New Scaratings

As you all know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The new owners of Buzztime are now demonstrating this behavior. The failed business model of the previous owners was to sell the game to managers of bars and restaurants. According to recent statistics, 110,000 American bars and restaurants closed in 2020. In New York City alone, there are exactly no locations still offering the game. Those locations in other places who did survive are looking for ways to cut costs. According to the Buzztime website the number of players for premium games is less than ten percent of what it was only a few years ago. Yet the new owners' response is to offer a bonus to players who persuade owners of bars to adopt the game. (Suggesting that they have no sales force.) Further, in the rules for their latest contest (with a whopping $250 prize) they threaten with expulsion and other penalties, those players who have remained faithful to Buzztime by electronically linking to bars at which they are not physically present. This misguided rule will only drive DOWN the number of players overall--thus making the game less attractive to bar owners and potential advertisers. The whole POINT of a promotional game should be to increase the number of players--not forbid them from playing.
Years ago, people told me there was a player in Florida who actually paid to have Buzztime pumped into his rec room. Is this something that the new owners should consider? Players without access to a bar or restaurant who want to gather online should be encouraged to do so. Many would even pay for the privilege. Some would save themselves the trouble of a long drive to the nearest location that offers the game. Teams could still be formed. As the number of players increases, advertisers could become interested. There are probably other ways to increase revenues other than the tried-and-failed method of hoping to sell the game to cash-strapped bar owners. Any thoughts?
XT

You are right Xtrain. Many things are continuing as is from the past. Revenue is still a major problem. There is still no outside sales force just a few working from home following up on leads from the website and this new referral program you mentioned. That will not work for long, they need to hire salespeople in key states.

I don't think there is even actual office space yet, everything is run with offsite servers. The BT address on all documents is still a UPS store with mailboxes in Carlsbad.

BT has to say that all play needs to happen in bars or more bars would drop the game. If bars saw the ads that allowed people to play who weren't spending money in their bar they would be dropped the next day. Huge fact being swept under the rug. Got to keep all the bars and obviously need the remote players, without bars really knowing about it. They will never condone remote play now that BT bars are back open.

There was 5 or 6+ players that had home installs years ago. Zebra in VA, Courtney in CA, someone in IN, Haqqer in FL plus a few others. If I wanted a home install I would try and get the $50 a week streaming set up which is just one small box that has a HDMI port for a TV and 2 internet Cat 5 ports. It just needs internet and power. No techs come out, BT just mails the small box to you. I would fill out the forms online and make up a bar or coffee house name and see what happens, maybe it goes through? $50 a week split amongst your large NY team is doable. Maybe one of the teammates has a business address to make it look more legit to BT?

https://www.buzztime.com/business/pricing/

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