ANST - Principalities

[Mark.S Harris]

> > As for the growth issue... I don't have current statistics on
> > membership numbers, but I can't believe that there aren't more people
> > attending SCA events now than there were 12 years ago. It sure seems
> > like there are a lot more cars in the parkinglots... a lot more
> > pavillions around the list fields, a lot more people vying for feast
> > tickets...
> >
> > Gunhilda, Baroness etc.
> > Shire of Mooneschadowe

We may well be losing paid memberships but actually gaining people
who play. Even if we are losing people, the number of groups is
increasing. 

A look at the group directory in the Blackstar eight years ago
compared to the one in the current Blackstar should show a greater
number of groups, even if the official headcount in some of the
groups has shrunk.

Since each group puts on roughly the same number of calender events,
increasing the number of groups increases the competition for the
same number of weekends. Thus we have two and three events per
weekend, whereas when I joined only eight years ago, it was more
like one or two events per weekend. I believe the size of some
of our events, such as Candlemas has generally been coming down
in recent years due to the greater number of events.

Even if the number of participants stays the same, increasing the
number of groups causes additional strains upon the administrative
offices and the crown.

While principalities might open the gate and lead to the splitting
up of the Kingdom of Ansteorra, I think I have changed my mind on
the principality question in favor of it because of the problems
mentioned by Gunnora with the Royalty never being able to visit
their out of the way lands.

Lord Stefan li Rous, SC, ST
Barony of Bryn Gwlad
Ansteorra
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