The Bridge World magazine has long been THE magazine for serious bridge players. There are other magazines such as the Bridge Bulletin published by the ACBL. It has to be all things to a wide variety of players, so is not nearly as valuable for expert and near-expert players.
I've subscribed to the Bridge World since back in the Seventies, so it was disturbing to get the letter shown above. Yes, I paid a big fee to get a life-time subscription. Now they write and say they are in serious trouble and come right out and ask me to forego the LT subscription and agree to pay on a yearly basis. Folks, if they are in financial trouble, I'm truly sorry. But sending more money to bail them out is not ever going to happen.
Have any of you bridge players received the same letter? What are your thoughts?
Interesting letter....
ReplyDeleteSounds like this magazine's 'life' is a bridge to Nowhere!
ReplyDeleteThat's sad. But I think a lot of magazines are in trouble. They should not, however, renege on a promise! Stand your ground.
ReplyDeleteI received this letter today too. I'm really undecided as to what to do about it, which led me to look for what other life subscribers think, which of course led me here. I rarely play the game anymore, but I still enjoy reading about it, especially at the expert level. The Bridge World is not reneging on their promise, but essentially asking for volunteer contributions. Yes, I did pay a big fee up front for the lifetime subscription, but that was over thirty years ago. I've gotten more than my money's worth, so maybe I should relent and let them off the hook, even though I don't feel any legal or moral obligation to do so.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I am NOT Jeff Rubens, publisher of The Bridge World.
too big 2 fail but i agree with Jeff
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. Methinks you have not lost your sense of humor. But I've got to go sit on a lily pad and give it more thought.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a lifetime subscriber. It seems to me that a major cost of publishing The Bridge World must be printing and mailing. Perhaps that cost could be reduced by publishing The Bridge World in a digital format like Kindle only accessible to subscribers. - John B., Jacksonville, Florida
ReplyDelete