Game Club - Questions on Forming One

[Mr. White]

It looks like my area has a decent enough player pool, but no organization. So, I’m considering starting up a Game Club where people can bring all sorts of games to play. I’ve not done or been part of anything like this though, usually just running games with close friends in the garage. So, how does one go about it? What restrictions should there be? Fees? Restrict to minis games only or let board gamers and Rpgers come too? Ideally I’d like to stick to minis, but I can’t seem to justify a good reason why besides that’s my preferred game style.

Any tips or suggestions out there?

[2010sunburst]

Hiya
Not run a gaming club, but did run a railway modelling club a couple of decades ago.  I would think the venue essentials are the same.  A decent hall with chairs and tables you can use.  Tea making facilities.  Heating in winter (a cold hall is a real off putting venue).  Cost per person to be enough to cover hall hire.

I wouldn’t restrict your attendees.  Go for all types of gaming to maximise foot fall.  Last thing is a method of planning ahead so attendees can correspond over the games to be played, and a way of involving new attendees to make them feel welcome (some sort of stater pickup game). 
Good luck.
Where are you based, by the way, you may pick up attendees from here….

[robh]

I did set up and run a small (20ish members) games club for a while and spent time as a committee member on a much larger one after moving house/changing jobs.

As mentioned the venue is the critical thing, make sure it has tables available, heating, kitchen facility and dedicated parking.
Next up is to get confirmation from gamers outside your own circle that they will be regular attendees, you need a variety of games going on.  We used to have a "main" game which we took turns in organising and this was always open to anyone wanting to join in. Other games then ran alongside this and were open or closed as the organisers chose.

Certainly include Board games and Rpgs along with miniature wargames, but from experience don't expect much cross-over between them.

Fees should be enough to cover costs and paid annually or quarterly regardless of attendance  (at first you and a couple of friends will likely have to subsidise this yourselves). Allow newcomers to play a couple of times for free before pressing them to ante up.

Other issues you need to consider are Liability Insurance (provided by the venue?), Age requirements (do you want kids playing? or does the venue have restrictions?), Codes of behaviour (alcohol, vaping, smoking etc).

I started out by advertising in the national wargames magazines (this is pre-internet) and the game stores, libraries and book shops in the towns around the area for interested parties to meet up and discuss the possibility and confirm their support (and pledge their money) before continuing.  Took about 6 months from first ideas to first club meeting.

[Jemima Fawr]

If you're renting a hall or somesuch you'll probably want to set a subscription fee that covers the rent, plus a small surplus to cover those weeks when not enough people turn up to pay the rent.  That then probably leads to a bank account and if you're in the UK you'll then need a club general meeting, elected committee and constitution to make it all legal and compliant with tax and anti-money-laundering regulations (easy enough to do and you can just cut & paste a club constitution from the internet).  All the clubs I've been a member of then spend any surplus on full game-days, club scenery such as generic cloths, hills, trees, roads, rivers & buildings, storage cupboards, etc, etc.

[Will Bailie]

Be aware that this will be a labour of love.  The organisers (you, plus any suckers other helpers you can recruit) will have to do all the work for little or no recognition.

Do a bit of research first:  There will be a lot of questions you need to have answered before you start.
How many gamers can you get to commit? 
How many tables will you be able to fill on a given game day/evening? 
Can you find a suitably sized gaming space - too small and you'll lose potential members, too big and you'll be paying for space that isn't used.
How often will the club meet?  Not everyone will be able to attend all game sessions. 
How committed is your team?  Will you be doing all the work, or can you share the load.  If this is your labour of love, you might not find others as willing to take on any of the work needed to make things work.
How are you going to get the message to the gamers in your area?  Can you advertise at local shops?  Community message boards?  Facebook and other social media (including LAF!)?
Be careful when setting up arrangements with the venue owners.  Once you have a regular meeting time and place, you want to be certain that your group won't get bumped too easily if the hall owner wants to use the venue for a wedding or some other function.

It's ok to start small and allow for the group to grow.  Maybe start with a single, one-off event to gauge interest. 

I recommend being as open as possible.  Make room for the boardgamers, the RPG crowd.  Get the bodies in the door and attending regularly.  View the club as a venue for gamers to get together and game.  My experience is that all the diverse gamers will attend, and then break into their subgroups to focus on their particular interests - and there will be some cross-fertilization as folks check out the action at the other tables!

[manic _miner]

 Me and my wife ran a games club Years ago.

 Mostly due to kids near to us that got interested in the miniatures with Lord of the Rings and such.

 We got the use of a hall at the local community center which had plenty of tables and chairs plus tea making facilities too.

 Had quite a few members but had to give it up due to work commitments.

 I would say like others have to go for any games.Be it miniatures,board,RPG and card games.That way you have the chance of filling the space and getting the funds to cover the costs.

 Facebook and other social media would be the best places to let people know or gauge interest in a club in your area.Plenty of forums for the different game systems out there to post too.Also Local games,gaming shops for posters.

 There is a new club just started in Stanley which has lots of variety in games being played along with quite a few rooms along with terrain and such.

[fastolfrus]

Venue is the first stumbling block, but you might try to find somewhere that lets you use a bit of space free.
Our local club struck lucky and got use of a snooker club function room on Monday and Thursday evening (nights when they don't get many bookings, but the bar staff are in anyway). The owners gave us a big cupboard to store terrain etc and allow us to keep a lot of folding tables.

[has.been]

Lots of good advice already given.
I would emphasise:-

Guarantee of venue (One club turned up to find a new Pub Landlord
who wouldn't even let them in. it was a struggle to even get their
own stuff back & then what to do with it.)

Getting into the premises (is it possible to have some extra keys cut?)

Storage (saves a lot of dragging stuff to and fro the club)

Subs (get them paid in advance. Then players more likely to turn up,
& you know what money you have in the kitty)

Club projects/campaigns (Personal choice, as I really like these)

Delegate (DON'T do it all yourself.)

[giles the zog]

Definitely the venue part as others have said.

I'm the trustee of a hall, and we have storage space.

I have used it for up to 20 players, and whilst I didn't store stuff there (I lived a 100 metres away) it would be also top of my list. Cosy ip to your hall's management. We are always encouraging to regulars as it means income.

Again as others have said, make sure you have more than enough dosh to cover the cost of hire.

You might also want to consider food as well - but make sure you have checked on food intolerances/allergies. I have people variously allergic to shell fish, cheese and aubergines.

Use paper plates and disposable glasses (plastic) where possible. Get in tea bags, coffee milk and sugar, soft drinks optional.

Any charges should be made clear as to what it pays for especially if you are going to go for a regular club, with stores of scenery.