Recreational Boardgame League
Join us for a new way to play your favorite game!
Winter Recreational League starts Wednesday, January 15
RECREATIONAL LEAGUE (WEDNESDAYS)
Wednesdays, January 15 - March 12, 2025 7:00pm - 9:00pm
You and your team will go head-to-head against other teams weekly as you play a variety of popular board games, competing for the title of League Champions (and major prizes!). There will be a different set of games every week, selected by each team.
Here’s how it works.
Open Format Recreational League
Teams of 4-6 players each will compete over 9 weeks against other teams to earn ranks and prizes. Each week, your team submits a “home game” and then assigns a player to your home game and 3 other games to compete against players from other teams. An individual player’s placement in those games will earn their team points for their weekly Team Score. Earn the most points over the course of a season to be the top team!
Individual Signups: Want to meet new people? Sign up as a solo player or smaller group and we will pair you with other teams/players for the season.
Individual Pricing: $200 (Basic Member Pricing $100, Free for Premier Members)
Includes all playtime for 9 weeks of league sessions, prizes and more!
End of Season team prizes $$$ for First/Second/Third place, as well as a sportsmanship prize!
Solo Competitive League Tournaments
Solo competitive league tournaments are 3 week monthly tournaments. Players will play one game per month over the course of three weeks. Week 1 is a Learn & Play/Practice Game. Week 2 is a game to rank the player. Week 3 is the Championship week. Games will be of higher complexity and length. Players will play each of the chosen games 3 times over the course of the tournament. Expect length and complexity of games to be in the vein of Scythe, Brass Birmingham, Terraforming Mars, Food Chain Magnate, Argicola, Gaia Project, Rising Sun, Ark Nova, and more!
Monthly Pricing: $70 (Basic Member Pricing $100, Free for Premier Members)
End of Tournament prizes $$$
Meet People! Make Friends! Play Games! Win!
Here’s an example of a typical League Play night…
A large part of the friendships I have made while living in the city have come from the recreational sports leagues I've participated in over the years. It's a structure that sports does well, and gaming does not. Leagues are designed around meeting new people, playing together and competing in a structured way that allows people of all skill levels to have fun together.
We aim to keep league competitive, but balanced, so that players of all skill levels feel welcome. For this reason, the 'recreational' league will feature an individual tracking system, and handicap scoring, so you can feel comfortable building a team around friends of any skill level and still be competitive. As always, reach out if you have any questions!!
-Kevin
FAQ
There are so many games, and I don’t know them all, can I still play?
Each team will be assigned 4 games they will compete in for the following week. So as a team, you will get a weekly chance to pick games that you know how to play. If you want to challenge yourself and pick a game you are not as familiar with, go ahead! Because you will know your game assignments the week prior to playing, you will have plenty of time to refresh yourself with the rules, ask teammates for advice, or brush up on some strategy. For this season we are having Teams submit games 5 weeks in advance, so you should have plenty of time to know what you are playing and prepare accordingly.
What if my team has varying skill levels?
That is encouraged! The recreational league is designed to encourage a team to have players of different skill levels and we will be using a handicapped scoring system to make sure every player, regardless of skill level, is contributing to their team’s score in a real way! Also, if a league night goes over 5 teams, it will be segmented by skill level, so your team will be competing with players that match your intensity.
Will I be playing against my own team members?
You will not! This is a way for gaming groups of mixed skill levels to compete against other players each week. You will be playing in a 4 player game against 3 other teams, and each of your teammates will be doing the same thing with different games. This is a great way to play cooperatively as a team with friends/family/spouses who may have different gaming preferences than yourself as you will each be playing different games. You should structure your team accordingly and have players who enjoy different types of games.
Oh, will I ever get to play WITH my team members?
We had a blast this past season playing a Team Vs Team week, so this upcoming season will feature that format twice. The first week will be a casual Team VS Team week so that the teams can get to know each other at the top of the season. Then we'll do it again right before the playoffs.
How many games will I be playing on game night?
Each member of your team will play one different game each night. You will only be playing your one assigned game. But your team, together, will have played 4 different games.
What games can be played?
We are limiting games to 4 player games that play around 90 mins. Games with lower playercounts and shorter times may be considered too with a mini bracket style. The goal is that everyone should be able to start playing and finish playing around the same time. Games will be chosen by teams each week based on approved games that we have in the shop, so each week you will get to select one of your team's 4 assigned games so you can lean into types of games that your team is competitive at. A few examples might be, Catan, Ticket To Ride, Azul, Clank!, Cryo, Dominion, Unmatched, Evolution, etc. We will be offering teams a compiled and ranked list of games that were successful in the previous season.
I'm pretty competitive. Will the handicap slow me down?
No! We're designing the structure to take into account both your individual skill level, and the team's average skill level. So a team filled with highly ranked players will still get the most points if they are winning every game. But a team with varying skill levels will benefit more when their players place higher in games. The goal is still to award wins, but close that gap of team contribution so that a player who typically does not do well on average, is rewarded more when they do well!!
Can I sign up as an individual?
Absolutely. Sign up as a solo player, or smaller group and we will pair you with other teams/players for the season. Check out the pre-season mixer to meet other players.
What if I already have a full group of 4?
Have a complete team of 4? Sign up a full team today for a discount!
What if my team is a group of more than 4?
We are allowing teams to sign up 6 players, but only 4 will compete for team points on game night. We hope this makes it easier for teams to maintain attendance throughout the season. This also means extra games will be played by players not competing for points on a given night!