Some National Thoughts

[mjkm90]

I'm a memorabilia guy and have a small group of cellecting buddies who attend the National most years. We have different income levels, life situations, and collecting budgets, but we would ALL attend and LOVE the National if it were held behind the dumpster at Ponderosa. I'm there for the people and the product. I am fortunate enough to have the means to attend a ball game, high end restaurant, or posh hotel when I wish, but the National is my destination for this trip. Sitting on a box in a booth or drinking cheap beer in a motel room and telling hobby stories is fine with me. Every penny I spend on hotel and food means less money to spend with dealers. I met a few card guys at the dinner, all were super nice, and seemed very into the experience not the location.

[Exhibitman]

Mike H: Understood. However, wouldn't it be nice if the experience was pleasant as a whole rather than tolerated for the cards, esp. since the costs are about the same? My point being that you don't have to do the premiere trade show in the convention center equivalent of a rec center basement. If you do that every other year, you risk losing your customer base. I know for a fact that quite a few collectors who are active on this board did not attend this year's show because they did not want to go to the IX again.

As far as cheap/readily acquired cards go, everyone collects what they like, and sure, they can probably buy on Ebay, but those who attended the show looking for common cards still wanted to come to a National. Which makes it all the more important to get those people an experience that isn't second rate. If the experience is seedy, unpleasant, unmemorable, etc., for the casual collector, they aren't going to come back, because they can do the same thing on Ebay.

Rich K: I don't think incremental changes in the admission and parking costs are going to deter any collectors from attendance or encourage anyone to come to the show solely on that basis.

Music is a horrible idea. In order to make it anything more than background noise it would have to be loud enough to be intelligible, which would make it too loud to converse over.

[Ejm1]

Originally Posted by mjkm90

I'm a memorabilia guy and have a small group of cellecting buddies who attend the National most years. We have different income levels, life situations, and collecting budgets, but we would ALL attend and LOVE the National if it were held behind the dumpster at Ponderosa. I'm there for the people and the product. I am fortunate enough to have the means to attend a ball game, high end restaurant, or posh hotel when I wish, but the National is my destination for this trip. Sitting on a box in a booth or drinking cheap beer in a motel room and telling hobby stories is fine with me. Every penny I spend on hotel and food means less money to spend with dealers. I met a few card guys at the dinner, all were super nice, and seemed very into the experience not the location.

Love this post!

[Ejm1]

Exhibitman:
Sorry for the harsh words, I just get tired of the Cleveland bashing. It seems that if it's not a costal city it must be a dump. Long live the small collector.


Instead of music perhaps a mini Jubotron type screen with old W.S. highlights or old newsreels about sports or just about anything with Mel Allens or Curt Gowdys voice.

[Mark]

One of the most appealing aspects of the Cleveland show is that you can drive there from many other cities in a day. A bit of a drive from Boston, but most other big cities are fairly close. Maybe Pittsburgh has a convention center near some good hotels and bars?

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by Mark

One of the most appealing aspects of the Cleveland show is that you can drive there from many other cities in a day. A bit of a drive from Boston, but most other big cities are fairly close. Maybe Pittsburgh has a convention center near some good hotels and bars?

That's true, if you live east of the Mississippi River and north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Those who live elsewhere (like me) have to fly, and I for one, can't afford to spend upwards of $500 before I even get in the convention's door.


Steve

[NonSportDaniel]

I collect almost exclusively non-sports cards, with an occasional boxing focus, so my thoughts might differ from most of you on this board. I do lurk here every day as I really appreciate all of your knowledge and enjoy the topics and banter.

It is impossible for me to be anywhere during the week so I can only attend a show like the National on Saturday and Sunday. I was at the show all day Saturday and all day Sunday and found it nearly impossible to see everything that was on display for sale. The thought of cutting back the hours on those days is one that I find abhorrent. Additionally many dealers didn't even show on Sunday so several cards that I decided that I wanted after I walked the show floor (which took the entire 10-6 on Saturday) I couldn't go back and purchase on Sunday. Also, there seems to be a skewed focus on dealer to dealer time and not enough on random buyer to dealer time, at least for someone like me who can only attend on weekends.

I'm fairly young and have one in private college and one in private high school so I don't/can't spend as freely as I suspect some who post here are able (at least not today; but today my kids are my main focus, not my collecting). My budget for the National might be $700, although I fully realize that I'll probably spend more like $1000 (and did, of course). $26 per day to walk in the door for two days is like a 5.2% loss of my spending money, assuming I spend the full $1000; no small percentage in my humble opinion. I have a hard time believing that my $1000 is considered to be so small chump change by the dealers that they are indifferent if I even show up, but I suppose that everyone is entitled to their opinion and anything is possible.

I'm a midwesterner so my vote would be to keep it in Chicago, for what my vote is worth.

I enjoyed meeting Leon as well as many other dealers and collectors and look forward to 2011 as I'm not sure that Baltimore is doable for me.

[Ladder7]

Damn, I missed it! When did Cleveland lose it's 'Peepee Capital of America' status anyway?

I been there once. We had to make a beer run as our Amtrak train (enroute Great Mistakes, Ill for bootcamp) had run out of Highlife... I believe the River that runs through the city had spontaneously burst into flames at some point prior. And I thought WE had dirty water!

With our rich, ancient baseball traditions, The Hub needs to play host to the National. Then, I can finally make one. Beware however, It's rumored that Beantown is populated by overproud, pompous massholes

[David W]

I live in Indiana, so Chicago and Cleveland are close.

I went to Chicago last year, and as a guy who drives in and spends one day and leaves, Cleveland is a much better alternative. I was in Chicago last year on a Thursday, Cleveland this year on Friday.

It's much easier to drive into the Cleveland IX than Rosemont. Chicago traffic at 9:00 A.M. is just not worth it. Chicago traffic at 6:00 is just not worth it. I still remember the drive back, a bad accident on 94 south had traffic completely stopped on Thursday, I managed to get off and take an alternate route that added 50 miles to the trip, but at least I didn't spent 3 hours not moving.

I took $700 to spend, I'm guessing that I'm within range of what the majority of people walking around had to spend. I spent most of it.

My guess is way more "average joe's" show up at a National, than guys looking to spend $10K. I saw a lot more "action" at tables with bargain boxes than high end PSA graded stuff. There were a lot of set collectors scrounging through commons boxes filling out sets.

There were a lot of friendly dealers, there were a lot of un friendly dealers. I spent all my money with friendly dealers who would chit chat for a while.

[Exhibitman]

Just want to clarify one issue: my comments re Cleveland are not based on snobbery, coastal resident superiority (last time I checked Chicago wasn't on either coast) or anything other than a sincere desire for the best National experience possible. Anyone who's gone to Rosemont and to IX has to agree that the Rosemont venue is better in every respect, for the same money.

[boysblue]

How about taking the National international? Head north to Toronto.

Failing that, Baltimore is a welcome change and I think it will be an enormously successful show. Need to include an east coast location into the rotation.

Cleveland? I-X Centre does lack a certain "charm", though it is handy to the airport and a wide range of hotel choices.