[CQ-Contest] 2005 Dayton Forum Wrap Up

[Brian Lambert]

I'll chime in with two cents.

This was my first Hamvention.  When I wandered into several of the
contesting-related exhibitor booths, and they asked me what my thing was,
and I said I was a contester, just getting a decent station together, THREE
different ones told me they were really upset that "all the contesters were
at the hotel".  So, I think it's clear that the major exhibitors felt the
absence of their core customers.

Now, whether any of the 600 or so contesters were going to buy anything at
the show is another story.

Reason I bother to post this is that reading this thread rang a bell and
reminded me that I had heard this.

Best 73,

Brian, N1IK 	



-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe Subich, K4IK
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 9:38 PM
To: sawyered at earthlink.net; cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] 2005 Dayton Forum Wrap Up


N1UR writes:

> To continue on what Bob, N5NJ, was saying...the idea is for the 
> vendors to follow where the customers are, guys, not for the vendors 
> to tell the customers to come back to where they are.

Every trade show and major convention that I know of that has a "forum"
schedule has a constant battle between forum schedules and the exhibitors.
The exhibitors are there for the maximum possible traffic past their
"booth."  Exhibitors want minimum competition and want all the attendees "in
the hall."  When that does not happen, the exhibitors stop coming and the
shows fold.  This happened with two major broadcast industry shows in the
past five years ... the sponsors and affiliated organizations scheduled more
and more events both on site and off site that conflicted with the exhibit
hours.  Traffic to the exhibits dwindled, the exhibitors refused to pay the
cost 
of supporting the event and the events died.    

Moving some of the most popular forums off-site is the beginning of the end
for Hamvention. 

73, 

   ... Joe, K4IK 
 
PS. I am not criticizing Doug and Tim in the least, they have 
    done an excellent job with the hand they had.  I am 
    strongly criticizing the Hamvention Committee (DARA) for 
    allowing the situation to reach this point.  
 

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