GAMA Has A New Board

The Game Manufacters Association has held its annual elections, which have resulted in a few new board members.

• Vice President: Chris Spivey (Darker Hue Studios)
• Treasurer: Gary Alaka (Gap Closer Games)
• Director-at-Large: Jeff Pinsker (Amigo Games) and Julie Ahern (Greenbriar Games)

In the financial results, the organization lost $100K in 2019 (which was less than the expected expenditure for that year). With the cancellation of Origins Game Fair and Origins Online, they expect to lose twice that amount this year.

 

[Retreater]

I know this is a serious thread, but my dad-joke brain is disappointed no one has made a "board" game joke.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

First off, GAMA doesn't make board games. They're a trade organization.

Second, as a trade organization, a lot of their fiscal activity is based around trade shows. I believe their fiscal year ends in June. This means that their 2019 fiscal year included the GAMA Expo in March of this year. This show was a huge loss, and it's 100% not their fault. February and March of this year were terrible for trade shows. It was exactly the wrong time in the COVID19 pandemic that people stopped traveling, but the government hadn't called for any official closings yet. That means that GAMA was still on the hook to pay ALL the bills for the GAMA Expo, but it generated almost no revenue at all.

You're right that conditions aren't getting any better. One of the shows that I do yearly in February has already cancelled their 2021 meeting.

That's probably why I used the words "member of the boardgame industry" and not "boardgame company".

Also, if you fiscal year ends in June, then you wouldn't be reporting losses yet because you would still be doing the accounting (or your year might not be complete for another few days). Granted, its possible they had a fiscal year that ended right after a major event was impacted by Covid in February or March, however my initial statement still stands.....if you didn't do really well (especially as a non-profit) in the boardgaming industry in CALENDAR YEAR 2019 then you have some fundamental problems to work on.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

That's probably why I used the words "member of the boardgame industry" and not "boardgame company".

Also, if you fiscal year ends in June, then you wouldn't be reporting losses yet because you would still be doing the accounting (or your year might not be complete for another few days). Granted, its possible they had a fiscal year that ended right after a major event was impacted by Covid in February or March, however my initial statement still stands.....if you didn't do really well (especially as a non-profit) in the boardgaming industry in CALENDAR YEAR 2019 then you have some fundamental problems to work on.

I agree. GAMA has always had problems. GTS and Origins not happening is very un-good for their books. Also not sure if there is a knight in shining armor for them if things continue in this vein into next year.