Welcome to Purple Pawn, covering games played around the world by billions of people every day.
14 Jul
Posted by Yehuda Berlinger as Modern Board Games
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).
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I know our family has started playing board and card games alot more since this whole financial mess started. Our favorite right now is Greedy Greedy by http://www.highpointgames.com
Susan
Susan, If you want me to post about your game, you just have to ask! :-)
The CNN/Money article claims that boardgame sales rose 23.5% in 2008. That seems like a lot. NPD Group released their survey just before Toy Fair and I think they had the figure at around 8%, which sounds more accurate.
Still, there’s no doubting that the amount of press that board games are getting is off the chart. Some of the articles even recommend good games!
[…] Purple Pawn: State by State list of recent local press game articles […]
Just for the record “examiner.com” has no relation to the San Francisco examiner (sfexaminer.com).