Posted By:
RichardI think if you compare any show today with what you remember the exact same show was like 10, 5 or even 3 years ago, you will always be disappointed.
Ebay, online dealer websites, the ease of communication through email and scans, etc have all contributed to the deterioration of shows and the deterioration of the buildup of dealer inventory for those "big special" shows - regardless of East or West coast.
Couple that with the simple fact that the majority of big vintage dealers live on the east coast and the amount of time and money it takes for a dealer to travel across the country with cases of cards, several showcases, display racks, banners, etc, the security it takes traveling with all of that stuff, etc, it hardly makes sense anymore.
I don't think that the quality of West coast shows will improve anytime in the forseeable future. The Hawaii shows are gone forever, too.