Cleveland's IX Center to Close - Home to the National

[Exhibitman]

The ramp-up to putting on a major show is steep.

Even just running a local show is expensive and time-consuming. It isn't just decorating the barn and puttin' on a show. Minimally, if you assume a venue with its own supplies (tables, chairs, etc.) you have to locate and book the venue, secure insurance, plan marketing and execute, draft vendor contracts, secure required business licenses, get vendors and all required documents from them. The day of the show you have to make sure everything is good to go, arrange an orderly move-in and set-up, staff and run the show, then coordinate move-out and break-down, all of which is like herding cats. If you go for autograph guests or other special stuff you need to arrange, market and pay for that too. And you will bleed money for a while trying to get things going unless you have access to a venue at little or no cost.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

Thanks Adam, you just shut this thread down for good with that dose of reality. LOL

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

The ramp-up to putting on a major show is steep.

Even just running a local show is expensive and time-consuming. It isn't just decorating the barn and puttin' on a show. Minimally, if you assume a venue with its own supplies (tables, chairs, etc.) you have to locate and book the venue, secure insurance, plan marketing and execute, draft vendor contracts, secure required business licenses, get vendors and all required documents from them. The day of the show you have to make sure everything is good to go, arrange an orderly move-in and set-up, staff and run the show, then coordinate move-out and break-down, all of which is like herding cats. If you go for autograph guests or other special stuff you need to arrange, market and pay for that too. And you will bleed money for a while trying to get things going unless you have access to a venue at little or no cost.

So you don’t want a fish sandwich?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by conor912

So you don’t want a fish sandwich?

Ummm, no?

Don't get me wrong: running a show was great fun too, but it is a lot of work and if you are planning to do anything more ambitious than a small local show you really do need a lot of time and a hefty bankroll to devote to it. if I was retired, for example, and had some help to do it, and COVID was over with, I would definitely consider starting, running on a regular basis, and hopefully growing a small show. Last time round we (myself and two partners) broke even on our third (and last) show but by then we'd lost our collective stomach for doing more. Oh, also add the accounting and security to the work list.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Ummm, no?

It’s a Ladies Man quote. I knew it was a longshot

[buymycards]

This has nothing to do with the topic, but I remember some of the smaller shows back in the 1990's where we had to bring our own tables.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I've been to maybe half the Nationals in the last 10 years. Didn't make a single notable pickup; just a handful of cheaper items that I actually could have done without. Any sales I had could have been done outside of the National setting, so there's another strike against my ever returning.

The area of Cleveland surrounding the I-X isn't exactly a hopping place for things to do, so that won't be missed. It was a huge cut above going to Baltimore, with its weather just half a degree below hell. It was also wonderful to be able to drive right up and park at the I-X, both as a dealer and as someone walking in the front door. That will be sorely missed.

Prior to 10 years ago, I had my greatest National successes in Cleveland. After constant disappointments when the show was in other cities, I could always think positively about the next Cleveland National. That streak of success ended with the last colossally disappointing Cleveland show. After that, I decided I'm done with the convention altogether. How many years do I have to walk by the same dealers with the same inventories? And I'm paying for this privilege? It would be nice to see some new faces set up and maybe, just maybe, new material. Let me know when that happens; I gave up.

[conor912]

Is there usually a waitlist for tables at the National or do they more or less have a table for anyone willing to pay the fee?