If you think you’ve seen a lot of mainstream press coverage about board games recently, you’d be about right. Or are the Purple Pawn editors simply cherry picking a few local stories from around the country?

Here is state by state coverage about the resurgence of board games, gaming nights, and Eurogames over the past few months. A few older articles where noted.

Many of these articles are copies of news syndicate stories about PlayDate, Eurogames, recession watch, or games for the holiday season. Some are original, however.

ALABAMA

Birmingham News

http://blog.al.com/living-news/2009/06/staycation_thats_a_word.html

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/metro.ssf?/base/news/1243152931159740.xml&coll=2

ARIZONA

Arizona Republic

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/2009/07/13/20090713boardgames0713intro.html

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Democrat Gazette

http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/mar/29/do-pass-go-20090329/

CALIFORNIA

Sacramento Bee

http://www.sacbee.com/livinghere/story/1704605.html

San Fransisco Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/07/DDMD15ORLO.DTL

Los Angeles Daily News

http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_12214566?IADID=Search-www.dailynews.com-www.dailynews.com

Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/green/dp-top10-board-games-051409,0,7835702.photogallery

Oakland Tribune

http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_12753689?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com

Mercury News

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12753689?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/get-your-game-1298291-face-on (2006)

Press Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/columns/carllove/stories/PE_News_Local_S_slove01.454ddac.html

Union Tribune

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jul/05/us-downturn-dating-070509/?&zIndex=127023

San Fransisco Examiner (many, many articles)

http://www.examiner.com/x-8785-SF-Board-Game-Examiner~y2009m5d11-Where-to-play-board-games-in-the-San-Francisco-bay-area

COLORADO

Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/jul/13/hearts-flutter-as-markets-stutter/

Colorado Springs Gazette
http://www.gazette.com/news/play-29328-people-fun.html (2007)

Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/21/game-for-evening-of-fun/

CONNECTICUT

Norwich Bulletin

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/entertainment/familyfun/x223013268/Some-families-play-a-different-kind-of-board-game

DELAWARE

Wilmington News Journal

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907050313

FLORIDA

Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/story/1003895.html

Florida Times-Union

http://jacksonville.com/lifestyles/2009-03-29/story/amstir

GEORGIA

Augusta Chronicle

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/01/23/met_508766.shtml

Savannah Morning News

http://savannahnow.com/node/681446

IDAHO

Twin Falls Times News
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2006/03/26/weeklyfeatures_sunday/features_sunday.1.txt (2006)

Idaho Statesman

http://www.idahostatesman.com/thriftyliving/story/709144.html

ILLINOIS

Chicago Sun Times
http://www.suntimes.com/jump/430103,j2w-Game_061807.article (2007)

Morris Daily Herald

http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/articles/2009/06/25/62749139/index.xml

Naperville Sun

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/business/1581439,6_3_NA20_BOARDGAMES_S1.article

INDIANA

Bloomington Herald Times

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2009/07/04/business.qp-2956125.sto

IOWA

Burlington Hawkeye

http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/Board-games-010809

KANSAS

Leavenworth Times

http://www.leavenworthtimes.com/lifestyle/x544090697/Some-families-play-a-different-kind-of-board-game

Wichita Eagle

http://www.kansas.com/508/story/879076.html

KENTUCKY

Lexington Herald Reader

http://www.kentucky.com/641/story/606755.html

LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge Advocate

http://www.2theadvocate.com/entertainment/37300794.html

MAINE

Bangor Daily News

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/96983.html

MARYLAND

Annapolis Capital

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/ent/2008/11/15-18/Traditional-board-games-get-a-makeover-this-year.html

Hagerstown Herald Mail

http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=62456&format=html

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/ae/games/articles/2009/02/22/downturn_could_be_boon_for_board_game_makers/

Christian Science Monitor

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0309/p17s01-hfgn.html

Eagle Tribune

http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_079090719.html?keyword=secondarystory

Winston-Salem Daily Herald

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jul/03/people-are-realizing-that-breaking-out-the-board-g/living/

MICHIGAN

Grand Rapids Press

http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2008/12/games_that_mix_fun_and_learnin.html

http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2008/12/best_board_games.html

MISSISSIPPI

Jackson Clarion Ledger

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907120333

MISSOURI

Kansas City Star

http://www.kansascity.com/437/story/1305280.html

MONTANA

Billings Gazette

http://www.billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/article_7e000ccf-55d6-5d2e-8101-ed39787a6b09.html

NEVADA

Las Vegas Sun
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2001/jul/30/game-times-board-games-continue-to-tantalize-the-m/ (2001)

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Concord Monitor
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071102/ENTERTAINMENT/711020305 (2007)

NEW JERSEY

Atlantic City Press

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/life/article_60e29fc9-c4d6-51c2-ac8d-a0b623e83b2d.html

Star Ledger

http://www.nj.com/homegarden/entertaining/index.ssf/2008/12/abdive06.html

NEW YORK

Buffalo News

http://www.buffalonews.com/409/story/731115.html

http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/643442.html

Newsday

http://www.exploreli.com/entertainment/localguide/ny-xli-boardgames,0,3545257.story

NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/nyregion/long-island/05Rboard.html?_r=1&scp=2&&st=cse

NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2008/12/07/2008-12-07_classic_toys_make_a_comeback_for_the_hol.html

NORTH CAROLINA

Charlotte Observer

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/nation/story/816231.html

News and Observer

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1400051.html

Winston Salem Journal

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jul/03/people-are-realizing-that-breaking-out-the-board-g/

NORTH DAKOTA

Fargo Forum

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/246552/

OHIO

Cleveland Plain Dealer

http://www.cleveland.com/rentals/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/zrnt3/1243016115314940.xml&coll=2

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoman

http://newsok.com/gamemakers-are-creative-at-norman-tech-camp/article/3380977

OREGON

Oregonian

http://blog.oregonlive.com/themombeat/2008/12/still_shopping_here_are_kids_g.html

PENNSYLVANIA

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09186/981971-51.stm

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/s_114596.html

RHODE ISLAND

Providence Journal

http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_CANDY_LAND_02-17-09_ADDAGE0_v8.331f385.html

SOUTH CAROLINA

The State

http://www.thestate.com/722/story/698247.html

SOUTH DAKOTA

The Daily Republic

https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=4&article_id=20130

TENNESSEE

Memphis Commercial Appeal

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/may/07/no-bored-games-commercialappealcom/

Chattanooga Free Press
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2007/dec/18/Game-enthusiasts-give-picks-for-best-board-games/ (2007)

Knoxville News Sentinel
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/dec/04/desire-interaction-helping-revive-board-games/ (2007)

TEXAS

Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/fdshops/stories/DN-fdluxe_games_1106.State.Edition1.2659967.html

Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/moms/6387967.html

UTAH

Deseret News

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705316353,00.html

WASHINGTON

Union Bulletin

http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/05/07/local_news/090507local02projectgames.txt

Seattle Times

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009108265_apusadultplaydate.html

Spokane Spokesman
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2006/jan/22/games-are-more-than-a-diversion/ (2006)

WASHINGTON DC

Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/05/AR2009070500549.html?sub=AR

WEST VIRGINIA

Charleston Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/200904230224

WISCONSIN

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/29217349.html (2006)

http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/29393744.html

NATIONAL

Fortune

http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/10/news/economy/board_games_resurgence.fortune/

Newsweek
http://www.newsweek.com/id/49188 (2005)

MIA

The following states have no obviously accessible articles about board gaming:

ALASKA

HAWAII

MINNESOTA

NEBRASKA

NEW MEXICO

VERMONT

VIRGINIA

WYOMING

Have you seen any for these states? Please add them in the comments.

ABOUT NEWS SITES

Bonus unrelated notes about online news sites:

The vast majority of online US newspaper sites integrate outsourced search technology, and most use Yahoo search. Some use Google search which sucks, because its matching algorithm is too loose and the results are often not chronological. Many others use a selection of outsourced search technologies. Newspapers within a state tends to use the same technology (e.g. Virginia).

A few states have some of their major papers under a single banner or site (e.g. NJ and Michigan). Amazingly, some sites are only advertisements for the print version of the paper and provide no online news (instead they provide a picture of the front page of today’s newspaper).

• 5 Comments

Recently, Fantasy Flight Games released poster-sized, fabric-and-rubber game mats for the Wings of War aerial combat game. Now arriving at retailers are World War II miniatures with 12 different models of Japanese, British, American, and German planes. Sure those biplane WWI models were cool. As a kid, though, I was a big fan of Baa Baa Black Sheep. No Corsairs yet, but I’m sure they’re coming.

• 0 Comments