SDCC Dealer badges just tripled in price!

[comicdonna]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I had a good time too!

[G.A.tor]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I will take you and your wife to dinner (thumbs u

[G.A.tor]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I had a good time too!

mike, you and donna join us!

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I had a good time too!

Donna tried to break my foot But she was very nice and offered me Calamari!!

[comicdonna]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I had a good time too!

mike, you and donna join us!

That sounds great Rick! We will both look forward to it! (thumbs u

[Old Fashion PB and J]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I will take you and your wife to dinner (thumbs u

I figure you would probably extend the invite to my wife and ditch me..

[comicdonna]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I had a good time too!

Donna tried to break my foot But she was very nice and offered me Calamari!!

I can usually take her anywhere without worry. I am not sure what happened that night.

[G.A.tor]

I remember comic conventions being fun.. Oh yea, thats why I attend only a select few anymore.

if you can actually get in the door, we do tend to have some fun

I will see you at NYCC. We will ahve some fun, I'll drive

you know I am counting on it (thumbs u

This time you will meet the wife. We have to get a nice dinner together again, I had a good time last year too bad I couldnt stay later..

I will take you and your wife to dinner (thumbs u

I figure you would probably extend the invite to my wife and ditch me..

nah, we'll ditch you after dinner

[Doohickamabob]

Guess $200 is "reasonable" if you were planning to line up for some exclusive toys, hollywood big-wig sig, but with the extortionistly high SD hotel costs, this may be many fan's last summer at SDCC. Anaheim, CA here we come!

 

Anaheim in July... Might as well go to Death Valley.

[Doohickamabob]

Last gasp grab for cash before the venue gets moved from the looks of things. Going to have to attend a con one of these days.

 

This comment would only make sense if the Comic-Con prices were lowered after changing venue. I'm pretty sure they won't be.

 

Regarding this whole criticism of Comic-Con, is anybody really surprised they're raising prices after the dramatic increase in attendees, crowded floors, and just plain craziness in the past few years?

 

If anything, a higher price means more die-hard fans will attend, and more casual fans will be weeded out of the mix.

 

I live in San Diego and I've attended many of the conventions, so I've watched it go through growing pains. There are severe problems with people exploiting the tickets system. Once you get a pass to Comic-Con, you can turn around and sell it on Craigslist for a ridiculous amount of money. The end result of all this hucksterism is that real comics fans suffer.

 

You can't really blame Comic-Con for being successful and not saying "no" more often when Hollywood studios want to use the convention to promote their new movies. What is Comic-Con supposed to do, start declaring certain publications or genres as illegitimate?

 

If Comic-Con moves to Anaheim, Los Angeles, or Las Vegas in order to accommodate the growth of the convention, the ticket prices will remain high, and you can be sure the nearby hotels will charge people whatever the market will bear. Sadly for people flying out of town, they'll find those locations to be Ugly, Ugly, and Ugly.

 

Orange County (Anaheim) is a series of wide roads and strip malls with very little flavor (unless you run off to Disneyland), and it's inland territory, which means it's a good 10 degrees hotter than the coastline. Compare to San Diego's convention center, which is right on the bay and has a constant cool breeze.

 

I'm not sure what the Los Angeles location would be, but have fun with the smog, traffic congestion, and overall "rat race" feel you'll get in most of the areas connecting LAX to the convention center.

 

As for Las Vegas, I am not sure if it's even in the running, but it probably isn't due to the distance from Hollywood. But if Comic-Con does move to Las Vegas, again it will be very very hot (we're talking over 100 degrees) as it's the middle of the desert. I suppose if you're a fan of gambling and prostitutes, you won't have much to complain about.

 

 

 

[goldust40]

If anything, a higher price means more die-hard fans will attend, and more casual fans will be weeded out of the mix.

This thread was about tripling the prices for extra exhibitor badges. I'd imagine it's the die-hards themselves who wanted them most of all. Besides, unless you live in SD, you can't be casual about attending. And surely it's those "casual" fans who need exposure to Cons most of all to nurture more interest? If you price them out of the market, where's the new blood going to come from?

 

I live in San Diego

Which means that you don't have to spend $1500 on expenses before you've even set foot on the convention floor.

 

and I've attended many of the conventions, so I've watched it go through growing pains. There are severe problems with people exploiting the tickets system. Once you get a pass to Comic-Con, you can turn around and sell it on Craigslist for a ridiculous amount of money. The end result of all this hucksterism is that real comics fans suffer.

I admit I wasn't aware of this secondary market, or that tickets were treated like gold dust - however, which "real comics fans" are you referring to? There aren't that many people that attend SDCC for the comics.

[Doohickamabob]

And surely it's those "casual" fans who need exposure to Cons most of all to nurture more interest? If you price them out of the market, where's the new blood going to come from?

 

So with limited supply and high demand, prices should remain static?

 

Which means that you don't have to spend $1500 on expenses before you've even set foot on the convention floor.

 

I'm not sure how this is supposed to be in any way relevant to the conversation. I'm in a good position to avoid paying high costs, and therefore my comments are invalid? Or what?

 

I admit I wasn't aware of this secondary market, or that tickets were treated like gold dust - however, which "real comics fans" are you referring to? There aren't that many people that attend SDCC for the comics.

 

I would amend that statement to "There aren't that many people who attend SDCC for JUST the comics." In that case, you are correct. But I think a major segment of the Comic-Con attendees are people who enjoy and appreciate comics, and are really into the entertainment and other cultures that have spun off of comics -- especially things like science-fiction, superhero, or cartoon movies.

 

Regarding the secondary market for tickets, it has become the kind of problem that you can't really blame Comic-Con for. Basically people will use whatever unethical means they can come up with to obtain tickets under false pretense, then turn around and sell them for vastly inflated prices on Craigslist in order to finance their entire trip.

 

Imagine a legitimate dealer gets Comic-Con access and then is able to get 6 extra dealer badges for a minimal expense, but only needs to bring two people with him to help set up. Instead, he buys all 6 dealer badges and has 4 left over he doesn't need. He posts them on Craigslist for $500 a pop, and ends up with $2,000 cash in hand to pay down his hotel and other expenses. That's great....FOR HIM. It screws over the Comic-Con though, and it screws over everybody else who has forked over money to attend. It's basically outright thievery, and it's rampant.

 

So here's the question for anybody reading: What would you have Comic-Con do?

 

[goldust40]

And surely it's those "casual" fans who need exposure to Cons most of all to nurture more interest? If you price them out of the market, where's the new blood going to come from?

 

So with limited supply and high demand, prices should remain static? There should always be room for casual fans, otherwise such events become hermetic. Not that they haven't become that way already, obviously....

 

Which means that you don't have to spend $1500 on expenses before you've even set foot on the convention floor.

 

I'm not sure how this is supposed to be in any way relevant to the conversation. I'm in a good position to avoid paying high costs, and therefore my comments are invalid? Or what? I was simply referring to the fact that you are in a privileged position, and that price hikes in SD for the main part would not affect you. Your comments are not invalid, but not many attendees can share your perspective.

 

I admit I wasn't aware of this secondary market, or that tickets were treated like gold dust - however, which "real comics fans" are you referring to? There aren't that many people that attend SDCC for the comics.

 

I would amend that statement to "There aren't that many people who attend SDCC for JUST the comics." In that case, you are correct. But I think a major segment of the Comic-Con attendees are people who enjoy and appreciate comics, and are really into the entertainment and other cultures that have spun off of comics -- especially things like science-fiction, superhero, or cartoon movies.

 

Regarding the secondary market for tickets, it has become the kind of problem that you can't really blame Comic-Con for. Basically people will use whatever unethical means they can come up with to obtain tickets under false pretense, then turn around and sell them for vastly inflated prices on Craigslist in order to finance their entire trip.

 

Imagine a legitimate dealer gets Comic-Con access and then is able to get 6 extra dealer badges for a minimal expense, but only needs to bring two people with him to help set up. Instead, he buys all 6 dealer badges and has 4 left over he doesn't need. He posts them on Craigslist for $500 a pop, and ends up with $2,000 cash in hand to pay down his hotel and other expenses. That's great....FOR HIM. It screws over the Comic-Con though, and it screws over everybody else who has forked over money to attend. It's basically outright thievery, and it's rampant. This is the first time that I have heard of this practice, and had no idea it was so rampant. Either way, when hotels, airlines and SDCC raise prices themselves, that's simply good business. Not that I'm defending anyone who scalps Comic Con exhibitor badges of course, although I'm still surprised that they are in such demand, considering that all they do is get you in early, which can only be a boon for diehard comic and statue collectors.

 

So here's the question for anybody reading: What would you have Comic-Con do?

Find out who the perpetrators are of this outright thievery and BAN 'em. Logistically difficult but not impossible. Besides,as I recall, SDCC's reasoning behind the exhibitor badge price hike was not the same as yours - they just don't want non-exhibitors benefitting from those badges.