L.A. area Just Found

Wow! First, let me say that NO convention is like SDCC. I look forward to it every year and hope it stays in San Diego, especially if the city decided to expand the convention to meet the monstrous demand.

That said:

Los Angeles has no conventions? Really? Granted we don't have SDCC and none equal its scope, but we have a variety of shows every year. The Los Angeles Science Fiction and Comic Book convention has run monthly for decades, first at the old Ambassador Hotel (which I'm old enough to have attended) and now at the Shrine Auditorium. The E3 is held here each year. Bot Con is here just about every other year (how many of those have been in San Diego, Tycho ;)?). The best of all the Star Wars Celebrations, IV, was here (anything in San Diego?). Wizard World has shows here on annual basis, as does the Disney D23. And there are probably shows I've neglected mentioning.

Wonder Con is owned and operated by Comic Con International. It is usually held in San Francisco, but due to renovations at its usual facility, the show was moved down to Anaheim. I suspect, purely speculation on my part, that CCI is going to gauge the viability of this venue for potentially staging their annual INTERNATIONAL comic con there. From what I understand, the City of San Diego and CCI are butting heads a bit about the expansion of their convention center. CCI might be holding the show in Anaheim just to leverage their position a bit about moving the show elsewhere. Who knows for sure, but I annually plan my summer around a July weekend in San Diego.

I truly hope that Comic Con stays in San Diego, that great suburb of Los Angeles. :smiley_simmons:

Comic Con International is the non-profit group who runs SDCC, so if they choose to move their efforts to LA or Las Vegas, what they really will be taking with them is the organizational power behind SDCC, the connections, the legal teams that negotiate the contracts, the financial treasury that is able to buy up advertising all over town, the staff that's able to convince local businesses to cooperate with the convention so both can benefit from the relationship, and the glad-handers who know the right people to talk to in order to get the big name draw personalities and events to participate in the show. It's not about how many fans the town has, it's about the organizers' ability to mobilize those fans into creating a powerhouse of a convention. So ultimately, it's not about where any group of fans go, it's where the CCI non-profit organization goes, and the CCI board is there only to serve the convention itself, which means serving both the fans and the exhibitors in equal measures, so if San Diego cannot serve those 2 halves of the convention, then it won't matter if all 135,000 attendees lived in San Diego, the show will move.

Thank you. I get it JT.

I really wonder how many more vendors think they can be successful at SDCC?

That's not an evaluative statement. I'm honestly asking with no prejudice.

I realize there's more revenue by renting the floor space to dealers, but will they do enough business to come back? Does CCI care or will it just be "we'll sell the space to someone else next year." If there is more space, there will eventually be empty space if the dealer room reaches "whatever" saturation point, you'd think? Right?

Or do the big houses like Dark Horse and Star Wars want even more floor space? I'd think they could get it now.

What about the meeting rooms? Are more panels desired? Is Richard Hatch running out of room to bring the original BattleStar Galactica back?

The popular panels are those Ball Room 20, Hall-H events, and some of the "A-B-C-D" multi-room shows. The problem with them is not having "more space," but having more time.

Really "2 Evening(s)" with Kevin Smith is more appropriate with people getting free admission tickets in advance if they register for those events. First-come-first-served. Stuff like Sons of Anarchy and Wilfred, Walking Dead - all filled up. Let people request passes for those events before they enter the Convention Center and then they won't wait in line for nothing. Then "ROOM CLEAR" after each event excet for ticket holders (like if you had free tickets for back-to-back events).

I do not support room clearing as the waiting line situation stands right now.

Meanwhile, you use that log-in code that they want people to have now to become "members of Comic Con" in order to buy tickets, to also pick your programs according to the schedule, published later (I'm aware of that). Then when you arrive to get your badge, you get your tickets.

They can have wait-lines for no-shows at presumably "sold-out" panels. But people know what they're getting into. Also, people with tickets will still have to line up early, to get the best seats of course.

Maybe I'll look into applying for a job with CCI?

I have lots of ideas, like requireing "x-amount" of Slave Leias per attendees admitted. Just to make sure there's an ample supply ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by El Chuxter

JT, you act as if parents care what actually looks any good when they see a deal. I just know that, every year, there's one moldy piece of crap that TRU touts as "our lowest price ever!" (and usually the same price or a buck higher than Ross and Marshall's have tons of the same thing selling for), and the parents clean them out because they're clueless and think they're saving money.

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So, although I've already responded to this comment once, I found another angle to take in response to your argument:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/7/imag0339w.jpg/
I took that on Monday at TRU. :p

Holy snot. The ones here have absolutely none. Maybe it's a different mentality here, where people try to snatch up bargains... even if they aren't.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tycho

Thank you. I get it JT.

I really wonder how many more vendors think they can be successful at SDCC?

That's not an evaluative statement. I'm honestly asking with no prejudice.

I realize there's more revenue by renting the floor space to dealers, but will they do enough business to come back? Does CCI care or will it just be "we'll sell the space to someone else next year." If there is more space, there will eventually be empty space if the dealer room reaches "whatever" saturation point, you'd think? Right?

Or do the big houses like Dark Horse and Star Wars want even more floor space? I'd think they could get it now.

What about the meeting rooms? Are more panels desired? Is Richard Hatch running out of room to bring the original BattleStar Galactica back?

The popular panels are those Ball Room 20, Hall-H events, and some of the "A-B-C-D" multi-room shows. The problem with them is not having "more space," but having more time.

Really "2 Evening(s)" with Kevin Smith is more appropriate with people getting free admission tickets in advance if they register for those events. First-come-first-served. Stuff like Sons of Anarchy and Wilfred, Walking Dead - all filled up. Let people request passes for those events before they enter the Convention Center and then they won't wait in line for nothing. Then "ROOM CLEAR" after each event excet for ticket holders (like if you had free tickets for back-to-back events).

I do not support room clearing as the waiting line situation stands right now.

Meanwhile, you use that log-in code that they want people to have now to become "members of Comic Con" in order to buy tickets, to also pick your programs according to the schedule, published later (I'm aware of that). Then when you arrive to get your badge, you get your tickets.

They can have wait-lines for no-shows at presumably "sold-out" panels. But people know what they're getting into. Also, people with tickets will still have to line up early, to get the best seats of course.

Maybe I'll look into applying for a job with CCI?

I have lots of ideas, like requireing "x-amount" of Slave Leias per attendees admitted. Just to make sure there's an ample supply ;)

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I've gone to 5 Comic-Cons, and I have never seen an empty booth the way I have at other cons. Also, a large number of booths are given to the same exhibitors as the previous years, even in the ghetto sections down in the low addresses at the north side. I would think that means there's a significant value to any exhibitor, big or small, to renting a table at SDCC when dealers from all over the country take time and money out of their pockets to return year after year. With the convention full as it is, I'm sure they have a backlog of exhibitor-hopefuls lined up to take the place of anybody who pulls out of the convention late in the game.

As for the big dogs, I don't think they're looking to expand into larger stalls, they have enough floor space for themselves, it's now about how to use that space better. I don't really think they could get bigger space if they wanted, they're surrounded by large entrenched competitors.

Panels may be a different situation as there are a lot of moved panels and small panels who don't get much action, but there is a plethora of those little panels that also get long lines to fill 200-seat rooms, and they're limited by time rather than by space so if someone pulls out around them, SDCC can either fill with another panel hopeful or just extend the time or simply schedule dead-time for the room which won't look like anything from the outside since it's just a bump in the schedule. And Richard Hatch will keep doing those panels no matter what may come, I suspect, because the BSG faithful keep donating money to rent panel time with him. Of course, now that Universal is doing a BSG-classic movie, there will be renewed interest in his noise, I suspect.

They started renting Hall H for Sundays this year, which I think took some pressure off, but then they stopped renting Ballroom 20 on Sunday, so they need to aim more stuff like that. They also started offering Panel Playbacks at the ends of Thursday through Saturday nights, but it was by popular vote to decide which panels got played back, and that's too risky. So they're trying new stuff with big-ticket panels, but have a long way to go.

Most other cons do room-clearing, and while it's generally not a problem, at SWC IV, it was a big problem because they'd schedule same-interest panels back to back, so you'd have to leave and get right back in line hoping to get in. For small cons where you're likely to get in, just as a seat in the back, that's not a problem; but for a big con like SDCC where they counter-schedule EVERYTHING, it'd be a disaster. Imagine wanting to see Hasbro SW and the books and the CW panels but having to leave in between each one: you'd spend more time in line than in a panel seat.

BTW, you don't get a job with CCI, it's a board you have to be elected to sit on, I believe.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by El Chuxter

Holy snot. The ones here have absolutely none. Maybe it's a different mentality here, where people try to snatch up bargains... even if they aren't.

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I took a shot of the ones on the shelf proper as well, but it wasn't an interesting shot, just a few boxes under the new vehicles.

Are there NONE on the shelf proper? Maybe they have a few on the shelf and more product stuck in the back room? Otherwise, perhaps TRU shifted product from a slow-moving store to one with a bigger buying market after the most recent sale.

Thanks, JT. A very informative response.

BTW, I think my idea would work in your example of the SW panels:

It's all in 6ABC or 7ABC rooms every year, right?

1) So when you register, you request tickets for 6ABC from 11-12, 12-1, 1-2, 2-3 - however many panels you plan on.

2) After the 11-12 panel, say it's Hasbro, you can stay in your seat for 12-1, which might be Clone Wars. The usher comes around and collects from you your ticket for that panel or asks you to leave the room if you do not have one. Then someone with a ticket for the 12-1 Clone Wars comes in your place. There are standing room tickets (seats would be first-come-first-served) and capacity filled with those allowed to stand.

3) If the seats or standing room is not filled, the wait line is admitted for non-ticketed guests who take the chance they want to get it. Then they have to leave before the next panel unless they have the ticket for that.

THE TICKETS MUST ALWAYS BE FREE - JUST REQUESTED IN ADVANCE OF THE CON ON YOUR ACCOUNT ORDER - AND YOU CAN ADD TO THEM UP TO THE TUESDAY BEFORE BADGE PICK-UP BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY - even though everyone will have to buy their actual Convention badges far earlier. (This is just because the program is never finalized until the last minute). Problems with the rest of this proceedure might have to be answered by "tough luck, Senior." Though I don't want to stretch this post out to try and anticipate every problem with the policy. It can be adapted of course. We learn by doing.

4) Those that want to hog a seat up front in Hall H for example, can still do so, if their event is at 3pm and they get their seat for every event from 11-12, 12-1, 1-2, and 2-3, or work with friends to keep it (with tickets though). Then it's the same as before: if you want to see the Avengers presentation at 3, you keep your seat by sitting through the Smurfs sequel at noon, and the Charlie Sheen impersonators at 2, until what you want to see comes on at 3. Else, you can still be assured you'll get in at 3 with your ticket to Hall H for 3, however, you'll sit in the back (probably - unless no one else is interested in The Avengers).

Now, what did you mean by "renting Hall H or Ballroom 20 on Sunday?" I saw Sons of Anarchy on Sunday, as they also had that in Hall H the year before, and also on Sunday. So I thought they always had programs in there. NO WAIT! You are correct I think. I remember there being years where I did not go to CC at all on Sunday because there were no panels I wanted to see and I didn't need to spend any more money, haha.

If anything, I think CC has gotten better, because for the past several years, I have attended on Sunday with an interest to see things. I think I even saw a Smallville panel or 2 on Sundays with you, JT. (Those were on Sundays, right?)

I attend Comic Con first for seeing the new Star Wars / Transformers and visiting with Hasbro, and 2nd for the panels, most likely - as I have almost never stood in line for exclusives or done much shopping - save for those Hot Toys Terminator figures I had to have.

Also, where and how do you vote to see the panel re-caps? Then where do you watch them? It still holds to be more fun to actually go to the panel - like a live SoA panel will have mostly Sons of Anarchy fans in it, so I can meet others who like what I do. There may be some saving their seat for the panel afterwards of course (even with my new ingenious and amazing and awesome and perefectly-well-thought-out-seating-system that I invented above) but at a recap showing of popular panels voted for, you're really likely to find yourself seated by people of varying interests (like meeting only Thundercats fans while I'm trying to enjoy the Walking Dead panel recap and the people next to me say "Rick? Shane? Herchel? I don't know who you're talking about." What a bummer, especially when I would know nothing about Thundercats to enjoy talking with them about.

Meeting other fans (of your stuff you like) is also part of the fun of a convention.

None on the shelf. None that I can see up above. I can't say anything about the stockrooms.

I did see several Crimson HISS tanks today. I really want the driver. I can use HISS V (VI?) to get it, even though I seem to be the only person underwhelmed by it. (I'll get one in red with a new driver. Black with the same driver, nah. The dark brown is fine by me.) But not for TRU's $25. I hope this isn't something I regret, but HTS has it for cheaper, even.

dude, this shirt is so tempting for so many reasons, but i probably won't pull the trigger... (ha! pun intended)

http://riptapparel.com/shirt/12/11/2...ie-cast-jacket


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