I'd like to echo the comments that there are a lot of auction houses advertising and displaying upcoming auction lots (which is kind of neat -- I got to hold a Ruth gamer and take photos with it). One well-known ebay specialist, however, simply setup a bunch of la-z-boy recliners and took up a lot of space.
On the whole, the show very much feels like a card museum with a gift tables (where you can buy autographed items hot off the press). Pre-war definitely felt underrepresented.
I like Cleveland more than Chicago and Baltimore because the I-X Center is larger. (I-X has about 1 million sq. ft. compared to 840k sq. ft. in Chicago and 400k sq. ft. in Baltimore.) A side note, the food inside Cleveland is much better than either of the other two locations.
Had it not been for the case breakers (with whom I have no issues), the show's attendance would have been abysmal.
I look forward to weekends in cities where I can catch ballgames as well -- I made it to two exciting Rangers/Indians games on Friday and Sunday. Atlantic City won't have that...in fact, AC in 2016 may very well be one of the most depressing cities in the US. The local economy there continues to dive, and crime is only destined to get worse after the next few casinos close.
Overall, I really enjoyed the National. Hopefully, the case breakers will breath life into the future of the hobby and perhaps some of those chasing the lottery inserts will find enjoyment in pre-war in the future. (I understand that it's easier for young collectors to relate to modern players more so that historical figures.)
Have a nice day,
Steve
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