Genuine question, what is with the National staying in Chicago

[Rich Klein]

Simplest Reasons

1) As noted: Easy access to the show from the airport for out-of-town guests and dealers

2) The Stephens people know how to run shows. Air Conditioning should be better going forward. Cost appears from these comments to be reasonable for the promoters as well.

**** 3) The DEALERS who vote on where to put the show want it there. Until some location shows it can be better for them than Chicago, then folks we ain't moving. ******

4) As noted; Plenty of food and hotel options accessible. Baltimore, St. Louis (1995) and Anaheim are also great locations for hotels/walking to the show/accessibility to dining places. Atlanta is improving on those levels but unless you like heat more oppressive than Chicago can be, then that's not for you.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Load in and out sucks at Stephens, and I can't believe that doesn't bother more dealers. Other than that (and the AC situation last time which was insane) I like the location.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

**** 3) The DEALERS who vote on where to put the show want it there. Until some location shows it can be better for them than Chicago, then folks we ain't moving. ******

If I'm not mistaken, they're asking dealers who already are at the National. The ones who'd want it to move are already not there and not voting.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Tabe

If I'm not mistaken, they're asking dealers who already are at the National. The ones who'd want it to move are already not there and not voting.

Yes they are, but if those dealers want to stay in Chicago, that's where we are staying. Hate to tell you this, but that is a simple equation. You got to get the votes from people who are paying for the tables

Rich

[notfast]

Baltimore will never be an option. Not even close to enough space required.

Atlanta should be a reasonable option but dealers love Chicago and Atlantic City. I personally also love Chicago for reasons everyone has listed above.

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by notfast

Baltimore will never be an option. Not even close to enough space required.

Atlanta should be a reasonable option but dealers love Chicago and Atlantic City. I personally also love Chicago for reasons everyone has listed above.

Those two years that the National was in Baltimore (2010 and 2012) were fantastic.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Those two years that the National was in Baltimore (2010 and 2012) were fantastic.

Not for me. Some here have complained about the heat inside the Chicago venue. What about the heat that was outside the venue in Baltimore?! I've never felt anything that hellish on this continent before or since. While the venue was fine, we all still had to be outside at several points during our visit.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Not for me. Some here have complained about the heat inside the Chicago venue. What about the heat that was outside the venue in Baltimore?! I've never felt anything that hellish on this continent before or since. While the venue was fine, we all still had to be outside at several points during our visit.

I'm not sure you can blame Baltimore for it being hot in late July or early August. There are plenty of suggested locations (Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami to name a few) that are likely to be far worse as far as heat outside than Baltimore.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Not for me. Some here have complained about the heat inside the Chicago venue. What about the heat that was outside the venue in Baltimore?! I've never felt anything that hellish on this continent before or since. While the venue was fine, we all still had to be outside at several points during our visit.

Baltimore was hot? Wait until you feel the heat in Atlanta! There is a reason why folks speak slower in the south; it so damn hot no one wants to move, even their lips! I live in the DMV and yes it is hot and humid during the summer but nothing as ungodly as the two days I spent in Atlanta at Braves games.

[Huck]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Those two years that the National was in Baltimore (2010 and 2012) were fantastic.

How sweet it was!

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by notfast

Baltimore will never be an option. Not even close to enough space required.

Atlanta should be a reasonable option but dealers love Chicago and Atlantic City. I personally also love Chicago for reasons everyone has listed above.

I don't know if dealers truly love AC. I thought when they voted for the next few locations, there was an offer for AC to be free (or almost free) for dealers, and it still wasn't picked. Someone else may be able to provide better details about what the offer was, but from what I remember reading, it sounded like they were really trying to push AC and it didn't happen.

[notfast]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Those two years that the National was in Baltimore (2010 and 2012) were fantastic.

2012 was a long time ago.

Originally Posted by jayshum

I don't know if dealers truly love AC. I thought when they voted for the next few locations, there was an offer for AC to be free (or almost free) for dealers, and it still wasn't picked. Someone else may be able to provide better details about what the offer was, but from what I remember reading, it sounded like they were really trying to push AC and it didn't happen.

The voting was something like 175 for Chicago, 110 for Atlantic City and 50 for Atlanta for the 2026 National.

[brewing]

Originally Posted by notfast

Baltimore will never be an option. Not even close to enough space required.

Atlanta should be a reasonable option but dealers love Chicago and Atlantic City. I personally also love Chicago for reasons everyone has listed above.

As an Atlanta resident I would love Atlanta. But the city sucks for getting around and restaurants/places to go downtown sucks. Perhaps at Cobb Galleria in Marietta.

Savannah Trade Center would be wonderful. But since the airport is small airline tickets there can get pricey.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Yes they are, but if those dealers want to stay in Chicago, that's where we are staying. Hate to tell you this, but that is a simple equation. You got to get the votes from people who are paying for the tables

Rich

Trust me, dealers would set up on Mars if they could make a buck. Again, it goes back to convenience.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Yes they are, but if those dealers want to stay in Chicago, that's where we are staying. Hate to tell you this, but that is a simple equation. You got to get the votes from people who are paying for the tables

Rich

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You're asking people in Chicago if they want to stay in Chicago. You'd get different dealers in California and then, if you hold it there, those guys are going to vote to hold it there again.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Tabe

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You're asking people in Chicago if they want to stay in Chicago. You'd get different dealers in California and then, if you hold it there, those guys are going to vote to hold it there again.

Those are the people who are, ahem, paying the bills for the show. We had a vote a couple of years for Atlanta, Atlantic City or Chicago and AC basically offered the dealers a rebate on their booths and we still ended up in Chicago.

I know it can be a tough concept for some people, but those people have paid the bills for the show have more of a right to determine where they want to be than you or I do. I'd love to see Arlington, TX continue to grow so we can have another NSCC here in the DFW area but I seriously doubt you'd get enough votes.

And I'll wager the promoters are always looking at other options to present to the people voting on the subject. But, frankly, in my opinion only, Chicago/ Rosemont is the best place to park the NSCC now and in future years.

[Snapolit1]

Yes, people who pay the bills have a right to choose where it will be.

And the people who pay the people who pay the bills have a right to choose whether to attend.

I imagine at some point in the coming years attendance will start
to drop and the people who pay the bills will start to make other decisions.

No attendance is not going to increase every year.

And some of the corporate sponsors selling shiny nonsense and fractional bs will disappear.

[Jewish-collector]

Yes, attendance will increase each year.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Yes, people who pay the bills have a right to choose where it will be.

And the people who pay the people who pay the bills have a right to choose whether to attend.

I imagine at some point in the coming years attendance will start
to drop and the people who pay the bills will start to make other decisions.

No attendance is not going to increase every year.

And some of the corporate sponsors selling shiny nonsense and fractional bs will disappear.

Most of the fractional companies are either gone or doing very little nowadays and hate to tell you this but the companies doing shiny stuff are hear to stay.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Those are the people who are, ahem, paying the bills for the show. We had a vote a couple of years for Atlanta, Atlantic City or Chicago and AC basically offered the dealers a rebate on their booths and we still ended up in Chicago.

I know it can be a tough concept for some people, but those people have paid the bills for the show have more of a right to determine where they want to be than you or I do. I'd love to see Arlington, TX continue to grow so we can have another NSCC here in the DFW area but I seriously doubt you'd get enough votes.

And I'll wager the promoters are always looking at other options to present to the people voting on the subject. But, frankly, in my opinion only, Chicago/ Rosemont is the best place to park the NSCC now and in future years.

So wait, only dealer/corp fees pay the bills? What about all the attendees paying to get in?

I truly believe the NSCC got a good deal to stay in Rosemont and use that facility, bottom line. And I don't expect the National to be outside of Chicago/that venue in the next 10 years.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

So wait, only dealer/corp fees pay the bills? What about all the attendees paying to get in?

I truly believe the NSCC got a good deal to stay in Rosemont and use that facility, bottom line. And I don't expect the National to be outside of Chicago/that venue in the next 10 years.

And I think staying in Rosemont is a great answer. And the people voting agree. Until the 2nd part of this post changes, folks we ain't moving. Period, end of sentence.

[Ray Van]

Incredibly shortsighted thinking, and an easy way to cook the golden goose. If it is held in Chicago in perpetuity, attendees will eventually discover the same dealers with the same stuff year after year, then attendance will decline and the show will lose relevance.

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

Those are the people who are, ahem, paying the bills for the show. We had a vote a couple of years for Atlanta, Atlantic City or Chicago and AC basically offered the dealers a rebate on their booths and we still ended up in Chicago.

I know it can be a tough concept for some people, but those people have paid the bills for the show have more of a right to determine where they want to be than you or I do. I'd love to see Arlington, TX continue to grow so we can have another NSCC here in the DFW area but I seriously doubt you'd get enough votes.

And I'll wager the promoters are always looking at other options to present to the people voting on the subject. But, frankly, in my opinion only, Chicago/ Rosemont is the best place to park the NSCC now and in future years.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Ray Van

Incredibly shortsighted thinking, and an easy way to cook the golden goose. If it is held in Chicago in perpetuity, attendees will eventually discover the same dealers with the same stuff year after year, then attendance will decline and the show will lose relevance.

I doubt it; ComiCon is in San Diego every year and it is doing just fine. My friends who attend it like the predictability of it.

Most dealers turn over their inventories regularly, so seeing the same stale museum pieces is not a big threat for 95% of the attendees.

I do miss the local dealers who used to fill out the show, but the days of there being space for them is long past. With the entrenched seniority system the locals aren't getting tables anyway. I advocate a full lottery system, but that ain't happening, so this is a non-issue.

I like Rosemont as a permanent location given the other choices. Cleveland and AC are logistical disasters for anyone coming by air. I don't think there is an easier to reach and easier to get around place for the show than Rosemont, other than perhaps NYC, and that isn't realistic due to cost.