Simplification and Reduction of Tournament Levy

In their January meeting the BGA Council agreed to a significant change to the Levy system.

The new scheme has the benefit of extreme simplicity for TDs to administer, and involves them asking only
• Are you a member (or youth member) of the BGA or any other national association?
• Is this your first tournament?

The levy system is changed so that Tournaments pay the BGA £5 a day for players who are not members of the BGA or any other national association, unless this is their first ever tournament in which case no fee would be due. There would be no fee for anyone else.

The objectives of the change are:

• To provide enhanced benefits for BGA members (in the belief that tournament directors will pass on the differential levy cost in their entry fees)
• To simplify the system for Tournament Directors (at present to apply the concessionary rate they need to know whether players are receiving unemployment, disability or Pension Credit benefit)
• To reduce the cost of putting on tournaments, to help clubs in a time where tournament turnout is lower than normal
• To help promote a return to playing Go after the pandemic

These changes will be reflected in the website pages about the levy system shortly.