Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Having read a lot of these posts, I would like to chime in with a few things. I do hope to receive some constructive criticism. I would like to point out responses framed along the lines of the resident great bear ninja will be ignored - I'm rather disappointed to see those; truth be told.

Funpub's Shipping Charges: We, as consumers for FunPub; are getting shafted on shipping. I was in the middle of putting together a mailing package for my employer based on FunPub's shipping and found a good mailing company could save FunPub 25% - 30% on shipping costs. Whether this is because FunPub doesn't try to find lower shipping or merely charges the consumer more to bolster profits is irrelevant; all FunPub consumers are getting screwed in shipping costs from FunPub. In terms of BotCon, if shipping into a port in CA and then air dropping it on the East Coast is too expensive, charter a ship that goes through the Panama Canal or around South America. Another couple weeks would be needed in planning. It would certainly cost less than Air, yet not much more than accepting shipment in California.

Seibertron made a good comment about saving money for BotCon by placing it where it is easily accessible by talent. I would like to mention FunPub could offset a great deal of costs by hosting BotCon on the East Shore. California is a miserably expensive state to visit. Hotel rooms, food, travel - many of these things are cheaper (outside of New York City, Orlando, and few more) on the East Coast. Room rates alone can be as low as half of what major cities in CA charge. This is part of the draw of Baltimore and its convention center.

Seibertron.com's traffic from CA is likely due to the number of major metropolitan centers compared to other states. Compare San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to Chicago. Or even New York. At least Texas has Houston and Austin; Pennsylvania has Philly and Pittsburgh.

The East Coast also has the best snack food; period. Forget Rold Gold; I got Martin's and Utz. Junk food alone is the perfect draw for a fan crowd.

(Edit) Apologies - two more things: The point of all this is any cost associated to FunPub to hold it in another part of the country should be considered minimal. While I personally would have loved BotCon on the East Coast again since I've never gone; I'll wait or scrimp and save the money if I really want it.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

Burn wrote:Tight rope? Yeah ... if they were on a tight rope that credit card fiasco should have cost them the rights already.

Not true. If you are right, then I can give you a huge list of companies that Hasbro would not do business with. Point being is that Fun Pub's tightrope is based on their performance with both the TFCC and Botcon. The credit card fiasco happens to virtually every business, and they handled it the way they could handle it. But if they were to pull the same kind of stunt that happened with Anime Expo in 2007, then Hasbro would have a legit reason to take control of everything.

In other words... It is about their professional performances, not some issue that happens to virtually every business, that matters.

Burn wrote:He never said you were. Don't try to turn this into a flame war.

Let me point something out here. Atop of being a moderator for six years, before the forum was shut down, as well as a two-time published writer, I have this being said to me: "It's easy to put yourself on a pedestal when the convention is in your backyard."

When you have something like this said to you, it states that you are being called ignorant, not the fact that the person is being anything but logical. He is clearly implying that I am ignorant because I live in California. I called him ignorant because he dismissed every BotCon from 1994-2007, which the majority were held in the eastern region. However, being ignorant is human nature.

So if you want to believe what you claim is right and everything else is wrong... You might as well tell me to quit Seibertron.com and the entire fandom I was a part of since 1984. I celebrated my first year as a serious collector yesterday and had my friends ignore it. I also had members personally dismiss my compassion, and one having a strong habit of doing it.

My point was simple. One member got it, he didn't. He dismissed it because I live in California, and he wants it to be back in the east coast. He dismissed the fact that all he needs to do is ask why they chose the location, as well as offer any help that would have it return to the east coast in 2014 (which would be plausible since TF4 is coming out by then). And if you think what I said was a flaming or a personal attack... Then tell me to quit being a member here. Ask me to quit being a fan.

Repeated because the point is that not everybody has a chance to attend. But for those, like me, cannot because we cannot afford to take the franchise (and everything tied to it) for granted. It is why my collection is so small - I am on SSI for a reason. Something you ignored. And even if I wanted to attend, I will not hold a grudge if I cannot, especially since it is a 186 mile drive.

I hope I do not have to repeat this, and will say that responses like that is why I can only enjoy Henkei!, All Spark, Alternity, and the 1985-1987 Transformers lines without feeling like some member will see me as being below them.

First-Aid wrote:Ryan, that map was very interesting showing the traffic from the website. I do want to bring up an interesting point though.

The traffic numbers are skewed for California because, of the 300,000,000 people in the US, full 1/6th of this population lives in California. By that fact, that California only has 1/8th of the Seibertron traffic indicates a lower level of usage per capita than other states. This means a LOWER INTEREST LEVEL in Califonia. If it was directly indicative of the state's population percentage in the country, then 1/6th of the traffic should come from that state. So any argument using those numbers is technically invalid. ALso, by the same argument, ALL conventions should be in SoCal because that is where the most people are. If you continually host in the same location, you are also not spreading the brand as effectively as you could be by varying the location. If I were them I would be looking more at numbers like your "new web hits"; if you have increasing interest, a convention in that area could conceivably cement the growth of that brand in the area.

ANd it WILL be in Pasadena next year.

As for those talking the lack of star power in Dallas vs SoCal, that basically says that BotCon does not hold much weight from a marketing or sales standpoint, or general appeal. If it were really going to be a profitable trip, they would go no matter where it was.

Well said. From my stand-point, I am also wondering if costs tied to California are exceptionally lower than that in other states. Something they seem to be focused on as we speak.

And mind if I add... San Diego is a perfect location because Transformers are technically "illegal" aliens, and are there to make money.

KUMA-NIN Maximus wrote:stuff

You have a pm. Please do not send this discussion further off topic.

Thank you.

I SO HOPE THIS CAN BE MY 16TH B DAY PRESENT! This would be my first Botcon. Question, Do you have to stay in the Town and Country Hotel to get in, or are passes seperate?

It may seem like I was ignoring Botcon Pre-2004, and I suppose that is a valid point. But I also have a valid point in doing so. Prior to the 3H breakup and the changing of the guard to Fun Publications, Botcon WAS different. The show was a lot smaller and there weren't $400 box sets. It also was able to move around quite a bit, as there were only a few repeats in Fort Wayne. Considering that was Botcon's original home, I guess I can forgive that, but that's just me. I should also mention that while the geographic location did benefit me, I thought it was stupid of OTFCC to do back to back shows in Chicago in 2003 and 2004.

So the best way to look at the data is technically 2005 to 2013, but I throw 2004 in there because it was kind of the beginning of the "New" Botcon. So yes, you can point out that the majority of the Botcons prior to 2004 were held in the northeast, but that was also under different management.

The current management, as indicated, has a certain affinity to Southern California. In fact, the conventions that WERE NOT in Southern California are pretty much attributed to somebody pulling rank or out of convenience. Botcon 2006, and 2008 were in Lexington, KY and Cincinnati, OH. Coincidentally, Transformers Club Editor Pete Sinclair lives in Cincinnati, OH. Botcon 2005 and 2011 were in the Dallas, TX area, Fun Publications President Brian Savage lives in that area, in addition to Fun Publications being based there. Botcon 2007 was only in Rhode Island because Hasbro told them to. The only real odd ball that doesn't really fit the bill is Botcon 2009 in Florida. Maybe that was just an experiment to see how the tourism with Disney would boost attendance, I don't know.

Point is, under current management, the trend of Southern California Botcons is quite evident and it's quite likely that under this management, they will continue to be in Southern California with a few exceptions here and there that will probably be between Texas and Florida. If people like that and Fun Pub makes money, hey, good for them. But like I said, as long as the only viable locations are the 3 farthest locations in the country from me, I'm going to continue to pass.

Maybe one day Hasbro or Pete will pull rank again and we'll see a Botcon north of the 37th Parallel, but I'm not too optimistic about it. I'll just have to enjoy the other non-official conventions.

My apologies if this speculation based upon accurate data offends anyone.

Fender Bender wrote:My apologies if this speculation based upon accurate data offends anyone.

Thank you for the clarification. But do not forget that 2006 was Kentucky, 2007 was Rhode Island, 2008 was Ohio, and 2010 was Florida. California was 2004, 2009, and 2011 - All Pasadena. The rest was Texas.

But even then, them trying out a new location in California does not mean they have a permanent place in the west coast. It just means that they got a great deal in a very nice state - Tolerable if you hate beaches, zoos, amusement parks, Disneyland, Hollywood, and/or the chance the fart on Paramount Studios.

And besides... San Diego is nicer than Pasadena. My only issue is tied to if I am moving, spend way too much at Anime Expo (if I am going)... Or... TOMY puts out a buttload of Headmaster reissues. So with that said, please relax and remember that Seibertron will submit great photos, with some having him beat me up for calling him Shia LaBeouf.

Ryan, love the map of traffic inflow, very interesting, if not saddening to see how little traffic you're getting from my neck of the woods! Also, I know I've said I don't really care for it being in Cali, but what you said about just holding it in the same place every year sure would make planning easier! Much better than waiting til the end of the year to announce it...it's like musical chairs as it is xD

FracturedKoi wrote:what you said about just holding it in the same place every year sure would make planning easier!

More so for international visitors/members. If I were to go to BotCon then i'd want to do more than just go to BotCon. Knowing well in advance would make it easier to plan things.

Burn wrote:

FracturedKoi wrote:what you said about just holding it in the same place every year sure would make planning easier!

More so for international visitors/members. If I were to go to BotCon then i'd want to do more than just go to BotCon. Knowing well in advance would make it easier to plan things.

I think having it in the same place from year to year might actually be something we could all agree on. I wouldn't mind it one bit if the con was a few blocks away from Disneyland xD.

Can you imagine if SDCC was in a different location every year, what a headache that would be? We should give BotCon a home, and we can just plan to attend every year because we already know well in advance when and where it'll be! Now that's something I could schedule to be off work for!