following sections are eliminated:

4. UNIT VOTING POWER

4.1.4 A majority of Unit Board of Directors in the unit must vote in order for the units voting power t o be included in the election results.

5. VOTING METHODS

A majority of the Unit Board members must vote in order for the unit’s ballots to be included in the results.

In executive session, the Real Estate Committee reported the following:

Management is authorized to negotiate the purchase of a parcel of land and proceed with the development of an ACBL headquarter building pursuant to the terms and conditions of the proposal provided in executive session.

JAY BAUM, ACBL CEO REPORTED:

Membership from January 1, 2008 through the first ten months has increased by 1,389. New members continue to average nearly 1,000 per month, a 2% increase over 2007.
Regional table averages dipped slightly in September and October. Average tables per regional stayed above 1,400 but trails 2007 by 5% and total tables lag by 2%.
Sectionals tables are running flat with 2007, however average tables per sectional has dipped 3.5%.
STaC tables per tournament continue at a good pace with a 10% increase over 2007. Total tables, while 3,400 less than 2007, are expected to surpass 2007 totals due to additional STaCs in November and December.
Club games continue to do well and total tables are expected to surpass 2007.
Online tables continue their upward trend. Through the first nine months, we are 24% ahead of 2007.
The November issue of the Bridge Bulletin is online. We plan to make the magazine available each month for paid up members who have registered for MyACBL. We eventually plan to have archives of the Bulletin in the new format going back to 2005.
Vicki Campbell was hired in September as our new Director of Marketing. Campbell, a graduate of the University of Memphis, has worked as a direct marketing specialist in a local marketing consulting firm and in relationship marketing for Harrah’s Entertainment.
ACBL was an exhibitor at the Life at 50+ AARP National Event and Expo in Washington DC September 4 – 6. The convention was a success with 28,000 in attendance. Bob Levey, an ACBL member and former Washington Post columnist, gave a stage presentation entitled “Why Bridge is a Game for All Ages.”
The Learn to Play Bridge postcard has been completed. This card has some of the same graphics and information that the Learn to Play Bridge CD jacket contains. The postcard directs people to the ACBL website to download the Learn to Play Bridge software. This will net large savings over the production of the Learn to Play Bridge CD and jacket.
An electronic survey was sent during the month of October to the Youth ACBL members and attendees of the Youth NABC in Atlanta (over 1,200 individuals) to get their feedback in helping guide the development of the youth website and youth bridge programs.
Cooperative Advertising Program reimbursements through September 2008 and compared to September 2007:

	Subsidies	New Members	Amount Reimbursed
September 2008	233	9,020	$96,381.29
September 2007	225	8,746	$93,216.52

Both Bridge Mate and Bridge Pad, the manufactures of the electronic scoring devices, are working on upgrades to their current products. We will continue to monitor the progress of these units as well as other new products that can help us modernize the tournament experience. Another innovation is expected to be unveiled in Houston that could revolutionize how we are able to run tournaments.
ACBL income for 2008 is expected to exceed expenses by approximately $700,000.

PETER RANK, LEAGUE COUSEL, REPORTED:

The lawsuit filed by Peter Marcus and Susan Petricelli, ACBL tournament directors, against ACBL for failure to pay overtime as required by Federal Wage and Hour law is in the discovery stage after the Federal Court in Connecticut denied the League’s Motions to Dismiss and Transfer Venue.
The lawsuit filed by Ms. Maloney-Rafaie against Bridge at Schools, Inc., ACBL, ACBL Educational Foundation, Barbara Heller, Nadine Wood, Charity Sack and Joan Gerard for breach of her employment agreement by her employer, Bridge at Schools, has been dismissed with prejudice by plaintiff as to all defendant.