thecardshow and how many days

[Mack]

Hi guys and gals. TheCardShow Calgary edition has been booked......date will be announced next week once the kick butt ad is done up. It will be a two day show Saturday and Sunday with a Friday set up for the vendors.

Now onto the fun/crazy part. Our hobby is so different then the other hobbies and I am really raking my brain on this....most pop culture, entertainment and collectibles shows that are the size of thecardshow are 1 day shows either Saturdays or Sundays. They usually get more attendance then most 2 day sports collectible shows based on sqft and amount of tables. I am trying to figure out if for Edmonton(November) to have an edition of thecardshow as a one day show to test out if a one day show is better for the collectors and vendors. Currently it is 50/50 from what I am hearing from the vendors and collectors that I have talked to. What you say?

 

[Maple Leaf Sports]

I vote for a 1-day show.

2-day shows are a huuuuuuuge waste of time.


Now get back to work, you slacker...

 

[langway05]

I as well voted on a one day Saturday Show.

With two day shows it's better for the out of town vendors as they may be able to recoup their overall outlay of expenses.

However, with a one day show, you're basically funneling the locals to show up on the one day. Less choices and better able to plan your weekend.

 

[JR]

1 day, maybe until 8 or 9ish...?

 

[boredinguelph]

From an outside source I think a one day show is the best way to go. Get more people interested both as customers and vendors not a huge time commitment in and out one day more reasonable prices as show rates will be cheaper. Hopefully making dealers want to make more deals and maybe attract some new vendors as well

 

[Orca Pod]

Personally, a one-day show is good enough for me. However, it's the day of the show that's the hard part to determine. Lots of people work Saturdays, so you're losing a significant number of admissions. Sundays, your vendors might not want to participate, as well as a large number of paid admissions due to family commitments, church, visiting mom and dad, etc. Ergo, the two-day show allows for leeway.

 

[FrankToronto]

We held a few 2-day shows and called them Toronto Card Show Double Headers and we had success.

But what we did differently was offer a different variety of vendors each day (with a few that did both days) and offered free admission on Sunday to those that came to the show on Saturday.

Vendors were worried that the show on Saturday would cannibalize Sunday. What happened was we had attracted people on Saturday who had never been to our show since we began in 2006 and then a lot of them came on Sunday as well. It worked because we didn't just duplicate the same effort on each day.

Now we've opted for expansion to other venues instead. In Toronto, we have our traditional show established in 2006 at Leaside Gardens and an extremely different show at the Amsterdam Brewery which people are loving because of the great vibe. It's definitely not your typical card show in an old banquet hall. We also expanded to Newmarket and often they are scheduled on a Saturday on the same weekend as a Toronto Card Show on a Sunday. It's a different variety each day which also lends itself to our original Double Headers.

 

[Mack]

Thanks for the reply's. Please keep them coming. Great ideas Frank and hopefully one day I will be in the GTA when one of your shows are on.

Interesting to see most of the posts have been about 1 day shows and have not heard from the 2 dayers. I really think November Edmonton will have a 1 day show....

 

[joshpackham]

My thought would be a 1 day event, probably Saturday, but if you can get the vendors to agree I would do a 9-9 day, this way you have people who work on Saturday they can still make it at some point during the day. I would think vendors don't mind tacking on a few extra hours but another day leads to other costs such as hotel rooms and what not for them as well. Just my thoughts.

 

[FrankToronto]

Hey Mack, my pleasure... make sure you let me know when you're in Toronto or Newmarket!

 

[OilersRule]

Keep me posted Marcel on the Edmonton show, as I will likely set up for that one.

Thanks for the reply's. Please keep them coming. Great ideas Frank and hopefully one day I will be in the GTA when one of your shows are on.

Interesting to see most of the posts have been about 1 day shows and have not heard from the 2 dayers. I really think November Edmonton will have a 1 day show....

 

[BravesFan4Life]

Honestly, treat it like a comic con, do a couple days, have signers both days if possible. Gotta give incentive to get people there both days, unless you can do a 12 hour day on a saturday you may have a huge chunk of people unable to attend. I recently went to a show locally and they were open for 5 hrs, its like why bother, be open for at least 8.

 

[Mack]

Honestly, treat it like a comic con, do a couple days, have signers both days if possible. Gotta give incentive to get people there both days, unless you can do a 12 hour day on a saturday you may have a huge chunk of people unable to attend. I recently went to a show locally and they were open for 5 hrs, its like why bother, be open for at least 8.

My other show is very much a comic con style, it is the Summit Show. This show is the smaller show. Too many big shows could burn out the market and anticipation for a show. Also could kill the autograph guest roster pretty quickly. Not all players want to do signings.

I personally love going to shows and bsing with my peers. Unless it is an absolutely horrible show I usually see a card or 10 that I would or do pick up.