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Post by The Captain on Jan 20, 2015 7:13:25 GMT -5
Story HereShould I be worried? Based on the story I've linked to (since I have no previous experience with Wizard World shows), it looks like there will higher-profile guests at the show than they normally get, but the guests will be more "pop culture" than comic book. That will draw in people like those who attend the Steel City Con shows that are put on three times a year, although those events tend to have less current guests (they had a reunion of some of the cast of "A Christmas Story" this past December, and they will bring in Adam West or Billy Dee Williams or folks who starred in Syfy Network shows or former pro wrestlers). Bigger crowds is good for the show promoter, less so for people like me who just want to buy comic books. On that note, I'm concerned about what it will do to the dealer area. The number of dealers has been dwindling over the past few years, and with the "upgrade" in the show's profile, I'm hoping it doesn't price out the smaller dealers, leaving only a handful of the bigger guys with their overpriced midgrade books and ridiculously-priced high-grade books. Fewer choices means less enjoyment for me. Lastly, moving the show from its suburban location (which had free parking) to the large convention center downtown (where parking will run, at a minimum, for $10 per day), may keep me away this year. I enjoy taking Friday off from work and going to the show to get into the dealer stock first, but having to drive into downtown on a workday Friday is a pain, and I really don't want to sacrifice my entire day on Saturday to go down there just to have to deal with the crowds. I'm hoping I'm wrong, but I have a bad feeling about this.
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Golddragon71
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Post by Golddragon71 on Jan 20, 2015 13:49:35 GMT -5
The thing that kills it for me is that the Big Companies don't really have a presence there anymore I used to go to the Philly Con every year and the first things I'd see would be the DC and Marvel Areas. Now, It's like just a ton of autograph booths of people I 9 out of 10 times don't care about a few collectibles dealers and a few of the area's comic shops.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2015 15:53:46 GMT -5
My biggest gripe with Wizard World is their ticket prices-Wizard World Ohio in Columbus (formerly mid-Ohio Con is $60 to get in on Sat only, $55 for Sunday only (but you get a whopping $10 off if you buy in advance). Any autographs, pics, or celebrity guests are usually an extra fee, plus parking ($10 for the day at the Ohio convention center). By the time you get through the door, you have no money left to buy anything form the dealers...
By comparison, Origins, a major gaming convention in the same venue has similar admission fees that include a set number of tickets to events (games, panels, etc.) and you can buy extras for if you want to do additional events, but they offer a $15 one day walk around pass that just lets you into the dealer area and art show to browse, no events included. If Wizard World offered something like that to go to the dealer area I might go, but I can go to Gem City in Dayton and get a biggish comic oriented con for $10 a day, but they don't bring in big media guests with outrageous appearance fees they have to pay for via admission price.
I am not sure what Pitt's admission prices were, but pretty much all Wizard World cons I have seen are in the $50-60 a day range with a bit of a discount if you buy a 3day pass in advance.
-M
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jan 20, 2015 20:01:16 GMT -5
I find that Wizard World conventions are often too crowded and poorly managed, plus prices are sky high. But, worst of all, they're an unscrupulous corporation that is taking over conventions nationwide through unscrupulous practices that are driving out the independent convention promoters.
take Cleveland for example. For years, fans begged for someone to start a major convention in Cleveland. Wizard World specifically made the choice not to expand into Cleveland either. Then, last year, a small group organized a Cleveland Comicon that looked REALLY good. They booked the new convention center, had some great guests lined up, and were charging very low prices on the tickets as well. So Wizard World finally takes notice, offers to buy these guys, and when they refuse, Wizard World offers the convention center they'd already booked and promoted more money to give the space to them for the day instead. They agree, the Cleveland Comicon goes bust as a result and, the best part? Wizard World had absolutely no plans to do a convention that year. They paid more to have the Convention Center be empty for the weekend JUST so that the folks who opted not to sell to them would go belly up. Now that they're gone this year, Wizard World is coming to Cleveland with high ticket prices and a generic show that will lack any sense of a regional personality and lack meaningful working relationships with the local dealers, giving preference and attention instead to the bigger clients who will travel all over the country with them and do all or most of their shows.
Everyone loses.
So I absolutely do not support Wizard World.
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Post by The Captain on Jan 21, 2015 12:35:39 GMT -5
All the things you folks have written is very disappointing, and I am pretty sure that I will not be attending. $55-$60 to get into a show so that they can pay appearance fees for people I have no interest in getting autographs from, and for which I'd have to pay extra, is a deal-breaker, as is the fact that the smaller dealers will get squeezed out so big dealers from all around the country can come in and peddle their overpriced wares.
Looks like all the money that I would have saved up through the year to go to the show will instead be spent month-to-month with the local shops, who I would rather support more anyway. Maybe I'll start going to a Steel City Con or two per year as well, or make the drive out to Dayton, as I have in-laws just north of there and could crash with them for a couple of nights.
Screw this Wizard World crap.
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Post by badwolf on Jan 21, 2015 17:06:44 GMT -5
Yeah, I haven't gone to Wizard World for a few years now. The ticket prices are ridiculous.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jan 21, 2015 17:10:06 GMT -5
Maybe I'll start going to a Steel City Con or two per year as well, or make the drive out to Dayton, as I have in-laws just north of there and could crash with them for a couple of nights. Well, if Steel City coincides with Eide's big sale, then you've got a convention buddy all lined up for you  |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 22, 2015 11:38:11 GMT -5
My biggest gripe with Wizard World is their ticket prices-Wizard World Ohio in Columbus (formerly mid-Ohio Con is $60 to get in on Sat only, $55 for Sunday only (but you get a whopping $10 off if you buy in advance). Any autographs, pics, or celebrity guests are usually an extra fee, plus parking ($10 for the day at the Ohio convention center). By the time you get through the door, you have no money left to buy anything form the dealers... By comparison, Origins, a major gaming convention in the same venue has similar admission fees that include a set number of tickets to events (games, panels, etc.) and you can buy extras for if you want to do additional events, but they offer a $15 one day walk around pass that just lets you into the dealer area and art show to browse, no events included. If Wizard World offered something like that to go to the dealer area I might go, but I can go to Gem City in Dayton and get a biggish comic oriented con for $10 a day, but they don't bring in big media guests with outrageous appearance fees they have to pay for via admission price. I am not sure what Pitt's admission prices were, but pretty much all Wizard World cons I have seen are in the $50-60 a day range with a bit of a discount if you buy a 3day pass in advance. -M 60 bucks a day!? I went to the NY Comicon a few years ago and got a three day pass for that and that's a con nearly as big San Diego. No way would I go to anything else for that price. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jan 22, 2015 21:05:54 GMT -5
60 bucks a day!? I went to the NY Comicon a few years ago and got a three day pass for that and that's a con nearly as big San Diego. No way would I go to anything else for that price. The larger conventions are beginning to go for that much or more. It's not just Wizard World, though it's likely they helped to set the bar. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 22, 2015 22:03:10 GMT -5
60 bucks a day!? I went to the NY Comicon a few years ago and got a three day pass for that and that's a con nearly as big San Diego. No way would I go to anything else for that price. The larger conventions are beginning to go for that much or more. It's not just Wizard World, though it's likely they helped to set the bar. It was only 90 last year I think, but I didn't go. Heck I just looked it up, and if you make it through the gauntlet the list prices at San Diego are 50 a day so even that's cheaper if you can get one. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jan 22, 2015 22:34:29 GMT -5
The larger conventions are beginning to go for that much or more. It's not just Wizard World, though it's likely they helped to set the bar. It was only 90 last year I think, but I didn't go. Heck I just looked it up, and if you make it through the gauntlet the list prices at San Diego are 50 a day so even that's cheaper if you can get one. Wow. That's just plain ridiculous. You know, I know of a lot of folks who still choose to attend Wizard World conventions, but I've yet to hear of a single Wizard World defender -- not one person who's an outright fan of Wizard World over other convention circuits who feels what they do and what they charge is totally justified. So far as I've ever heard, people just put up with it. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Jan 22, 2015 22:45:39 GMT -5
It was only 90 last year I think, but I didn't go. Heck I just looked it up, and if you make it through the gauntlet the list prices at San Diego are 50 a day so even that's cheaper if you can get one. Wow. That's just plain ridiculous. You know, I know of a lot of folks who still choose to attend Wizard World conventions, but I've yet to hear of a single Wizard World defender -- not one person who's an outright fan of Wizard World over other convention circuits who feels what they do and what they charge is totally justified. So far as I've ever heard, people just put up with it. Yeah, I've never been to one so I have no first hand knowledge but I've never read anything good about them. I just can't see paying that much though, I get the price for cons like New York and San Diego; they're huge events with 100% A list guests and huge presences from not only the top publishers but also the top movie and television studios so you are getting a value for your dollar. But a regular local con, which these Wizard Worlds always sound like, don't have that pull so I just don't see where they are getting their prices. And personally, I don't see why a lot of people would attend at that price, at that price I'd need an A-list experience and with out that I'd rather just save my money. |
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Post by rustypa3 on Feb 2, 2015 1:58:46 GMT -5
I am very new here, but i was sitting here think why can't they just have 2 what is the big problem?Have the steel city con every 3rd month and have the wizard con in between.I have been going to the steel city con for the last 7yrs and it been really decent seeing actors and actresses in my time from the 70's and toys and comics and at decent prices.Never been to a wizard con always wanted to go but heard they are very very expensive, they have more to offer for me just by reading about them.One thing i like about wizard con is they have a lot of walking dead people and i am a walking dead junkie and that's my down fall. Did steel city con go bankrupt or something why did they do this? as far as the pricing I have 3 kids and would have to buy two 3 day passes and take 1 child each day i guess if your aloud to do that.Some one asked about pricing in Pittsburgh,pa 3 day pass is $75 on line or $85 at door,1-fri is $35 on line in $45 at door,sun 40 on line and 50 at the door and has 4.762% sales tax.is that good or bad?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2015 2:03:32 GMT -5
Wizardworld doesn't like competition of the expense of establishing new cons and their infrastructure. It is more profitable for them to kill 2 birds with one stone by buying out established cons with built in audience and infrastructure and eliminate competition in the region. That is why there won't be 2 in the area... Pitt is not the only show the bought out in recent months either.
-M
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Post by The Captain on Feb 2, 2015 10:24:21 GMT -5
I am very new here, but i was sitting here think why can't they just have 2 what is the big problem?Have the steel city con every 3rd month and have the wizard con in between.I have been going to the steel city con for the last 7yrs and it been really decent seeing actors and actresses in my time from the 70's and toys and comics and at decent prices.Never been to a wizard con always wanted to go but heard they are very very expensive, they have more to offer for me just by reading about them.One thing i like about wizard con is they have a lot of walking dead people and i am a walking dead junkie and that's my down fall. Did steel city con go bankrupt or something why did they do this? as far as the pricing I have 3 kids and would have to buy two 3 day passes and take 1 child each day i guess if your aloud to do that.Some one asked about pricing in Pittsburgh,pa 3 day pass is $75 on line or $85 at door,1-fri is $35 on line in $45 at door,sun 40 on line and 50 at the door and has 4.762% sales tax.is that good or bad? Steel City Con is surviving (for now) and will have its next show in early April. It was the Pittsburgh Comic Con, which had been in October, that was bought by Wizard World. |
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