I've doing email -
Jun. 9th, 2004 06:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kyburgI've never believed that keeping your mouth shut and walking away was the best way to rectify a situation that peeved you. You want change, you have to ask for it.
So when I read the ticket policy for Anime-Expo, I dropped an email to the convention committtee.
The person who responded was the con chair, Jennifer Pon.
Me first:
I've read with some regret the ticket policies Anime-Expo has published for
its convention this year.
I've been attending Anime-Expo as a full member since 1996. It is with some
regret that I have inform you I will not be attending this year.
There simply isn't any point.
I live close enough to the convention that a hotel stay is just not
justifiable in todays economy. Without the hotel stay, it becomes
impossible to attend any of the events I would pay $45 a day to participate
in - and with the amount of time I can spend on the convention floor, I
can't wait in line for second chance tickets. I work for a living, and yes,
I work Friday. All day.
I do not need to visit the dealer's room - anything I can find there, I can
find in many marketing channels outside the convention whenever I want. That
includes vendors selling items not related to media. I have two large
Japanese markets within walking distance of my home and Little Tokyo within
driving distance.
I do not need to pay $45 or spend three days for this.
New things? At the costs advertised, I can afford to be patient.
Meet up with friends? Plenty of coffee shops and hotel lobbies for that.
I'm pleased to see the addition of Matsuri to the convention experience -
but I'll be here for Nisei Week in August.
Panels and other gaming? Internet.
You've done nothing but discourage your local community from attending with
the "tickets for hotel rooms" policy.
It's a shame when it makes more sense to stay home. But this year, it does.
Jennifer's response:
Thank you for your email. We are sorry to hear of your decision in regards
to attending this year's convention. Perhaps there's been some
misunderstanding.
First, the $45 fee is for all 4 days of the convention. We do not charge
$45/day. Second, the availability of the vouchers should not adversely
affect your ability to find seating. The main events seating has been
expanded since last year. The voucher system is just an added convience for
those visiting from out of town. The bulk of the seating is still
distributed based upon our event seating lines.
We hope that this helps to clarify any issues. We understand that each
person attends our convention for different reasons. We have tried hard to
provide something for everyone from interactive workshops and informative
panels, to dances, giveaways, guests, and contests. We hope that you will
consider us again in the future.
Best Regards,
Jennifer Pon
Chairperson, Anime Expo 2004
Me again:
I'm sorry - I did note that it wasn't $45 a day, but that figure was for the
four days.
But I would disagree that the voucher system is a convenience for the
visitors from out of town, particularly if they can't afford a hotel in the
con block. You're in Anaheim - you can priceline a room for $25 a night -
I've done it.
I've been the chair of more than one convention, and I understand how the
hotel wants things to be paid for and negotiated. The voucher system does
not provide a convenience to the visitors - it provides more of an incentive
to the attendees to fill up the block of rooms the convention needs to meet
obligations with the facility.
It is a convenience to the convention.
If you really want to make this a convenience to the attendees - issue the
vouchers concurrently with a full membership at the time of enrollment. You
pay early, you get a better seat. Not wait in line for whatever there is.
It's too late for this year - the policies are what they are. I hope to see
some changes for next year.
Jennifer's response, received today:
Your feedback is very informative. Yes, there are many balances that need to
be maintained in running a convention. The function rooms are offset by the
hotel room nights. Frankly, we're not of a convention size large enough to
afford paying straight out for the function rooms. As I had said before, the
voucher system is a convenience for those who stay in our room blocks. The
hotels are also very close to the convention site, which is a convenience to
those attendees staying there. Those who stay in our room blocks are also
helping the convention. Why not give them something in return? The seating
in Main Events was expanded to accommodate the voucher system. Based upon
past history, more than half of the vouchers are not redeemed. Of course
those seats go back into the pool of available seats for everyone. Do you
know of a way to get hotel function rooms without having to fill room blocks
or paying straight out? Or deal with attrition clauses? We can't afford to
move completely into the ACC. That would cost even more than the hotel
function space.
What we give to those that pre-register are membership discounts and faster
processing at the convention. Last year pre-registered attendees were sent a
special invitation to a private party at the House of Blues.
The Summer Festival is open to anyone in the area. And we're working with
local groups to help them raise funds for their organizations. We think that
this would be a benefit to local attendees as well as the local community.
If you have any further suggestions, please let me know. I appreciate the
imput.
Thanks,
Jennifer
I'm going to post this with a request that everyone note something very important about this exchange - nobody is talking trash, and nobody had better start on my behalf. Got it?
I have to drop Jennifer a note back - I'm just rocked back on my heels a bit by the statement that Anime-Expo is not large enough to pay for its facilities by memberships alone. How big was it last year? *looks at site* 17,000 last year. That's seventeen followed by three zeros.
And they can't fund the convention on attendence like that.
There is something really wrong with this. And I think it has much to do with the fact that if you want to attend this convention, get seating to all the events you'd pay to see, you have to buy up their hotel space as well. One person has to spend another $125 a day to attend this convention, in addition to the convention membership, to accomplish this. (You want to share a room, okay - you go ahead. My room is $125 a night.)
Telling people it only costs $45 for the weekend is less than the truth then, isn't it?
I think their approach to providing a complete experience is unique - last year, they did a lot with roving crafts - origami, candy-pulling, calligraphy - which were gratis to whoever was there.
With the predictable manymanymany-to-one ratios.
If you haven't been to the Anaheim Convention Center since the upgrade, you don't know how really good that facility has become. It can handle that many people, remain cozy and tidy and pleasant.
It's also expensive as giddy hell.
I want to sit and bend Jennifer's ear a bit more - it's money money money here, and while I understand that, I also want to remind her of what she's asking people to pay for. Without really being fair about it.
Your input is requested.
Remember. Be nice or I bop you.
So when I read the ticket policy for Anime-Expo, I dropped an email to the convention committtee.
The person who responded was the con chair, Jennifer Pon.
Me first:
I've read with some regret the ticket policies Anime-Expo has published for
its convention this year.
I've been attending Anime-Expo as a full member since 1996. It is with some
regret that I have inform you I will not be attending this year.
There simply isn't any point.
I live close enough to the convention that a hotel stay is just not
justifiable in todays economy. Without the hotel stay, it becomes
impossible to attend any of the events I would pay $45 a day to participate
in - and with the amount of time I can spend on the convention floor, I
can't wait in line for second chance tickets. I work for a living, and yes,
I work Friday. All day.
I do not need to visit the dealer's room - anything I can find there, I can
find in many marketing channels outside the convention whenever I want. That
includes vendors selling items not related to media. I have two large
Japanese markets within walking distance of my home and Little Tokyo within
driving distance.
I do not need to pay $45 or spend three days for this.
New things? At the costs advertised, I can afford to be patient.
Meet up with friends? Plenty of coffee shops and hotel lobbies for that.
I'm pleased to see the addition of Matsuri to the convention experience -
but I'll be here for Nisei Week in August.
Panels and other gaming? Internet.
You've done nothing but discourage your local community from attending with
the "tickets for hotel rooms" policy.
It's a shame when it makes more sense to stay home. But this year, it does.
Jennifer's response:
Thank you for your email. We are sorry to hear of your decision in regards
to attending this year's convention. Perhaps there's been some
misunderstanding.
First, the $45 fee is for all 4 days of the convention. We do not charge
$45/day. Second, the availability of the vouchers should not adversely
affect your ability to find seating. The main events seating has been
expanded since last year. The voucher system is just an added convience for
those visiting from out of town. The bulk of the seating is still
distributed based upon our event seating lines.
We hope that this helps to clarify any issues. We understand that each
person attends our convention for different reasons. We have tried hard to
provide something for everyone from interactive workshops and informative
panels, to dances, giveaways, guests, and contests. We hope that you will
consider us again in the future.
Best Regards,
Jennifer Pon
Chairperson, Anime Expo 2004
Me again:
I'm sorry - I did note that it wasn't $45 a day, but that figure was for the
four days.
But I would disagree that the voucher system is a convenience for the
visitors from out of town, particularly if they can't afford a hotel in the
con block. You're in Anaheim - you can priceline a room for $25 a night -
I've done it.
I've been the chair of more than one convention, and I understand how the
hotel wants things to be paid for and negotiated. The voucher system does
not provide a convenience to the visitors - it provides more of an incentive
to the attendees to fill up the block of rooms the convention needs to meet
obligations with the facility.
It is a convenience to the convention.
If you really want to make this a convenience to the attendees - issue the
vouchers concurrently with a full membership at the time of enrollment. You
pay early, you get a better seat. Not wait in line for whatever there is.
It's too late for this year - the policies are what they are. I hope to see
some changes for next year.
Jennifer's response, received today:
Your feedback is very informative. Yes, there are many balances that need to
be maintained in running a convention. The function rooms are offset by the
hotel room nights. Frankly, we're not of a convention size large enough to
afford paying straight out for the function rooms. As I had said before, the
voucher system is a convenience for those who stay in our room blocks. The
hotels are also very close to the convention site, which is a convenience to
those attendees staying there. Those who stay in our room blocks are also
helping the convention. Why not give them something in return? The seating
in Main Events was expanded to accommodate the voucher system. Based upon
past history, more than half of the vouchers are not redeemed. Of course
those seats go back into the pool of available seats for everyone. Do you
know of a way to get hotel function rooms without having to fill room blocks
or paying straight out? Or deal with attrition clauses? We can't afford to
move completely into the ACC. That would cost even more than the hotel
function space.
What we give to those that pre-register are membership discounts and faster
processing at the convention. Last year pre-registered attendees were sent a
special invitation to a private party at the House of Blues.
The Summer Festival is open to anyone in the area. And we're working with
local groups to help them raise funds for their organizations. We think that
this would be a benefit to local attendees as well as the local community.
If you have any further suggestions, please let me know. I appreciate the
imput.
Thanks,
Jennifer
I'm going to post this with a request that everyone note something very important about this exchange - nobody is talking trash, and nobody had better start on my behalf. Got it?
I have to drop Jennifer a note back - I'm just rocked back on my heels a bit by the statement that Anime-Expo is not large enough to pay for its facilities by memberships alone. How big was it last year? *looks at site* 17,000 last year. That's seventeen followed by three zeros.
And they can't fund the convention on attendence like that.
There is something really wrong with this. And I think it has much to do with the fact that if you want to attend this convention, get seating to all the events you'd pay to see, you have to buy up their hotel space as well. One person has to spend another $125 a day to attend this convention, in addition to the convention membership, to accomplish this. (You want to share a room, okay - you go ahead. My room is $125 a night.)
Telling people it only costs $45 for the weekend is less than the truth then, isn't it?
I think their approach to providing a complete experience is unique - last year, they did a lot with roving crafts - origami, candy-pulling, calligraphy - which were gratis to whoever was there.
With the predictable manymanymany-to-one ratios.
If you haven't been to the Anaheim Convention Center since the upgrade, you don't know how really good that facility has become. It can handle that many people, remain cozy and tidy and pleasant.
It's also expensive as giddy hell.
I want to sit and bend Jennifer's ear a bit more - it's money money money here, and while I understand that, I also want to remind her of what she's asking people to pay for. Without really being fair about it.
Your input is requested.
Remember. Be nice or I bop you.
