The Energon Pub

[Burn]

stuff

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

Thank you.

[Sideswipe jr.]

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?

[Bed Bugs]

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.

[KNM2012]

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.

[FracturedKoi]

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

[Burn]

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.

[FracturedKoi]

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!

[NTESHFT]

What's the closets thing y'all have to a Botcon anyhow?

Ron and I running into each other at a garage sale.

Calling Jason from up from downstairs at work when I get a new TF in the mail.

Even my wife thought this was hilarious!!

Like many others, if I am gonna fly out to San Diego, it will be for Comic Con........in which if I get this new awesome, great paying job I'm trying to land, the wife and i will be going.

If the box set looks good, i will most likely get the Iacon package, though.

[First-Aid]

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

Remember though Fractured, what I said earlier applies to your area as well. How much of a percentage of the population of the US lives in your state vs. the percentage of site visits? That's why the states with the highest populations have the highest site visit count, though by capita I believe Illinois is the highest (we can blame Ryan for that... ).

ALso someone mentioned the possibility of voting on locations, I think, I few pages back. That too would be pointless as it would still end up in the highest population centers. My point is this: if you have it in San Diego or Pasadena, or Orlando, or Fort Worth every year, you will essentially end up with the same people coming every year. Once you get the initial level of "walk-ins", you will not see much more of an increase than that. Only certain people will experience BotCon every time it's held. By moving it around, there is the potential for significant exposure to other people and areas. With this exposure, it means that if they have a good time, they may come to the next one or the one after that, even if it isn't in the same place. The possibility may not be high, but the fact that there is potential there now whereas there wouldn't be otherwise is a major plus. It's the same concept as having a store in multiple locations. Multiple stores means that you can expand your brand within locations in differing population areas and demographics. While I do understand the positives of having it in the same place so people can plan around it, I think the financial positives of moving it around can outweigh that as, in the end, that's really what it's about for FunPub.

Along those lines however, I think the best thing for FunPub to do is to plan 1-2 BotCons ahead of time and have the next location- if it indeed moves- selected BEFORE BotCon for that year. That way we will literally have an entire year to plan ahead. THe more time people have to plan ahead, the higher the likelihood of them making the journey.

As for me personally, I don't understand why the Midwest isn't selected more. The central location means lower cost for flights for most people, and lower drive times for those on the road. Indianapolis is a fantastic location for a conventions (ask the folks at GenCon about THEIR attendance, or maybe ask the folks who run the NCAA Final Four about their experiences), is very affordable, has fantastic restaurants (at least two dozen within a block of the con center), and a huge convention center literally in the heart of the city with 9 or 10 large hotels attached to or within 1 block of the center. The tax rate and cost to visit is listed as significantly lower than SoCal. That means a lower overall trip cost which translates to more money for the participants to spend on vendors and figures. Having been to GenCon previously, it is a great place to have a convention; my wife went as well and she found tons to do while I was away rolling dice and getting killed by GMs and PCs- shopping, historic buildings, there was a walking ghost tour, food, more food, pointing and laughing at participants...

These points all make sense in a business standpoint. What it boils down to is this: if you make it worth while for vendors to come and that they will make a profit on the trip, they will come. If you can build the brand while you do that, it's a brilliant business decision.

[joevill]

The convention center isn't too far from the beach. Perhaps having a Seibertron beach party Friday night maybe a possibility?

[ScottyP]

I'll be there! Looking forward to it, and glad there's time to plan/save up this year.