News

December 31, 2022 - Email to Players

Hello badminton players,


I'm reaching out to share the results of the 4-night pilot. In a nutshell, it's my opinion that the club is not yet viable, and for this reason (as well as the personal time commitment) I've decided against booking the gym into 2023. That being said, I'd be thrilled to pass the club on to anyone who wants to take over, so if you're interested then please contact me - I'd be be happy to help, and get you up to speed.


For now:

  • The website will remain active.

  • The registration form will continue to collect responses.

  • If nobody contacts me about taking over, then I'll reach out again if/when more people have filled out the registration form.


Regarding the pilot, here are the findings:

  • 30 people have filled out the original registration form, with 21 responding that they would have no problem playing Mondays 8-10.

  • The pilot RSVP responses indicated an average of 11.75 players would attend each night.

  • The average turnout during the pilot was 9.5 players per night. (Minimum = 7, maximum = 15.)

  • Expenses totalled around $400. ($378 for the gym rentals, plus ~$20 for shuttles.)

  • Revenue was $240. (More than the $190 expected from the 38 total drop-ins, so thank-you to whoever made donations beyond the $5 fees.)


From a financial feasibility perspective, it's clear that for the club to succeed then the $5 per night would need to be increased to $10-12 per night. I've spoken to many players who say they'd happily pay this much, but for the same price or less, players can also get a comparable experience elsewhere. The closest is the Dow Centre, but the Edmonton District Badminton Association (https://edba.org/clubs/) has dozens more options.


Economics aside, for me the real bottleneck is low player turn-out. Small groups can be self-sustaining for a while, but I've seen it before - with too few players, people slowly get bored and peel away. For vibrancy, a club needs enough players, night after night, to ensure a variety of games for everyone. In my opinion, with <10 players per night there just isn't enough interest to keep a club alive.


As disappointing as this is, I'd like to extend a big thank-you to everyone who participated in the pilot. I hope the club eventually gets going again, but in the meantime if there's anything on your mind please feel free to reach out. As always, if you'd like to be removed from the mailing list, just let me know at fsbc.management@gmail.com.


Happy new year,


Brandon

November 15, 2022 - Email to Players

Hello badminton players!



Good news: the Fort Saskatchewan Badminton Club is finally opening!


Well, sort of - the membership quota hasn't been reached yet, but there are 26 people who have filled out the form. That's enough to run a pilot, so we booked the gym for a few nights between now and the holidays.


If we can break even over the pilot nights, then we'll go ahead and book recurring nights in the new year.


There are 4 nights booked at Southpointe School, all are Mondays 8-10pm:

  • Nov 21

  • Nov 28

  • Dec 12

  • Dec 19

(Note: no play on December 5)


Please fill out this form to let me know which dates you are planning to attend.


For the pilot we'll be doing 5$ drop-in for everyone. (If the pilot is successful, then we'll figure out a one-time membership option for the new year.)


The website fortbadminton.com now has a few more pages, you might want to check it out.


Thank you all for your patience and support. If you'd like to be removed from the distribution list, just let me know. Hope to see you soon,



Brandon

September 13, 2022 - Email to Registrants

Hello badminton players!


My name is Brandon, and I'm the person responsible for the website at fortbadminton.com.


As of Sept 13, there are 18 prospective members signed up. We're still very short of the 40-member target - but that's ok! Submissions have been trickling in over the past few weeks, and I'm cautiously optimistic that more players will sign up as we get further into Fall.


Key point: there's no time pressure to starting this club! It's more important to ensure we have a vibrant community before starting - I think we'd all rather start a few months later, than to start too early and see interest fizzle out. Stay patient, stay positive, and keep your shoes and rackets ready - we'll get started when the time is right!


A few things to note:

  • If you want to be taken off the mailing list, please let me know.

  • If you filled out the form but don't want to play in the club this year, please let me know. (No judgement, and I can keep you on the mailing list, I just want to be able to keep track of how many prospective members we have for THIS year).

  • I'm aware there has been a Fort Sask club in the past. If you were involved in running any previous incarnations of the club, and have anything you'd like to share or contribute, please feel free to reach out.

  • For those interested in the finances, a solid club costs about $100 per night to run - $85 for the gym rental, and $15 in shuttles.

  • If you have any questions or comments, please feel free.

Cheers,


Brandon