Badonk's Donks Stables Social Chat

Replay Poker Replay League Discussion
8082

Where are we right now. (Just the facts)

Members 71 Gold, 82 Silvers, 66 HOF

Players per game this week : Gold 32, 31, 40, 34
Silver: 21, 11, 23, 14

Different Players per Quarter/ Different Players playing 7+ games: Gold 69/61 Silver 63/39 (comp)
Different Players per time slot this qtr/ Different Players playing 7+ games
Wednesday 3pm EST : Gold 54/23 Silver 46/13
Wednesday 9pm EST: Gold 52/21 Silver 31/3
Sunday 3pm EST: Gold 61/28 Silver 47/12
Sunday 7pm EST: Gold 54/28 Silver 39/6

In gold: 42.6%, 40.4%, 45.9%, 51.9% players “trying to win a time slot crown”
In silver: 28%, 9.6%, 25.5%, 15.4% players “trying to win a time slot crown”
The Gold Level is still viable (85.9% meeting minimum games 2 have not played this qtr).
Silver is in some serious trouble. (47.5% meeting minimum requirement. 19 have not played this qtr)

Socially: Why did we stop naming the tournaments after the defending champions? That was the coolest trophy. Sunday late game vs Southwestmba Sunday Funday. One feels like we are going thru the motions the other celebrates the achievement of a fellow donk. Small things matter too. The social aspect is vital to the success of this league.

3 Likes
8083

WOW!! Someone actually gets it. And a fairly new member at that. Kudos to you @southwestmba. Go back in this Forum chat and see what the social aspect was when the league was at it’s peak. It DID encourage more to play…it DID provide actual competition among so many. Did I have a hand in that…yes as well as @Saratogatom, @Badonkidonk{who was the Organizer} and so many others. A day didn’t go by when there were 40-50 posts and many had nothing to do with poker. We all got to know one another and it made for extemely friendly competition. Alas, this is now lost and the league shows the effects as you so intelligently said. I’m known for being brutally honest and Donk’s is no longer the place to be. It shows in how many new members we have, how many play and the overall quality of the play. The Gold tier will always survive because of so many that have been here for so long. Silver…it’s dead in the water and it seems to me that there are two solutions…decrease the number of games{fat chance of that} or combine the tiers…otherwise why have a Silver tier. The ball is in the hands of those who run this league…problem is, will they run with it…

5 Likes
8084

I must agree with all that was said above. The Donks had a lot of “fun” chat and the two games per week were something to look forward to. Let’s change it up and have much more friendly chat and not so much serious competition. Let’s have fun.

4 Likes
8085

I have been a silver Donk for two years now and I am proud of the league as a whole, good players, good people. This will be my last quarter in the league, I have seen the decline and tried to help but none of the suggestions submitted by many players were implemented. Apologies to any player that was offended by my dry humor during these two years, I assure you that it was not personal. It was a pleasure to game with you all!

8086

The idea that going back to two games per week would increase participation has been voiced time and again by the same small group of people. The data does not show any causal relationship between the introduction of the 3rd and 4th weekly games and decreasing participation. On the contrary, participation continued to increase after the expansion to three and four weekly games.

Neither the data nor basic logical reasoning indicate that reducing the number of games would solve the current issues in Silver, so I can’t with good conscience make this change. If @12beat22 really thinks that this is the solution, they should be consistent and agree to take over the league organization right now.

3 Likes
8087

I’ve conducted a survey for the proposed changes and, with the exception of sending out reminders on game days, none indicated to have a significant net positive effect on participation.

8088

I was asking Donks for help with tasks such as naming tournaments. Nobody initially responded to my request, so I had to cut down on some tasks.

In terms of absolute participation, the league peaked in the first half of 2022 when we were averaging almost 300 entries to our 8 regular tournaments per week (compared to about 220 entries when I took over). In February 2022, we had 89 players in an ADI game, in August 2022, we had 92 players in an ADI game; both were new records at the time.

What changed after the first half of 2022? Mainly recruiting.

Donks have always been dropping out or decreasing their engagement with the league. People lose interest in poker, changes in their personal life can force them to cut down on poker time, or they may become sick or worse. This is nothing new and there is very little a league can do against effects like these. What we can change, and I have been saying this again and again, is our recruitment and retention efforts. We have had an incredible increase in participation in my first year as the league organizer, mainly due to significant recruitment efforts by @chuckcox, myself, and others. Circumstances changed for myself, chuckcox cut down on recruiting, recruiting became harder in general. Even after I sent out multiple requests to help out, only very few members stepped up. As a consequence, we have barely been recruiting over the past 18 months or so, and we do see the impact now.

2 Likes
8089

Then please show me how to do it,

8090

@BlackWidow, I accept your invitation to take over this league. I will take over as of Jan1st 2024. I will also have people I believe would benefit the directions that would help make Donk’s must play again. @southwestmba, you would be perfect to assist in this endeavor. Thank you BW for allowing me to take over Donk’s. I look forward to listening and making the appropriate changes if there is the need to do so.

5 Likes
8091

Excellent. I’m looking forward to handing over after the last league game of this quarter on Wednesday, December 27.

As you proposed reducing the number of games as a solution to the participation issues in Silver, which games are you going to cut?

8092

I am grabbing my popcorn…

1 Like
8093

Each person’s input here has at least one or more suggestions that are positive.
Black Widow is on hard data, breaking everything down into numbers, they are limited on available free time, and looking for help to bring in new players for the recruitment/loss ratio to be positive and not negative.

Some in the neurodivergent class would agree wholeheartedly that data does not lie. Some believe numbers can and do shape everything in life. This has some merits. But excludes the neurotypical people that need a connection with others. The neurotypical people have a different data set, more theory, emotion, and risk rather than just hard numbers.

In the past this data-based theory BW uses was the incentive needed to stimulate growth in step with turnover, unfortunately the landscape has changed.

The once we are the best of the best is slowly being replaced or losing players to leagues that cater to the more human side of social engagement, a connection with a group of like-minded friends, that while playing give them the release of endorphins required to keep them engaged in a positive adventure, making them feel good even when they lose. This tied with Replay giving more options in the lobby, is your net negative.

@Chuckcox has been essential staff, he held the recruitment position, did a fantastic job while that style of recruitment was affective, he has made it clear recruitment is no longer effective given the parameters set long ago, I respect his opinion, and believe he should be handed a golden parachute or a lifetime achievement award for the countless hours and time he put in. maybe he has, I hope so.

While the Donks gold numbers are still relatively decent and do have a small amount of turnover, they are not engaging socially with their opinions, banter and submit minimal accolades, other than giving awards for long time players and great accomplishments within their own group, none of them jumped into this topic because they like things the way they are or can’t be bothered, this is not an effective method for growth.

The few that did jump in are old school that see it from above, from a social and recruitment perspective looking for positive change.

One answer is to release control to more socially minded individuals, like @12Beat22 and @southwestmba, @nafffy and others, and have them implement a group management style.

Wait, did that just happen!

5 Likes
8094

This response was thought out and written extremely well my friend. Poker is and ALWAYS will be a PEOPLE game! I respect BW’s high intellect but as Rain eloquently said, neurotypical PEOPLE, not numbers is what is going to save the Silver Donks.
I agree 100% with the selection of 12beat22 as the Donks new leader and I know he will select the right lieutenants for the hard task ahead.

5 Likes
8096

I wholeheartedly endorse John (12beat22) to run the league and will support any efforts he makes to try new directions. All organizations have to change to grow and I think Rain points out many factors that need to be considered. Above all, I know that John understands and values the “people” aspect of the game which I think is absolutely the reason many of us play. I look forward to an exciting ride ahead. I would also like to extend my appreciation to BlackWidow for all the accomplishments, time and effort invested in the Donks League. It is extremely time consuming and occasionally challenging to run a league. Widow has done a wonderful job and leaves the league in a strong position to thrive. So welcome to John and thank you to Widow.

6 Likes
8097

well I have to say this…John is younger than either Biden or Trump…so Donks has that going for it now

2 Likes
8098

I second Priscilla’s endorsement for John. John has a long history of running a very successful league (Barnyard Muckers) and whose overall record in all 3 tiers of Donks play, Bronze, Silver and Gold speaks for itself. He is very passionate about poker and understands the need for the league to promote skilled play but also to promote the important social aspect of the league. Congratulations John, you will have my full support. One suggestion that may help with game participation, increase the registration time to 15 minutes from the current 10 mnutes.

5 Likes
8099

“increase the registration time to 15 minutes from the current 10 minutes.”

Then having registered at 15 minutes theres a few that will sit out for another 10 and then multiple times.

Hardly a sporting tactic but one that a growing number of people like to use.

Personally i dont like sitting out and think that once is enough for anybody per game

Just my personal feeling on it - strange that a desire to possibly enhance a chance to win means you actually dont enjoy playing the game that much

8100

Data on player countries per tier not specific to time zones.

image
image1420×1228 66.9 KB

USA Canada Germany Brazil Mexico Belgium United Kingdom Malta Nethherlands Hungary Portugal
52 7 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1

image
image1700×1380 85.8 KB

USA Canada Germany Brazil Mexico Belgium United Kingdom
58 7 4 1 1 1 1
2 Likes
8101

Still a :ireland: Golden Donk and already eradicated from the landscape by an American. Fellow European Donks, be cautious; this might be an omen of what’s to come under the incoming leadership.

2 Likes
8102

My apologies, your name is not on the data page I referenced as all organizers do not register in the players que. Here is with you included, I am Irish, my bad

image
image1415×1265 71.5 KB

1 Like