Poll: BUYERS preferred National Location

[x2drich2000]

AC works for me only cause it is close by. Adding flights makes it more travel time, more expensive, and lets be honest, flights haven't been the most reliable lately. Vegas sounds fun on the surface, but the volume of dealers that would need to fly/extensively drive I think make it prohibitive. Below is what I posted last year on the topic with additional data from this year.

While moving the National around I think would be great, I can certainly understand why they stay in the Northeast corner and continue to rotate between the 4 current cities. Below is a break down of the dealers from this years national by name and booths. NY, NJ, PA combined are top 3 and make up 30%. Why not have it where dealers are? Also below is the US Census map from 2020. Again, population density looks to be in the northeast. Why not have it where most people are? To me it is only common sense to keep it in that area from a business standpoint.

2022 AC Dealer List by state
State Dealers Percent Booths Percent
NY 38 11.08% 64 10.63%
NJ 31 9.04% 61 10.13%
PA 30 8.75% 52 8.64%
FL 27 7.87% 56 9.30%
IL 27 7.87% 40 6.64%
TX 19 5.54% 37 6.15%
OH 15 4.37% 25 4.15%
VA 14 4.08% 24 3.99%
MI 14 4.08% 21 3.49%
CA 11 3.21% 22 3.65%
GA 10 2.92% 22 3.65%
MN 9 2.62% 11 1.83%
NC 8 2.33% 12 1.99%
TN 7 2.04% 10 1.66%
IN 7 2.04% 11 1.83%
MD 7 2.04% 13 2.16%
MO 6 1.75% 10 1.66%
WI 5 1.46% 8 1.33%
CT 5 1.46% 12 1.99%
AZ 4 1.17% 6 1.00%
WA 4 1.17% 9 1.50%
KY 4 1.17% 5 0.83%
IA 4 1.17% 7 1.16%
CO 4 1.17% 6 1.00%
AR 3 0.87% 4 0.66%
Canada 3 0.87% 4 0.66%
MA 3 0.87% 4 0.66%
ND 3 0.87% 7 1.16%
KS 2 0.58% 3 0.50%
ME 2 0.58% 2 0.33%
VT 2 0.58% 4 0.66%
SC 2 0.58% 3 0.50%
RI 2 0.58% 3 0.50%
NV 2 0.58% 6 1.00%
DE 2 0.58% 3 0.50%
OK 1 0.29% 1 0.17%
NH 1 0.29% 2 0.33%
NE 1 0.29% 4 0.66%
OR 1 0.29% 4 0.66%
WV 1 0.29% 1 0.17%
ID 1 0.29% 1 0.17%
HI 1 0.29% 2 0.33%
Grand Total 343 100.00% 602 100.00%

2023 Chicago Dealer List by State
State Dealers Percent Booths Percent
FL 29 8.26% 63 9.55%
NY 30 8.55% 57 8.64%
IL 32 9.12% 54 8.18%
NJ 25 7.12% 52 7.88%
PA 29 8.26% 51 7.73%
TX 16 4.56% 31 4.70%
OH 17 4.84% 29 4.39%
MI 16 4.56% 27 4.09%
CA 13 3.70% 26 3.94%
VA 14 3.99% 25 3.79%
GA 10 2.85% 21 3.18%
MD 8 2.28% 16 2.42%
WI 10 2.85% 16 2.42%
MN 8 2.28% 16 2.42%
MO 8 2.28% 15 2.27%
IN 9 2.56% 15 2.27%
NC 8 2.28% 14 2.12%
CT 5 1.42% 13 1.97%
TN 7 1.99% 12 1.82%
IA 6 1.71% 10 1.52%
WA 4 1.14% 10 1.52%
AZ 4 1.14% 8 1.21%
ND 3 0.85% 8 1.21%
NV 4 1.14% 8 1.21%
AR 4 1.14% 7 1.06%
NE 3 0.85% 7 1.06%
MA 4 1.14% 5 0.76%
CO 3 0.85% 5 0.76%
VT 2 0.57% 4 0.61%
KS 2 0.57% 4 0.61%
OR 1 0.28% 4 0.61%
RI 2 0.57% 4 0.61%
KY 2 0.57% 3 0.45%
WV 2 0.57% 3 0.45%
SC 2 0.57% 3 0.45%
ID 2 0.57% 3 0.45%
ME 2 0.57% 2 0.30%
DE 1 0.28% 2 0.30%
NH 1 0.28% 2 0.30%
HI 1 0.28% 2 0.30%
AL 1 0.28% 2 0.30%
OK 1 0.28% 1 0.15%
Grand Total 351 100.00% 660 100.00%

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by x2drich2000

. Below is a break down of the dealers from this years national by name and booths. NY, NJ, PA combined are top 3 and make up 30%.

This is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. OF COURSE more dealers will come from the east if you hold the show in the Midwest or East.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Tabe

This is something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. OF COURSE more dealers will come from the east if you hold the show in the Midwest or East.

Sure, but there simply are far more dealers from that area. The greatest concentration has always been in the Northeast. If the show was held in Van Buren, Arkansas, it wouldn't magically have a huge abundance of dealers from that state just because that's where it was being held. Also remember that people have their table spaces reserved years in advance, so you're going to see mostly the same faces no matter where it's held.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Sure, but there simply are far more dealers from that area. The greatest concentration has always been in the Northeast. If the show was held in Van Buren, Arkansas, it wouldn't magically have a huge abundance of dealers from that state just because that's where it was being held. Also remember that people have their table spaces reserved years in advance, so you're going to see mostly the same faces no matter where it's held.

But we're not talking about Arkansas, are we? Do you really think there would be trouble getting dealers for a California or Vegas National? And, again, it's self-fulfilling - if you announce AC 3 years in advance, of course, you're going to get northeast dealers. But the balance would shift if they announced Vegas for 2029.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Tabe

But we're not talking about Arkansas, are we? Do you really think there would be trouble getting dealers for a California or Vegas National? And, again, it's self-fulfilling - if you announce AC 3 years in advance, of course, you're going to get northeast dealers. But the balance would shift if they announced Vegas for 2029.

That's not really how it works. Remember that table space at this show is such a hot commodity that any additional space wouldn't first simply open up for dealers just because they're from that part of the country. There are already tons of other dealers from all over the place who have been waiting their turn and trying in vain to get in.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

That's not really how it works. Remember that table space at this show is such a hot commodity that any additional space wouldn't first simply open up for dealers just because they're from that part of the country. There are already tons of other dealers from all over the place who have been waiting their turn and trying in vain to get in.

So, what you've just said is that there would be no problem filling up a Vegas National with northeast dealers. In other words, there's no reason to NOT have one on the west coast.

[doug.goodman]

I'm a guy who travels to somewhere between 100 & 200 cities each year, I can say with confidence that there is nowhere that I am "afraid" to go.

Are there places within these cities that people shouldn't go during time frames that are less trafficked than others? Certainly.

All cities, be them politically blue, red or otherwise; woke, asleep or just dozing gently, have some issues, but any city with a population base to support the infrastructure needed to have the types of venue we are discussing are safe and capable of holding the national.

Please spare us all the Fox vs CNN drivel, we all think what we think, and this board isn't going to change any of our minds.

As a guy who works for George Lopez and for Kid Rock, I'm confident we can all get along while talking about baseball cards.

To me the most important thing in regards to travel would be an airport, or airports that have non-stop flights from a high percentage of the country.

Obviously, the majority of the country north east of a line drawn between Chicago and Atlanta have a built in advantage due to the ability of lots of people to drive.

Doug (but I hate Vegas)

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Sure, but there simply are far more dealers from that area. The greatest concentration has always been in the Northeast. If the show was held in Van Buren, Arkansas, it wouldn't magically have a huge abundance of dealers from that state just because that's where it was being held. Also remember that people have their table spaces reserved years in advance, so you're going to see mostly the same faces no matter where it's held.

Well, big pig on the hill would roll down and set up.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Sure, but there simply are far more dealers from that area. The greatest concentration has always been in the Northeast. If the show was held in Van Buren, Arkansas, it wouldn't magically have a huge abundance of dealers from that state just because that's where it was being held. Also remember that people have their table spaces reserved years in advance, so you're going to see mostly the same faces no matter where it's held.

Hey, that would be the easiest National I've ever traveled to since I'm already there!