What is the responsibility of a convention organizer?

[theThreat]

I remember many years ago I did a Sci fi convention. I had to convince my good friend to come along and help with setting up, lugging boxes and keeping on eye on things for security. (He is a bodybuilder type).

 

We came to an agreement. I didn't have to pay him, but some space needed to be set aside for him to sell some of his own stuff.

 

He brought with him 4 sets of poker chips. Not sci fi related at all. But Poker was absolutely huge back then. He had some extra sets. He sold them within the first hour of the convention. The sets were around 100 bucks each. So already he was laughing it up, while I was trying to sell a box of comics at a dollar each.

 

I overheard a few people complain about the poker chips not being sci fi related. But most people told us that it was a "good idea". His opinion that it is the wise fisherman who finds his own secluded spot and doesn't cast a line in within 100 other fisherman.

 

 

[blazingbob]

I'm sorry but having the Best Western as a anchor hotel near the convention center isn't exactly my idea of a nice hotel.

 

The Hotel Penn is a very old hotel and unless you are in the new rooms you are going to be sadly disappointed.

 

Again, no nice anchor hotels anywhere near the convention center.

 

Bob

 

 

[Buzzetta]

Hotel Penn was a shelter for a night as far I am concerned. I guess I never thought of the hotel issue though for obvious reasons.

 

 

[Sqeggs]

I'm sorry but having the Best Western as a anchor hotel near the convention center isn't exactly my idea of a nice hotel.

 

The Hotel Penn is a very old hotel and unless you are in the new rooms you are going to be sadly disappointed.

 

Again, no nice anchor hotels anywhere near the convention center.

 

Bob

 

 

You're in Manhattan!!!

[blazingbob]

You are on the West Side

 

When I do shows across the country there are plenty of anchor hotels right across the street from the convention center. There are restaurants.

 

The Javitt's faces the River/West Side Highway. Major construction and frankly an industrial area.

 

If you were on the East side nobody would even know a convention was in town.

 

Reed Chicago, Hyatt hotel connected to the McCormick Center.

 

San Diego, plenty of Major hotels across the street.

 

Wizard Chicago, Rosemont supports the convention center, Multiple hotels across the street

 

Baltimore, Hyatt/Hilton right across the street

 

Emerald City - Major hotels right across the street.

 

Reed NY - Best Western one block walking distance through Horse . I can suck some major car fumes as the lincoln tunnel entrance is right there. Tell me again how NYC is supporting the convention center? They would put it in the river if they could.

 

 

[Sqeggs]

You are on the West Side

 

When I do shows across the country there are plenty of anchor hotels right across the street from the convention center. There are restaurants.

 

The Javitt's faces the River/West Side Highway. Major construction and frankly an industrial area.

 

If you were on the East side nobody would even know a convention was in town.

 

Reed Chicago, Hyatt hotel connected to the McCormick Center.

 

San Diego, plenty of Major hotels across the street.

 

Wizard Chicago, Rosemont supports the convention center, Multiple hotels across the street

 

Baltimore, Hyatt/Hilton right across the street

 

Emerald City - Major hotels right across the street.

 

Reed NY - Best Western one block walking distance through Horse . I can suck some major car fumes as the lincoln tunnel entrance is right there. Tell me again how NYC is supporting the convention center? They would put it in the river if they could.

 

 

Jeez. So when you visit Paris do you say: "All this stuff about good food is bs. Not one good restaurant within two blocks of my hotel!"

 

The Javits Center is a 20 minute walk to Times Square. You could probably walk to Central Park in 45 minutes. It's not hard to find a hotel within a brief walk or taxi drive. Get out a little; you're in the big city!

 

New hotels are going up in the Hudson Yards area, so maybe that will solve your problem of needing a hotel within a three minute walk.

[kav]

I remember many years ago I did a Sci fi convention. I had to convince my good friend to come along and help with setting up, lugging boxes and keeping on eye on things for security. (He is a bodybuilder type).

 

We came to an agreement. I didn't have to pay him, but some space needed to be set aside for him to sell some of his own stuff.

 

He brought with him 4 sets of poker chips. Not sci fi related at all. But Poker was absolutely huge back then. He had some extra sets. He sold them within the first hour of the convention. The sets were around 100 bucks each. So already he was laughing it up, while I was trying to sell a box of comics at a dollar each.

 

I overheard a few people complain about the poker chips not being sci fi related. But most people told us that it was a "good idea". His opinion that it is the wise fisherman who finds his own secluded spot and doesn't cast a line in within 100 other fisherman.

 

Just tell them losers there was a poker scene in Silent Running and these chip sales refect that.

[blazingbob]

Last try and I'm not the only one who feels like this.

 

Just came from London, Nice hotels surrounding the Convention center.

 

Jacob Javitt's - 0

 

When I'm done with a show I don't want to hail a cab. I'm dragging a heavy catalog bag and who says it won't be raining? Walking 20 minutes? Really?

 

And if you've done Reed NY they aren't easy to come by at the end of the show.

 

But hey you keep pounding away at this.

 

 

[thecopperagekids]

This past fall, I set up at the 3-day Grand Rapids Comicon. More than 15,000 people came through the door over three day -- a huge attendance figure. However, I did pretty poorly. Comic dealers all pretty much had the same response. Toys/posters/knick-nacks, however, all sold very well.

 

It was marketed as a comic show. It had comic creators as guests. It had plenty of attendees. Sellers just didn't do so well.

 

This past weekend I set up at a local, one-day show. Around 800 people came through the door (which isn't a terrible number). However, the room was packed with dealers -- the most ever.

 

When I saw the number of people setting up, I knocked my projected revenue by 25%. (I still did more than that, but not as much as I was hoping.)

 

The same promoter has a show this weekend where he's mentioned that there will be the most dealers ever (and he's renting a second room).

 

So here's my question for you (both dealers and attendees):

 

What is the responsibility of the promoter?

 

Can you complain if they get a lot of people through the door, but it's not the right people? Can you complain if there's too many dealers, with the assumption that there is only a set amount of money in the room, which now has to be split into smaller pieces?

 

 

The responsibility of a INTELLIGENT/RESOURCEFUL promoter is:

 

Promote the show.

 

Provide a venue that is easily accessible to the public.

 

Hold the event in an area that will bring in customers who have money to spend.

 

Do not run shows too often and dilute the area.That means, run a show quarterly(at the most).

 

If the show runs longer than 1 day, provide overnight security.

 

 

 

The fifth is a given but the first 4.......most promoters fails miserably at.

 

 

If I do poorly at a show, it is my own fault for booking a table at a show that is not run as efficiently as can be, by the promoter.

 

It would also be my fault if I did not bring good books,at fair prices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15,000 people is 15,000 people. unless you expect the promoter to comp high rollers with free hotel rooms and show girls, i don't know what else they can do. hard to know when those 25 middle age guys with a huge wad of 20s each are going to show up at a show and make the dealers' days.

 

 

I just don't think promoters care, because the benefits are indirect to them. I used to go to carbonaro's church basement shows in the 90s. sometimes i'd come with a grand in my pocket, which was a fair amount for those shows. (i used to have no kids and a good job) i used to buy from him, sometimes $500-$600 at a time, he knew my face, although not my name. heck, i even had a table once at one show. i was chatty with his old man, etc. did he ever put me on a mailing list to make sure i got comped a ticket to any show? never. heck, sometimes i'd come at the end of the day at the shows and just want to shop for an hour. would they ever let me in for free? no. at "the national" the guy insisted i spent $20 to come in for the last hour of the show. i showed him how much cash i had to spend (well over a grand) and he did not care. as a matter of principal i walked out and made a point of letting the dealers nearby know i wanted to spend money, but the promotoers were being jerks. of course, i was being childish and I would have gone in if he made it half price, but i found it insulting that they had so little interest in helping the dealers who spent good money on tables make some money.

 

 

Carbo has always struck me as stand up, friendly and generally a good natured guy with character.

 

He is also a very good promoter........and I would say that it directly benefits a promoter if he runs a good show and Carbo certainly cares wether or not his vendors do well.

 

Meaning, he cares if there is high attendance and the dealers who bring the right/good type of books to a show, do well.

 

if he did not care about those 2 things, his shows would start to suck.

 

He would not sell out vendor booths and having drastically less paid attendees that paid admission and spent money with the vendors.....both of those things occuring would hurt his checkbook.It's in Mike's best interest to care if his vendors make money, he knows exactly what he's doing.

 

 

[MrBedrock]

Last try and I'm not the only one who feels like this.

 

Just came from London, Nice hotels surrounding the Convention center.

 

Jacob Javitt's - 0

 

When I'm done with a show I don't want to hail a cab. I'm dragging a heavy catalog bag and who says it won't be raining? Walking 20 minutes? Really?

 

And if you've done Reed NY they aren't easy to come by at the end of the show.

 

But hey you keep pounding away at this.

 

No hotels...one of the many reasons I don't do New York any longer. Great city, but I hate the convention and the struggle to find decent amenities nearby after the long days working the table. I always end up eating too many hotdogs from the street venders then crashing in that Best Western with the five foot beds. I also hate how Reed treats comic dealers...but that's another story.

[Sqeggs]

Last try and I'm not the only one who feels like this.

 

Just came from London, Nice hotels surrounding the Convention center.

 

Jacob Javitt's - 0

 

When I'm done with a show I don't want to hail a cab. I'm dragging a heavy catalog bag and who says it won't be raining? Walking 20 minutes? Really?

 

And if you've done Reed NY they aren't easy to come by at the end of the show.

 

But hey you keep pounding away at this.

 

 

A man named Storms is afraid of a little rain?

[Sqeggs]

Last try and I'm not the only one who feels like this.

 

Just came from London, Nice hotels surrounding the Convention center.

 

Jacob Javitt's - 0

 

When I'm done with a show I don't want to hail a cab. I'm dragging a heavy catalog bag and who says it won't be raining? Walking 20 minutes? Really?

 

And if you've done Reed NY they aren't easy to come by at the end of the show.

 

But hey you keep pounding away at this.

 

No hotels...one of the many reasons I don't do New York any longer. Great city, but I hate the convention and the struggle to find decent amenities nearby after the long days working the table. I always end up eating too many hotdogs from the street venders then crashing in that Best Western with the five foot beds. I also hate how Reed treats comic dealers...but that's another story.

 

Y'all in the big city now pardnuh; y'all may have to mosey down the road a few steps to find lodgins.

 

(We're very patronizing around here! )

[piper]

Having been to both the London and NYC shows, I must say it was nice to have the hotels close by in London...