The debate over game groups - open vs closed tables

I've been running a board game meetup for about 3 years now. Two years ago I kept it open to anyone who showed up. Games were messy, people left mid-game, and we had 5-7 no-shows each time. Then I switched to a closed group with RSVP and a waitlist. Player count went from 10 to 14 consistently. But now we get complaints that new people can't join. Which side do you lean towards for a healthy game night community?

2 comments

2 Comments

zara_miller23d ago

Is a waitlist too much of a commitment or does it actually filter out the flaky people in the long run? Seems like the RSVP system is just weeding out the folks who don't really care.

robertsmith23d ago

My friend runs a venue and waitlists cut no-shows by 40 percent.