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North America - GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

xkobiex - Apr 11, 2011 - 12:07 PM
Post subject: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

Would anyone be interested if I proposed a mini-league for Blood Bowl CRP6 to GW-Square One? I would like to play a game or two a week. GW may even renew some mail-order sales through people seeing Blood Bowl played on one of their tables.

Thoughts?

natsirtdm - Apr 14, 2011 - 10:36 AM
Post subject: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

A little off-topic but I don't know why you would want to repay GW with increase SG sales.

Square one is a little far for me to travel during the week. If you are close enough a decent league is being run by THMG at Dueling Grounds.

xkobiex - Apr 14, 2011 - 11:38 AM
Post subject: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

Actually, I think your linked post is pretty relevant. My idea is more of a plea to GW to provide support. Specialist Games do not get attention because they are often seen as fads. GW needs to see sales in order to desire to update anything. Right now, CRP6 has been quoted as the "final" product of Blood Bowl. I really don't want to see that happen. Some of the GW Blood Bowl models are amazing...same goes for Mordheim.

As for Dueling Grounds, I am in Brampton so that is out for me during the week. I will consider going to Dueling Grounds on occasion after I immerse myself into Blood Bowl a little more. Blood Bowl has always interested me but I have never played. I just got Cyanide's game up and running. While it isn't the same thing, the rules interactions seem to be a good tutor.

Darkson - Apr 14, 2011 - 11:52 AM
Post subject: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

GW don't (didn't) even bother to put BB stock into the Warhammer World store when they had approx 180 BB coaches for the GT each year. A small league in a single store isn't going to encourage them.

xkobiex - Apr 14, 2011 - 12:31 PM
Post subject: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

I have worked closely with GW in the past and am aware of their somewhat strange business practices as far as stocking is concerned. It has devolved even further in Canada with the absense of a true separate warehousing system for the last 5 years. Some stores here aren't even allowed to restock special characters or elite blisters unless they have orders in the system. That is pretty hardcore backwardness.

Stocking of BB product isn't really what I'm after. Anyone can purchase from the instore kiosks and get it shipped to them. What is of interest is spreading the game and being allowed to set my models on their tables. Right now, there is no one doing this with any of their non-core games. In fact, less and less people are playing anything in their stores because of their business model and flip-flop rules over what is allowed in store.

Any progress would be good. Hopefully, GW opens their eyes soon.

Darkson - Apr 14, 2011 - 01:28 PM
Post subject: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

Good luck, but I fear you'll be deeply disappointed.

natsirtdm - Apr 15, 2011 - 06:21 AM
Post subject: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

I have to agree with Darkson. We ran a small league at the GW Yonge/Lawrence store last year. It was mostly veterans who played (2-3 new people painted up a team) and lasted several weeks until WHFB 8th ed. came out. A fair amount of others oooh'd and aaahh'd - but there was never any discussion of stocking or anything, the manager was just chill enough to let us play but that will only last as long as someone (non employee) runs it.

xkobiex - Apr 15, 2011 - 07:45 AM
Post subject: Re: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

natsirtm wrote:

I understand exactly what you are saying. Obviously, it doesn't hurt to ask. Failing any cooperation, I can obviously take my models and my dollars elseswhere. Although one or two people are small drops in a pond, when those small drops are key local customers and core product supporters as well, local managers tend to compromise.

xkobiex - May 30, 2011 - 07:24 AM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

So, I talked with Tyler at GW this week while modelling some figs. There was a new player (to Blood Bowl but not Warhammer) doing the same and I posed the question again as to if we could play any GW game on their tables; particularly BloodBowl. Without any begging, Tyler told me that he would allow any game that doesn't impede business and with BloodBowl being so easy to set up, he said it would be allowed for sure. In fact, they will be starting a league soon. I will keep the forum posted as to when sign ups will be available for those interested.

On a side note, I also took a look at the new Finecast and it is pretty slick...expensive, but slick. Some product jumped 25% in price while other metals went down (Treekin $29 each to $59 for 3.)

Spazzfist - May 30, 2011 - 11:00 AM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

I would be interested in a Square One league, but would not be doing it to change the mind of GW.

As all have said before GW does not care, and never will. Their only interest is in the maximum profit for their dollars invested. 40K and WFB is where their money is. Blood Bowl is such a small market for them, that they will never take notice of it (unless it is to sue people for copyright infringement).

My motivation for the league would be to (1) have fun and (2) be playing in a public venue to increase awareness and interest in this great game.

xkobiex - May 30, 2011 - 02:43 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: GTA Players - Proposal to GW Retail?

...the two most important reasons, Spazzfist.