Event and Trade: March 15th, 2024

March 15th, 2024 @ 10am

Events and Trade Mission Committee

Chair: David Hoppe

Notetaking: Beau Johnson

Attendees: David Hoppe, Beau Johnson, Sec. Steve Hobbs, Stephanie Prentice, Nicole Jekich, Beth Damis, Mike Selinker

Missing:  Chris Pramas

+ Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements (5 minutes)

+ Old Business (45 minutes)

Welcome, Introductions, and Announcements (5 minutes)

Old Business (45 minutes)

  Japan Trip:

    Workgroup update and financing concerns (Mike)

      Ross: Mike shared financial conserns, and pulling shanes booth manager role. Reporting funding might not be good for it.

      - Ask folks: If an expense, please get approval before committing money.

      - Stephanie: Mike was to run the booth, if shane could not?

      Ross: we have an abundance of people to get this adjusted

      Hobbs: We can help you out, we want you to succeed

      Steph: Talked to mike, and office people to help at booth

      Ross: dislike management by Committee, one person is in change streamlines questions, control, etc

      - Clairty from mike to confirm they wil be the booth management role?

        *** Commitment: stephanie will reach out to mike to confirm.

      - Alexander from cherry picked games would be staff manager for TGM, reaching out to confirm.

      - David: any company extending credit, let's start making a path to liquidity for TGA (long term prospects)

        - Website is up, and will be reviewed.

        - Reviewing code of conduct

        - Site review and contribute

      - Take these lessons learned to Essen!

    General update from Stephanie/Sec. Hobbs (if in attendance) - Update on companies attending (Stephanie & Nicole)

      - Stephanie: good group meeting, lot of things to figure out (booth, etc)

      - Met with Japanese publisher, things are moving forward

      - Who determines age range of a game?

        - Japan wants family friendly games

        - Ross: publisher noticed 12+, asking if there was an issue if being younger

          - US regulatory items for toys and such, Europe is more strict. Sometimes boxes used in Europe and US

            - UK and german regulators pricing, per mike

          - Suggested, changing box and such for Japan (trade dress)

          - Just stamp the age on there.

          - Mike: It's more safety regulations

            - if plastic parts, get it tested

            - paper, usually not an issue

            - Sometimes extra money

            - Us regulations are general fine, Europe and canada are far tougher

          - Hobbs: 5200 approved for trade mission

            - Ross: Consider youth game for foreign markets

          - Action item: Part of this to developing in foreign markets

    - Mike: Company pulled support for element of this project, doesn't align with our company goals

      - I'm a competent booth manager

      - between all people involved now, we can handle things

      - Mike would like to not do this ever again

        - Committee should plan for cost in the future

    Visas/Cert of Eligibility/PoS Update (Mike & Stephanie)

      - Ross: in process

    Next Steps/Action Item

  3/25 Game Day Lunch in Bellevue (Stephanie)

    - 4 people: Beth, ross, a couple others

    - Beau to post a thing with playtestNW

    - coming to olympia, and talk about issues you may have

    - WotC is in Bellevue?

      - Bellevue and Renton, Mike was curious if anyone was asked?

      - Steph: We have our own time with wizards

    - Greg Tito: helped out, and was pushed aside by hasbro lawyer is flying over to take over.

      - Hobbs will pitch this TGA to them

      - Brian Lewis has agreed large enterprise board (that should be running some time next quarter)

      - Hobbs: they will ask about cost

        - Ross: 70 annually

        - Beth: maybe a lower cap?

        - Ross: did research and this should be the norm

    - David can attend

    - Anyone published (playtestNW)

      - not strictly hobbist, trying to work their way up

    - Cap is at 10 people

  Other Conventions Updates (all):

    Gen Con

      - David: still in a fine place to ponder what will be done

        - Next weeks, what that looks like.

        - Presentation, mixer after?

          - David: gets costly on mixers

        - one off seminar, considered a ticketed event. No additional costs. Also needs committee approval.

      - Ross: Domestic events, opportunities for those interested in going and booth/present at these events.

      - Ross: Step grants for events like Gen Con (intl trade opportunity, etc)

        - What does TGA look like for these events?

        - Step grant for a Domestic event

         - Hobbs: see what level of foreign presence at these events

        - David: Intl games and companies are lower than they were, pre-pandemic

        - Ross: an idea, and event where "TGA speed date to localize"

    Pax West

      - Unpub will have presence at PAX West, but playtestNW is working with them on to what that might mean.

  Other Trade Missions (all):

    Essen Trade Mission Update

      Trade mission member process (Ross)

      - Submissions are happening

      - Nicole: wa based groups right now? Ross: yes

      - Stephanie: booth payment is due April 30th

        - Fill out form before April 19th

        - Move the due date before then.

          - Ross proposing new deadline Wed April 3rd?

          - Steph: agreed

      - Ross: Working with membership folks to get interest form and admin that process

       

New Business (15 minutes)

- Nope

Note:

  Ross: Smaller company invites, say only so many people want to join independently

Commitments Review (5 minutes)

  New Commitments Review

Set Next Date (5 minutes)

  Calendar says March 29

  Mike might be spotty due to a 20th anniversary kickstarter being run