Thanks Ginger, really happy to hear that!
To put the participation level into numbers: We've had 134 unique lifters representing 17 countries do one or more virtualmeets to date which for 43 meets averages just above 3 first timers per meet. If we divide the total number of meet sign-ups (280) with the number of held meets, we get an average meet participation of 6.7 lifters. But there is a huge amount of fluctuation between meets and time of year (the first half of every year is usually quite strong with the summer/fall less so). I am the first to agree that one lifter meets are not all that cool...
The biggest events we've had have always been clubs organizing virtualmeet events for their members. I personally believe that adding support for teams and lowering the barrier to entry are key ingredients to seeing stronger growth in the future. It is no secret that I have spent a couple of years and counting now programming a new VirtualMeet from scratch and I am hellbent on actually getting that launched one day to the tune of a big Bongo drum.
Meanwhile, I think the best way of increasing participation is to spread the word to fellow lifters whether online or offline. On an even more grassroots tangent, I also still have some high-quality Virtualmeet stickers left which I would be happy to send out to anyone who wants one or more to stick on the bumper or hand out (if so, just send me an e-mail with your address). Of course, there's also
the Virtualmeet.net T-shirt, wearing that in the gym is never wrong either... That said, if anyone has any other ideas for spreading the word I am definitively all ears.
