Cleveland's IX Center to Close - Home to the National

Steve_NY · #1 09-17-2020, 08:15 PM

Cool. But I do feel that many of us who have been doing shows for decades should have some deserved "priority" for setting up at the National. I guess you can call it "entitled".

I have done all but 4 of the Nationals; I have promoted over 300 baseball card shows; and I have set up at well over 1,000 shows over the last 46 years. Believe it or not, there were some months in the 70s and 80s and 90s where I worked every day of the week and also every day on the weekends for months in a row. I was also out every night buying collections.

Yeah, I have done a lot but have enjoyed every minute of it. I believe that we all should be positive about our hobby experiences. I even continue to buy collections and have bought three large collections over the past 2 months.

Life is good. So everyone stay safe!!

BRoberts · #2 09-17-2020, 08:21 PM

I think the greater Dallas area would be a wonderful location for, if not a National, an exceptionally large regional show. That area has so much going for it.

perezfan · #3 09-17-2020, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRoberts

I think the greater Dallas area would be a wonderful location for, if not a National, an exceptionally large regional show. That area has so much going for it.

I'd be up for it. Lots of direct flights, centrally located, and a very accessible hub. Why not Dallas?

Rich Klein · #4 09-18-2020, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRoberts

I think the greater Dallas area would be a wonderful location for, if not a National, an exceptionally large regional show. That area has so much going for it.

To be fair in the DFW area; Kyle Robertson already runs a nice fairly large regional show at a really spiffy fairly new location. Not just because I can walk to show from my COMC office and/or it's 10 minutes from my house the area is great for a larger regional show. Just off a major highway; tons of places to eat nearby, hotels available. We already have the large regional show here in DFW.

Yes I would love the NSCC to be able to use the Dallas Convention Center. But trust me, most of us living here would prefer not to be here during a NSCC and to go somewhere 10-15 degree colder as a high temperature.

Rich

ocjack · #5 09-18-2020, 11:47 AM

It's not an easy solution.

Yes, dealers that have been loyal to the show should have some priority. But, when that priority is coupled with corporate booths, it means that a good 2/3 of the show floor is gone, leaving local or newer dealers with the back of the room. I remember doing the last Anaheim show. You walk in and see the same dealers you always see (think Mr. Mint and his minions) and then the corporate booths. Those of us in the back of the room knew it would be a good half-hour to 45 minutes for us to see any traffic once the doors opened.

Maybe the way to reward loyal dealers is that they get first dibs on tables - not location - just tables. There are only X number of tables at a show, so having priority to get one could be a reward. But once that's done, table assignment should be totally random. And I know corporate booths bring in money for the promoters, but come on - some kind of limit on their space or maybe in an adjacent room would serve dealers better.

And let's not forget, the "trailblazers" started on the West Coast.

Just my 2cents.

Yoda · #6 09-18-2020, 12:22 PM

I recall the Atlanta National back in the mid 1990's as being exciting and packed. Perhaps my perception was clouded by serious discussions I had with Kevin Struss, who was with SCP at the time, for a PSA graded vg/ex T206 Honus. The card had been consigned by Bill Mastro and was a recent discovery.

But I always thought Atlanta was a great demographic choice for the National; the East Crowd could easily and economically fly in, the South would obviously be served, plenty of good hotels and restaurants and then Georgia with a rich baseball history.

To this day, I don't know what went wrong and Atlanta was dropped from the National's rota. Living in Florida, as I do, it would make my logistics easier to attend if reconsidered.

Jewish-collector · #7 09-18-2020, 01:34 PM

That's too bad the National will no longer be in Cleveland. It was always easy to drive & park at the IX Center. It now looks like the National will end up being in Chicago every single year.

There are many locations/venues that can't host the National for one reason or another:

Some venues are too small
Some cities don't have enough hotel rooms
Some venues are not convenient to airports
Some venues have union legal stuff that makes it not possible
Some venues charge too much for having events in their building
Some cities are not good baseball towns so they're voted no
Some venues don't want it scheduled too far in the future, so voted no.

I'm sure there are more reasons, but these are the major ones.

Rich Klein · #8 09-18-2020, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoda

I recall the Atlanta National back in the mid 1990's as being exciting and packed. Perhaps my perception was clouded by serious discussions I had with Kevin Struss, who was with SCP at the time, for a PSA graded vg/ex T206 Honus. The card had been consigned by Bill Mastro and was a recent discovery.

But I always thought Atlanta was a great demographic choice for the National; the East Crowd could easily and economically fly in, the South would obviously be served, plenty of good hotels and restaurants and then Georgia with a rich baseball history.

To this day, I don't know what went wrong and Atlanta was dropped from the National's rota. Living in Florida, as I do, it would make my logistics easier to attend if reconsidered.

John:

To be honest and I was with Beckett at both times (92 and 99) and frankly Atlanta was a disappointment both times. The 1999 National was frankly terrible and the 92 one was not good considering how hot the hobby was at the time. Atlanta is not an active hobby area.

Rich

mr2686 · #9 09-18-2020, 06:53 PM

It's not like we're asking a lot out here on the West Coast. How about one every 8 or 10 years? I mean, I know some of the dealers don't want to travel out here, but we have a lot of people here in the hobby willing to spend money.

Yoda · #10 09-18-2020, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

John:

To be honest and I was with Beckett at both times (92 and 99) and frankly Atlanta was a disappointment both times. The 1999 National was frankly terrible and the 92 one was not good considering how hot the hobby was at the time. Atlanta is not an active hobby area.

Rich

Rich, thanks. Now I know. Must have been the Honus.

CobbSpikedMe · #11 09-18-2020, 12:01 PM

Every time the National location comes up for debate there are always the same comments and complaints. You know, it's ok if you aren't able to go to the National for a year because it's on the west coast. You won't die or anything. And the west coast collectors deserve to have the National as much as the east coast collectors. If you can't go one year, then boohoo for you. Stop whining and just get over it. I can only go when it's in AC and I love it when I get there. Everyone else is always like, "AC is the worst...AC is a dump...I'll never go back to AC...etc." But I love it in AC because it's the only time I can get there. And I'm not bitching about not being able to go because it's in Chicago every damn year. I'm just happy when it's here. So stop complaining and go when you can and enjoy it.

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