Terms and Conditions of Membership in the Boardgame Players Association (BPA or the “Company”) for the year 2025. Membership in the BPA secures voting rights. Also, different levels of membership provide the specified number of votes. Membership is required for participation in Play By e-Mail (PBeM) tournaments. Certain levels of membership provide admission to the World Boardgaming Championships. Multi-day General Admission to WBC grants General Membership in the BPA. Those who attend via Guest Pass are not BPA members. Membership is not refundable.
The Cost and Benefits of each membership level are set forth in the following chart:
Level |
WBC Admission |
Paid by 1/31/25 |
Paid by 3/31/25 |
Paid by 6/15/25 |
Paid after 6/15/25 (must register onsite at WBC except for associate) |
Votes |
Transfer |
Add Event |
Gift Card
Shirt or Hat* |
Associate |
No |
$10 |
$10 |
$10 |
$10 |
1 |
No |
No |
No |
General |
Partial |
NA |
NA |
$20/day *** |
$30/day |
0 or 1 |
No |
No |
No |
Juniors (Ages 12 and under) |
Juniors Room only |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Juniors T-shirt |
Charter |
Must purchase Sustaining or higher membership annually to maintain existing Charter status |
3 |
No |
No |
- |
Sustaining |
1 entire WBC (Nine Days) |
$100 |
$110 |
$120 |
$130 |
2 |
No |
No |
No |
Tribune |
1 entire WBC (Nine Days) |
$150* |
$160* |
$170* |
NA |
3 |
Yes |
No |
Yes, if paid by 6/15/25* |
Sponsor |
1 entire WBC (Nine Days) |
$500* |
$500* |
$500* |
$500 |
4 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes, if paid by 6/15/25* |
Exhibitor |
1 entire WBC (Nine Days) |
$250 |
$275 |
$300 |
$350 |
2 |
No |
Yes, One for every two Exhibitor memberships |
No |
Vendor |
2 entire WBC (Nine Days)** |
$500 |
$550 |
$600 |
$650 |
2 |
No |
Yes |
No |
*WBC souvenir hat or t-shirt included in membership. T-Shirt sizes included in membership are sizes S, M, L, or XL. Larger sizes are available for an additional $5. WBC souvenir t-shirts and hats are available separately for $20 (2XL and 3XL t-shirts cost $25) until 6/15/25. Tribune members will receive a $30 Seven Springs Gift Card.
***General Memberships are only available after the Previews Pages are posted on the website (approximately May 15, 2025). Days are not required to be consecutive.
Explanation of Some Chart Columns
Level
- Associatestatus or higher is required for participation
in BPA-sponsored PBeM tournaments. WBC Admission is not included. T-shirts, and hats are NOT included. No discounts apply to an Associate membership.
- General status is extended to
those who will not be attending the full nine days of WBC but would like membership in the Association. This level includes WBC admission for only those days purchased. T-shirts, and hats are NOT included. One-day passes are Guest passes and not considered members.
- Juniors status is applied to anyone age 12 or under who participates in the WBC Juniors Room by having guardian excort junior to the WBC Juniors Room and sign a consent form. Junirs are entitled to a Juniors designed T-Shirt.
- Charter status is applied to anyone who supported the BPA via a membership at the Charter, Team or Sponsor membership levels during the critical start up year of 1999. Such early supporters can maintain their Charter status by continuing their BPA membership
annually at Sustaining or higher level.
- Sustaining members receive admission to the
entire World Boardgaming Championships (all nine days). T-shirts, and hats are NOT included.
- Tribune members receive all Sustaining-level benefits. Tribune members have the ability to transfer and/or accumulate unused admissions only until the following year. A $30 Seven Springs Gift card and t-shirt or hat are included ONLY if paid by June 15.
- Sponsor members receive all Tribune-level benefits. In addition, a Sponsor may introduce a new Trial event, provided a Game Master volunteers to run that event.
Votes
- Each level of membership entitles its owner to the number of votes shown
on the chart.
- Votes are non-transferable.
- GMs in good standing from the prior year receive one bonus vote each.
Transfer
- Transfer indicates a transfer of WBC admission. NOT of BPA membership or votes.
- If a membership level allows transfer, the member may use his or her WBC admission
during the current membership year or in the following membership year.
- If a membership level allows transfer, the member may grant his or her WBC admission
to another person (for use ONLY by that person) during the current membership
year or in the following membership year.
- Transferred admissions not used in either the current or next membership year expire and are lost.
Add Event – Members who purchase a membership level that allows them to add an event may designate
a Sponsored Trial to be added to WBC. Such an event will only berun provided a Game Master volunteers to run it by the established deadline.
Members attending WBC will receive a small printed program upon arrival dealing solely with the current schedule. This program will not be mailed in advance. For advance information on the WBC schedule and events, members are urged to consult online scheduling tools located on the website.
Tribune and Sponsor members paid by June 15, 2025, will receive a free WBC 2025 souvenir t-shirt or hat provided they indicate same on their membership form. Sizes larger than XL require a $5 surcharge.
If you do not wish to become a BPA member, you can still participate in the World Boardgaming Championships as a Guest. A Guest Pass may be purchased for $20 prior to June 15 by citing the day requested. A Guest Pass is available at the door for $30 and is valid for that day only. A Guest Pass entitles the bearer to participate in events and open gaming during the designated day, but it does not entitle the bearer to any other membership benefits. Guest passes may be granted, withdrawn, or withheld at the discretion of the convention director.
These terms and conditions may be changed by the Board of Directors at any time, provided that the Company shall honor the benefits of any membership which were in effect at the time such membership was issued. Members are accepted at the discretion of the Board
of Directors pursuant to the by-laws of the Company. Members who join between December 4 and January 31 may participate in the selection of Trial Events for WBC. Members who join between December 4 and June 1 may participate in the election of the BPA Board of Directors for that year. All members who join between December 4 and Dececember 31 are entitled to participate in BPA PBeM tournaments begun in the current and following year of their membership for the duration of that tournament. A printed copy of the BPA bylaws are available upon request from the Secretary of the Corporation at andrew.ross.drummond@gmail.com.
BPA Membership or a WBC Guest Pass is required for participation in WBC events, play in open gaming areas, or use of any playing surface (table). Spectators are admitted for free. Children ages 12 or younger may participate for free in special Juniors events in the specified Juniors Room only, provided they are accompanied by a BPA member. BPA Membership is required for participation in BPA-sponsored PBeM tournaments.
Memberships are valid from the time of purchase through December 31, 2025. Unless otherwise stated, convention admissions are not transferable to other members, nor deferable to future years. BPA membership is non-refundable. Anyone who attends WBC without purchasing admission (e.g., via purchasing a Guest Pass, attending as a Junior, or using a tranferable admission) does not gain any of the rights of membership in the BPA.
The Applicant acknowledges and understands that the BPA is a South Carolina nonprofit corporation with its principal office at 16 Wellington Avenue, Greenville, South Carolina. Do NOT mail payments to the Greenville address. All payments should be sent to 7766 Valley View Court, Hickory, NC 28602. In applying for membership in the Association, the Member agrees that Greenville, South Carolina, shall be the exclusive jurisdiction for any litigation between the Member and the BPA. |