There was a thread a few months back (currently having trouble finding it) where we discussed this issue. BGA is the least talkative gaming site I've ever been on, and I've been a member of
a lot of sites. I like that BGA attracts players from different countries, and I don't expect players who don't speak English to chat with me. However, I've even noticed this behavior among English speakers and even other Americans. Interactions feel very mechanical and rarely go beyond "hi" and "gg." In fact, you're lucky if players will even put in that small amount of effort - I did a small experiment a while back where I tested to see how many people say "hi" or "gg." One week, I played 31 games, and in only 13 of those games did people even bother to return my greeting.
The group looks like a great idea for those who do want to chat while gaming.