Light Blue and Sun Orange NOC? From The Blue Crown Summer Club?

[Don Boyer]

10 Exclusive Downloads, Delivered Weekly for 10 Weeks: B+
You may not know what exactly is coming, but yes, they are from Alex, and yes, they use items that came in the kit.  To me, that's an A-.

I will agree with you here. I think knowledge is always extremely valuable. As I did mention Alex’s instruction is very good. My problem with the unknown is no guaranty that any of the content provided within those 10 videos will ALL be things you don’t already know. Maybe 6 of them are new for you, maybe 8, maybe 4. Who knows?

I would like to see Alex put something together the likes of (Dan and Dave’s) Trilogy or (Madison’s) Anthology that shows off Alex’s life work and contribution to his craft. All of these download videos the TBC does and is doing for a limited audience (Summer Club) is going to be forgotten on people's hard drives in a year. Alex should put something together that he can stamp his name on and adds value to the TBC brand.  Something like that could have been Including in Summer Club as a member first or TBC also could have included DVD's Alex has already produced.  Downloads in this case are cost efficient for TBC and overall convenient. People like having something tangible when they are paying a considerable amount of money for it.

A Summer-Long 15% Discount: C-
Bro, it's RARE that a major player in this game gives a TWENTY-FIVE percent discount on anything, and certainly not for a ten-week period!  Kevin has confirmed there are new releases coming, and (surprise, surprise) decks like the NOCs and Crowns are staple decks to magicians - good time to buy in bulk!  With that 15% off, I can get NOCs for less than what I pay locally for Bicycle Standards!  This is an A, hands down.  It's not year-long, but then again, the only year-long discount I've seen is only 5% from Ellusionist's Black Club.

It’s not just TBC Summer Club. The problem is having to spend money to save money. To me, it makes NO sense to spend money ($50+) for the privilege of spending more money at a specific company. It’s just not realistic. People have other expenses and have interests in other companies. It’s NOT a 30+ page coupon book to a variety of stores, only costing $20 to $30. It’s NOT 808 Club that gives away a “play more cards” kit that includes a brink, only costing $20 a year.

Will there be new releases? Probably. If someone is only interested in 1 of 3 new product’s what difference is it really going to make to a general consumer if it’s a 15% discount. They are going to save that by NOT buying the Summer Club and only buying the product they want at full price. You and I know that these companies save their best stuff for Black Friday (Christmas). 15% till September obviously does not help that. While I understand, not every customer buys products the week they come out and like to bundle, there are many in this industry that do. You have to have money to spend to get the real benefit of a 15% discount just like you have to have money to spend on a Brick to get a free limited deck. To me, 25% off to a limited customer base (The Summer Club) makes more sense.

Regarding the downloads, it seems unlikely to me that Alex would be sending off old material as the downloads.  If that was the case, why spend money producing something new when he could simply give you a few free, pre-existing downloads and call it a day?  Will they be forgotten on people's hard drives in a year?  Maybe, maybe not.  I have tricks that I learned early on that I still use now.  I'd say the videos will be new from Alex - but there's hardly such a thing as a trick that's 100% unique and not based on some other magician's work.  They do occur, such tricks, but they're rare like icebergs in Death Valley.

As far as a DVD or video representing Alex's "life work" in the craft - let him have a life first, please!  He's still a young man with a lot to offer, and who's not to say that these downloads won't at some point in the future become part of such a "life's work" compilation.  Bear in mind, a lot of Alex's work already appears on the site now - if such a work was offered for Summer Club, people like you would complain about all the stuff that video/DVD would contain that they already knew/purchased!

Re the discount: it's not simply spending money to spend more money!  You're spending money for the goods they're providing you - we've already done the breakdown here which shows that the physical objects and digital downloads included in the package more than make up the cost of the package itself.  The rest is GRAVY!  It's a bonus, an extra!  You say they could save that cash and just buy what they want at the regular price and it would cost less - but what if they actually WANT the things in the Summer Club as well?  It's not just "probably" that there will be new releases - it's DEFINITELY, as Kevin stated.  Do people need to spend money on the rest of life's necessities and luxuries - of COURSE they do, but some of the things that people need are right there, especially if they actually work at magic for a living or for the pleasure of entertaining others.

At this point, it's all moot, since the memberships are long sold out by now.  But for anyone who thought the Club wasn't for them, well, no one held a gun to their heads and told them to buy or else.

The idea of Summer Club was with six decks, not with two decks. Simple! Maybe he change his mind about this and put a rare deck inside, more useful, I think.

This coming from the guy who is hearing voices... 

[Nurul]

I'm a little confused regarding the JN deck. It states on their FB page that you get th chance to win one :/

[john]

I'm a little confused regarding the JN deck. It states on their FB page that you get th chance to win one :/

In 144 packages includes a "rare" deck, Black Crowns, Gold Crowns, and Jerry's Nuggets are described in what you can win, there might be more we aren't told about. In 1 of those 144 there is a Jerry's Nugget. Simple as that.

[Don Boyer]

I'm a little confused regarding the JN deck. It states on their FB page that you get th chance to win one :/

In 144 packages includes a "rare" deck, Black Crowns, Gold Crowns, and Jerry's Nuggets are described in what you can win, there might be more we aren't told about. In 1 of those 144 there is a Jerry's Nugget. Simple as that.

There is EXACTLY one Jerry's Nugget deck in one of the Summer Club packages.  The rest are all either Black Crowns or Gold Crowns.  There are only 144 packages, no more.  And they're all sold out now anyway.

[Fanofyankees13]

I'm a little confused regarding the JN deck. It states on their FB page that you get th chance to win one :/

In 144 packages includes a "rare" deck, Black Crowns, Gold Crowns, and Jerry's Nuggets are described in what you can win, there might be more we aren't told about. In 1 of those 144 there is a Jerry's Nugget. Simple as that.

There is EXACTLY one Jerry's Nugget deck in one of the Summer Club packages.  The rest are all either Black Crowns or Gold Crowns.  There are only 144 packages, no more.  And they're all sold out now anyway.

Where are you seeing that the memberships are sold out? 4 of the 5 sizes are still in stock on the Summer Club webpage, so unless I've missed something, the memberships are not sold out.

[Reylek]

Hey guys, few points to clear up...

The 10 downloads are from a variety of artists - it is not all material from Alex.  Alex is in there but you'll see a few other faces as well.

Don nailed it on the head with the rare decks.  Most members will get either a Black Crown or a Gold Crown (not both). One member (chosen randomly) gets a Jerry's Nugget as their rare deck.

Memberships are not quite totally gone yet - we do still have a few spots remaining as of the time of this post.

There will definitely be new releases between now and the end of September.

[Nurul]

Hey Kevin, when will the first download be sent out?

[Don Boyer]

Hey guys, few points to clear up...

...The 10 downloads are from a variety of artists - it is not all material from Alex.  Alex is in there but you'll see a few other faces as well...

...Memberships are not quite totally gone yet - we do still have a few spots remaining as of the time of this post...

Sorry about that - I thought they were all gone.

I'm sure I'll recognize some of the faces, yeah? 

[john]

I'm sure I'll recognize some of the faces, yeah? 

Don is in a download, CONFIRMED!!!
i have no idea :S

[Reylek]

We'll be sending out a welcome email to the Summer Club members pretty soon (IE, this afternoon).  The first download will most likely be sent out this week.

No download from Don unless we make some last-minute changes 

[Nurul]

Yes, I received the email a short while ago thank you I just hope I get my package before I get my downloads lol

[john]

Got my package today, here is my little opinion of everything after ive had a few days and the products in hand.

15%, very cool, it stacks on other discounts for maximum savings
Rare deck, got gold crowns, better then black, it was damaged abit, am waiting response from TBC
NOCs, they are NOCs, the good part about them is the earliness, and i heard there are some extra goodies for the actual release if that entices you to buy them later on
Stickers, well its a cool idea, a bit silly to make them a "feature item" for summer club
Rubbers, eh i dont use rubber bands, i might after the 10 free downloads though!
Downloads, awesome if your into magic, which i lost touch with so 10 free downloads is great for me!
Sunglasses, i have a huge head and they fit! Big + for me
Shirt... I have large shoulders so i got the XXL, very high quality, 100% cotton but it made me realize how much weight ive gained since highschool... yeah not wearing the shirt till i lose a few pounds...

Anyway... its overall sweet! I'm glad i got it and if you got it you have sweet things to come!

[Fanofyankees13]

I got my package today. Everything looks great. Shirt is high quality and fits perfectly, sunglasses are of better quality than expected, the new NOCs are awesome and I managed to snag a Gold Crown. Needless to say I'm satisfied.

[Don Boyer]

You guys are making me want to make a trip to the post office!  I got an email notification that there's mail in the PO Box.

[Card Player]

As far as a DVD or video representing Alex's "life work" in the craft - let him have a life first, please!  He's still a young man with a lot to offer, and who's not to say that these downloads won't at some point in the future become part of such a "life's work" compilation.  Bear in mind, a lot of Alex's work already appears on the site now - if such a work was offered for Summer Club, people like you would complain about all the stuff that video/DVD would contain that they already knew/purchased!

"Life's Work" for lack of better words. It's probably not the words I would have chosen had I written this again.

People Like Me: Whats that supposed to mean? Not True, I would not complain. I don't think anything I have written on this thread is necessarily complaining. Its constructive criticism. If we all agreed with each other, there would be nothing to write about. That would not make for a very interesting forum.

[Don Boyer]

If we all agreed with each other, there would be nothing to write about. That would not make for a very interesting forum.

True enough! 

I was pointing out how some people will find any excuse to pick on TBC's offerings, to find the negative in the positive.  Perhaps it was carried over from my recent visits to their FB event for the summer club.  There was a kid there screaming bloody murder that he couldn't afford the summer club price but wanted the stuff in the deal - why wouldn't they sell them individually to everyone, why are there so few memberships, why does it cost so much that people can't afford it, etc.  I'm betting he's a really young kid that that was his online temper tantrum.  At one point, he complained about all the comments people were making about his feelings regarding the whole thing, to which I replied that if he didn't want such comments, perhaps he should consider not posting his feelings on a public forum on the Internet for all the world to see...

[agera94]

Don, was that Vic or someone entirely different? I only saw your thumping of Vic 

[Don Boyer]

Don, was that Vic or someone entirely different? I only saw your thumping of Vic 

A kid named Adam Peeks.  It would appear that he took my advice about posting his feelings on the Internet - his posts are gone.  The only one remaining is his contest entry stating why he should win a membership.

[agera94]

Sometimes I feel that when parents let their kids buy so much stuff from these companies, and then turn around and say no to something else, they grow unappreciative of what they've gotten already. I remember in early high school my parents didn't like the idea of buying online, so instead I slowly gathered money and when my friends would make an order from Ellusionist or Theory 11, I would place one too. It was only a few decks and a trick, but it was amazing when it arrived.

[Don Boyer]

Sometimes I feel that when parents let their kids buy so much stuff from these companies, and then turn around and say no to something else, they grow unappreciative of what they've gotten already. I remember in early high school my parents didn't like the idea of buying online, so instead I slowly gathered money and when my friends would make an order from Ellusionist or Theory 11, I would place one too. It was only a few decks and a trick, but it was amazing when it arrived.

To put it in the simplest terms, Adam was acting like a spoiled brat who was finally told "no" by his parents.  It would be a great world if everyone could have everything they wanted all the time, but that world ain't this world, not by a long shot.

[Nurul]

Have any international buyers received their BC summer package yet? Also, it's been almost 2 weeks since I've purchased the summer membership, but have not received any video, has anyone else received anything?

[Pacis]

No video here.
But the Summer package has arrived

[Don Boyer]

Have any international buyers received their BC summer package yet? Also, it's been almost 2 weeks since I've purchased the summer membership, but have not received any video, has anyone else received anything?

The vids should show up in your downloadable content in your account at TBC.  Don't know if the first went out, but it's not something you'll miss.

[Nurul]

Ah cool, I thought we were gona get it sent to our emails.
Just checked my BC account, nothing yet.

EDIT: just saw the BC FB page, says Magick Balay will be with us soon regarding the first download .. Happy days

[Reylek]

The Summer Club vids will be sent out to members in weekly emails - a la the "Free from AP" series.  They will NOT appear in your account on the site when you log in.

First vid should most likely be going out to all members later on today.  Keep an eye on your inboxes.