Author Topic: Discussion re: CCI FB comments (from CCI Posts and Announcements Forum)  (Read 21223 times)

Offline Transmute Jun

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Its an interesting approach. Why don't you propose this to CCI? (send email, letter, etc.)

Offline Kevin Rutan

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It might be really cool if they moved to a staggered model like SXSW. The way it runs is that there is a day or two of overlap in content but the 3 topics run on different tracks. So you end up with something like:


I imagine that kind of system would work pretty well with the panels, but I'm not so sure that long of a timeframe would work for all of the exhibitors. A lot of the publishers might have trouble keeping booths there that long and you wouldn't be able to cycle booths without downtime.
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Offline Trev

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I imagine that kind of system would work pretty well with the panels, but I'm not so sure that long of a timeframe would work for all of the exhibitors. A lot of the publishers might have trouble keeping booths there that long and you wouldn't be able to cycle booths without downtime.

The point is that the booths are only open for the period. Not that everything is available all the time. SXSW does this by essentially leveraging the entire town, but our convention center is tiny compared to San Diego. To re-iterate, it would mean a different layout to San Diego.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2012, 11:40:24 AM by Trev »

Offline Chris Hagish

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I wouldn't expect there to be any repeats in the panels. It would be the same 'black void until the programming schedule is announced' that it is today. Yes, some people would want to come for all 6/7 days. I'd be one of them! But other people wouldn't be able to get extra days off of work, or want to pay the increased cost that would come about for having more days. Additionally, there would be more single day badges available.

Here is the bigger issue with this.  Pissing off your core fan base.  Panels are not announced until two weeks before SDCC which its not a big deal to the full experience attendees.  With your plan tho you seem to be expecting (rightfully so for most) people to not be able to get that much time off and would thus miss out on even more panels because they did not know when their favorite panels would be happening.  Now if the staggered set up like was suggested above is adopted this plan might work but this is dependent on CCI making MASSIVE changes suddenly.  We all know CCI does not make majors moves like this often or together. Hell look at the flack they got just for having CCI member IDs.

Other issues are the surprisingly common misconception that SDCC is done and set up early in the week and is just waiting for the opening day.  Even without insider knowledge anyone that has been to Preview Night knows the booths are not all done. Missing signing, merchandise, or even fixturing is not uncommon just with small booths but large ones as well. Take down works just the same.  The reason they have to close at 5pm is because they have to be able to turn the convention center back over so the next group can start their build.  If you are not done by midnight taking down your booth the Freemen come in and do it for you, at outrageous prices.
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Offline Zero

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Other issues are the surprisingly common misconception that SDCC is done and set up early in the week and is just waiting for the opening day.  Even without insider knowledge anyone that has been to Preview Night knows the booths are not all done. Missing signing, merchandise, or even fixturing is not uncommon just with small booths but large ones as well. Take down works just the same.  The reason they have to close at 5pm is because they have to be able to turn the convention center back over so the next group can start their build.  If you are not done by midnight taking down your booth the Freemen come in and do it for you, at outrageous prices.

It's actually the same with other conventions--setting up the convention center usually happens a day before the start of that particular convention.  Not only does the main Exhibit Hall area need to be set up, the programming and video rooms (think of the number of chairs, the layout of those chairs, and any special video camera needs to broadcast the panels on the adjacent screens in the front) need to be prepared as well.  Signs have to be placed in the correct locations.  The appropriate staff members need to set up their computers, printers, and other IT hardware in special operations offices.  There are so many logistical aspects of putting on something as large as Comic-Con that it's not as simple as increasing the amount of days it runs.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2012, 08:43:15 PM by Zero »
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Offline Transmute Jun

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Except.... the setup you describe has to happen, regardless of how many days re in between setup and breakdown. I'm still not seeing why they couldn't just start setup 2 days earlier, have the con run 2 days longer, then tear down on the same day.

Offline Trev

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Except.... the setup you describe has to happen, regardless of how many days re in between setup and breakdown. I'm still not seeing why they couldn't just start setup 2 days earlier, have the con run 2 days longer, then tear down on the same day.

I don't get it. What problem does that solve? It just commits vendors to more time there.

Offline alyssa

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people think more days will equal more tickets... when in reality the only effect will be to spread the panels out over 6 days instead of 4.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2012, 11:21:42 AM by alyssa »
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Offline Trev

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people think more days will equal more tickets... when in reality the only effect will be to spread the panels out over 6 days instead of 4.

I think there's almost no way this results in substantially more tickets. It really is 2 different conventions now that happen at the same time -- they should treat it that way. Or jettison the comics portion to a different set of dates on the calendar.

Offline Khaaaaaaanh!!!

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You mean like WonderCon?  ;)
...you had me at hello...

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Offline Trev

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You mean like WonderCon?  ;)

Yes, but in San Diego. Same size as the comics portion of the show today. That's still a lot bigger than Wonder Con.

Offline Transmute Jun

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people think more days will equal more tickets... when in reality the only effect will be to spread the panels out over 6 days instead of 4.

At a minimum, more days = more single day badges. Additionally, more days means more people who cannot attend the whole thing, so the number of 'con-long' attendees should drop, allowing new people to take their places.

Offline alyssa

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I disagree, I don't think the actual number of week long badge holders will go down due to more days.  Personally, i'd still buy the entire number of days to insure i'd get to see the panels I want, regardless of the actual time i spent at the con.  If there's nothing I want to see at the con, i'll do something outside of the con.

CCI is so popular *because* everything is happening at once, if you try and peal something off, it loses the cashe.
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Offline Transmute Jun

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LOL, earlier in this thread other people were arguing above that if the COn wer longer it would get to be too expensive/more time off for some people!

I think it's fair to say that if the Con were extended to 6 days plus pPreview Night, there would be many people who are currently 4/5 day attendees who would continue to go to the whole thing. Those people include you and me, Alyssa.

But I think it's also fair to say that there are others for whom the financial burden/time off issue would cause them not to attend the entire thing.

As to what those proportions are...? I don't know.

Offline alyssa

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LOL, earlier in this thread other people were arguing above that if the COn wer longer it would get to be too expensive/more time off for some people!

But I think it's also fair to say that there are others for whom the financial burden/time off issue would cause them not to attend the entire thing.

As to what those proportions are...? I don't know.
What you don't seem to be getting, is that what makes sdcc so good is the intensity and over saturation. When you spread it out, dilute it to last a week so to speak, the show ecomes less of a 'must see' and more of a 'if I'm in town' thing.

In addition one of the most asked question on the fb comic con board is 'how can I buy only a one day badge if I don't know which day my show is on. This would compound that problem. You may think cci could get all the TV shows to book into a 3 day window, but if the show knows there's a full week, they'll book the panel when they want not when cci wants it.

I'm not a big fan of arguing by analogy but think of a sm hip restaurant that moves to a bigger space and is closed within the year.


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