Sports Conventions - Dealers - Questions

[Iwantmorecards77]

Hello all,

I am relatively new here and to the vintage hobby (just won a few B-L lots!). If this is in the wrong forum, I apologize, and please feel free to move it.

Currently, I am employed at a local sports facility as a youth hockey director, coach, instructor, and I also run a summer rec. camp. In addition, I plan other events such as open houses, the annual Halloween Bash, ect. We've done work with the New York Rangers, as well as the New York Islanders. They keep me busy all year long!

As part of the management team, we are looking to expand the use of one of our rinks/floors in the warm-weather months. We are a 2-rink facility, and we melt down one rink at the end of March for roller hockey, rec. camps, a motorcycle show, food show, and open house.

We also used to house a computer show and we also hold mixed-martial arts events. We have also consdered a local concert series.

One thing that we may be interested in would be a Sports Card, Memorabilia, and (maybe)Comic Convention. The floor is the size of an NHL rink (roughly 200' by 85'). We could probably fit 160-175 tables (8' each). We're trying to find a weekend where we have both a Saturday and Sunday available for such an event.

We are in a pretty decent location (kind of a northeast crossroads, if you will). We're just off I-84 in Newburgh, NY. New Jersey, Connecticuit, and Pennsylvania are pretty much right around the corner as well. There are shopping malls, department stores, and many restaurants nearby. Our facility also has a cencession stand, restaurant, and pro-shop (and ATM on-site).

I do have a small list of dealers in New York, but I don't want to limit it just to New York. My main question is, would be how to contact a large number of dealers that might be interested in such an event? I know large convnetions are popular, but smaller shows (like they used to have in the malls) have gone by the wayside (a lot, I'm sure, has to do with the internet).

I should have a date within the next week or so. We have begun getting quotes for table rentals, ect. Of course, we need to find dealers of sports cards, memorabilia, comics, toys/collectibles. We're pretty much in the "feeler" stage, and I thought that many of you have plenty of experience in this area. Lots of work would need to be done in a short period of time: finding dealers, getting tables, security, advertising, pricing, ect.

Would dealers be interested in such an event? Would people be interested in attending? Should it be a one-day thing or two days? These are some of the questions we need to answer before we move forward.

Any information (or thoughts) would help and would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Todd