Author Topic: SDCC popularity.  (Read 14732 times)

Offline dkd

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #45 on: April 27, 2018, 07:32:30 AM »
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Exactly, attendance peaked years ago. It hasn't eclipsed, it's plateaud. It can't get any bigger because the venue can't get any bigger. The crowds are bigger as the number of looky-loos has gone up significantly. Go see how many sites tell you how to hack comic-con. That is why the promo off sites are "huge". CCI had a chance to have a massive event of 200,00-250,000 attendees, but now it's stuck. The city is happy because there are those paying over $500 a night for rooms. But more and more of this spending does not benefit CCI.

Count me as someone who does not want SDCC to have 200 thousand attendees.  It's big enough.

Offline jontargaryen

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Re: SDCC popularity
« Reply #46 on: April 27, 2018, 10:15:38 AM »
I think SDCC’s popularity amoung local SD residents without badges grows every year, especially with all the great off sites. Last year, Saturday was completely insane. So. Many. People.

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #47 on: Today at 02:29:13 AM »

Offline SamTurtledove

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #47 on: April 27, 2018, 10:40:50 AM »
Walking the Exhibit Hall on Saturday will make anyone hope for a day when SDCC becomes unpopular.

If Marvel pulled their booth offsite at SDCC, that would free up most of the unpopular congestion inside the Hall.  DC Comics, lately, created pop up signing booths at other shows, so maybe that'll be a possibility this year?

Offline jontargaryen

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #48 on: April 27, 2018, 10:56:54 AM »
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Walking the Exhibit Hall on Saturday will make anyone hope for a day when SDCC becomes unpopular.

If Marvel pulled their booth offsite at SDCC, that would free up most of the unpopular congestion inside the Hall.  DC Comics, lately, created pop up signing booths at other shows, so maybe that'll be a possibility this year?

It was so bad when the cast of Justice League did their signing at the DC booth. I was literally trapped for 10 minutes. It made no sense either because the DC booth was designed so that you couldn’t see any of the stars from the outside “lanes”. You could literally only see tops of heads! Didn’t stop it from being total pandemonium.

Offline perc2100

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Re: SDCC popularity
« Reply #49 on: April 27, 2018, 11:37:09 AM »
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I think SDCC’s popularity amoung local SD residents without badges grows every year, especially with all the great off sites. Last year, Saturday was completely insane. So. Many. People.
It wasn't long ago where there were a lot of homeless people & families having fun with offsite events.  The year of the giant Homer head/movie for the big anniversary, and some of the adult swim stuff that was by Petco (w/the Meatwad theater and the giant bounce house) I chatted it up quite a bit with some various homeless people who were having Comic-Con fun like the rest of us.  The local papers here obviously make a huge deal about Comic-Con throughout July, and I know a lot of people who would never pay money or be interested in Comic-Con but like to go downtown and people watch and do other stuff

Offline Transmute Jun

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #50 on: April 27, 2018, 12:05:43 PM »
I remember that year of the Homer Head. I saw a homeless family who were really excited by the free backpacks they had picked up, and the free food being given out.

Offline cabler30

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #51 on: April 27, 2018, 12:53:34 PM »
Yea, last i checkd out off sites for swag was 2016 really saw the batmobile from batman vs superman - replica or not it was cool to see and take pics of it and the statue they had close by, and it was busy and all but only went for a day cause didnt plan to go every day at time i was able to check it out. i tried do so last year but was out too early and guess they dont have the sites going til after con opens. but got alot pics and all so that was cool.

Offline hikanteki

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #52 on: April 27, 2018, 03:16:32 PM »
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Has SDCC started its descent in popularity/relevance?

Has it peaked? In my opinion, yes. (This is a different question than "will it stop being big and crazy anytime soon," to which I'd say no.) We're seeing this at other conventions across the country -- it's more measurable at other conventions because it's easy to see the changes in attendance account. At most other comic conventions, gains in attendance have dropped dramatically and in some cases we're even seeing conventions shrink. SDCC is harder to measure since it maxed out capacity years ago. But there are other signs that its popularity has started to wane.

The most noticeable sign is volunteering. A few years ago it was nearly as hard to get a volunteer spot as it was a badge--but then 2 years ago we saw it go back down to hours, and then days this year. Yes, there were possible reasons for this (i.e. people knowing they had badges before volunteer opened), but there are possible reasons every year, and some years that didn't even make a difference. This year it did.

I've also noticed a turning of the tide in other places -- on one of the bigger Facebook SDCC badgeholder groups that I'm a part of, a few years ago literally everyone said they'd always do whatever it takes to get to SDCC every year. Now I'm seeing a lot of ambivalence creep in, even from a bunch of the same people who swore they'd always go a few years ago...and they aren't being replaced by bright-eyed bushy-tailed newbies as quickly anymore.

But this isn't saying that it's suddenly going to be easy to get badges. Badges sell out right away and most people leave disappointed. Since they are currently so far over demand I don't expect that to change in the next few years, but I'd guess in ~5-7 years there might be a few badges left the next day. And, in 10-20 years where there's no longer any rush to get in, I still expect it to be as big (size-wise) as it is now.
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Offline Mel

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #53 on: April 27, 2018, 03:27:51 PM »
Well, I think a reason some people stop going is exactly because it's gotten so huge and it overwhelms them now. But I think there are absolutely tons of people ready to take their place.
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Offline cabler30

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #54 on: April 27, 2018, 04:09:34 PM »
I can see how some or many are reg badge holders who able to get a badge every by chance. overtime the con has changed do to who is able to attend by panels, booths or vendors and offsites. i guess some who have never gone find a way to get a badge the right way by badges  sales, volunteering, or other. some stop going for one reason or another at anytime of the year, and as some cons start to get created closer to SDCC con goers then those buyers give the closer con a chance and see how it goes to save time and money cause the con is closer and kinda the same with some adjustments. SDCC like a mansion has maxed out it space so depend on offsites to help control space by how traffic sees stuff outside to do or play and leave the center to check it out at anytime. besides places to eat for a break from all the craziness. if they ever loose the traffic they get now, then it because of something that happens that makes fans or con goers loose interest of the event. with marvel no panel then lines may not be as long this year, but those who expect marvel will just try fill gap with something else with a different panel or other stuff to check out. i never thought or knew the con would ever max out it space, but overtime it has found ways to attract traffic to become one of the con that everyone try go to every year. so if they loose badge holders overtime, then the city looses traffic and bank from all it gets every year.

Offline SamTurtledove

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #55 on: April 27, 2018, 04:16:23 PM »
I think popular culture being everywhere now makes SDCC stand out more than it did 5 years ago. 

Offline rabbitwarren

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #56 on: April 27, 2018, 04:37:20 PM »
I think also there are times when people need a break from whatever they are obsessing over and that includes comic con. Life gets in the way.

Right now, I can see myself going every year because I have more vacation days than I know what to do with. Had I been at a place where I only had 10 days, then there might be some off years, because there are other places I want to explore. I’m also single and have no kids so it’s only really me I have to consider when I decide where I want to go and how I want to spend my money.

Offline cabler30

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #57 on: April 28, 2018, 02:24:10 PM »
Same here kinda, i had only gone to con and been able to go in like 3 different times years ago. then stopped going for any reason. i only was able or try go 2016, and now try do what i can to go every year. just gotta have set goals what u wanna do, or u be lost cause so much going on around u that u be loose track of ur goals at time.

Offline SamTurtledove

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Re: SDCC popularity.
« Reply #58 on: April 28, 2018, 07:43:02 PM »


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I think also there are times when people need a break from whatever they are obsessing over and that includes comic con. Life gets in the way.


Other events can help fill the gap...



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just gotta have set goals what u wanna do, or u be lost cause so much going on around u that u be loose track of ur goals at time.

Trying TCM Film Fest this weekend. Had so much to choose from, but the goal was to have fun!
   

Offline rabbitwarren

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Re: SDCC popularity
« Reply #59 on: April 29, 2018, 02:20:50 PM »
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Other events can help fill the gap...



Yeah.  I frequently went to the US Open tennis tournament every Labor Day. The Labor Day weekend matches were the closest thing you’d get in sports to a con like environment with your choice of good matches, retail with exclusive merchandise, and interactive brand activations. But last year, we decided to go to the Mohegan sun casino that weekend for a concert and this year, we will probably skip.

As far as cons go, NYCC last year was probably the best in terms of content and shopping but I still am debating how many days I’ll go this year and which days.

And btw, it makes me feel really old that Who Framed Roger Rabbit is now lumped in the classic category
« Last Edit: April 29, 2018, 02:24:24 PM by rabbitwarren »