Poll: BUYERS preferred National Location

[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)

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by 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)

+1. A lot of people seem to be forgetting that dealers have to get their stuff to the venue, and that means driving. With the preponderance of dealers, AHs, and corporate entities in general in the Northeast, Chicago is about as far as you can go to make them happy while also trying to get somewhat close to dealers in other parts of the country, thus all the shows there. I wonder has there been such a thing as a "West Coast National" or a "MIdwest National" in, say, Dallas, Kansas City, or the like to test whether there are enough dealers, corporations, etc., that would do those shows but won't go as far as Chicago, Cleveland, and especially AC, to support such a thing.

[rand1com]

+2. No chance of dealers voting to go to Vegas.

Chicago is by far the best venue for dealers.

I have done multiple Nationals in Cleveland, Chicago, Atlantic City, and Baltimore and Chicago is the best even though I am roughly an 11 hour drive from all of them.

I am 30 hours from Vegas. No way I am driving 10 hours a day for 3 days each way and no way I am shipping a cargo van of goods to Vegas either.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by rand1com

+2. No chance of dealers voting to go to Vegas.

Chicago is by far the best venue for dealers.

I have done multiple Nationals in Cleveland, Chicago, Atlantic City, and Baltimore and Chicago is the best even though I am roughly an 11 hour drive from all of them.

I am 30 hours from Vegas. No way I am driving 10 hours a day for 3 days each way and no way I am shipping a cargo van of goods to Vegas either.

Then we can count you out. The thread is asking for buyer's preferences, not seller's.

From a Buyer's perspective I find it amusing that many East Coast guys grouse about having to travel. Many are willing to drop 5 or even 6 figures on sports cards and memorabilia once they get there but balk at having to lay out a few bucks for a plane ticket. A three or four hour drive is fine but not a flight of similar length. Let's face it, the point of this poll is essentially meaningless to many here unless the convention is held in their neighborhood.

I would have no objection to there being a second major convention out in the southern midwest or west if it can't be the National. Ideally for me it would be in the Spring rather than the dead of Summer. I've attended the National in Anaheim and it was fine. I am certain that there will be dealers that won't want to take the time or trouble to go west of the Mississippi. C'est la vie. I am also certain there will be plenty to buy and I would have a good experience. I suggested KC because it is a three hour flight from either coast. For many of us that is no more and probably less that what we already have come to expect. For those from the Illinois midwest to the Texas south it is even less. There are many collectors from those regions.