Havok Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I'm sure the loss of money was due to a number of reasons that we can all only speculate at, myself included! I always thought the venue was too big for the event and it wasn't brilliantly advertised. It was on the net and advertised on flyers but I only stumbled across it because a friend handed me a flyer they got from another SM event. I suspect it might be advertised elsewhere but I don't recall seeing it. Running costs, venue hire, guest costs can all drain an event before it's even begun regardless of how many attendees turn up and how many autographs they buy. Hopefully SM will have a rethink about the event and come back stronger than ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffy2k Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) I think in these uncertain times SM have made the right decision, i know how disappointing it is but if they are making a loss it really isnt viable to allow this to continue at the moment. I have supported events since the beginning but i think a lot of us have had to think carefully about going to events and being more selective which ones at present. I myself used to go to all the signing events inc Manchester although its a long way from home for me (i drove in 2007 from cardiff to see James Marsters - Manchester -Herts = total driving time alone that day 11 hours!) even going for a day out if i didnt want to meet any guests and i attend other cons here and in the states, but i just cant afford to anymore unless for guests i really want to see and even then i have scaled down the autos i am collecting and maybe just go for a photoshoot with a guest - this is the problem. You can have a packed venue but people are not spending on autos and photos to cover the costs and these events are not cheap to put on, you have the guests to get over from the US, hotels, actor fees (which can be high) & venue to pay for before you even start and the exchange rate cant be helping either at the moment. As a fan i hope this is temporary as i love going to cons and signings to see the guests and my friends too but we all have to be careful at the moment and that includes organisers of these events as well. I have been to a few events recently but had to cut down my spending a lot just to attend now have the prospect of a summer of saving and paying credit cards so hopefully i have money to spend at the October conventions and i do hope to see Manchester back next year when hopefully we will all be in a better financial position. Nicky Edited May 12, 2009 by buffy2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 I completely agree and have just thought of an idea that may however be debatable among others. Basically, couldn't you increase the entrance fee meaning that once you enter (at the higher price) you get the chance to have one free autograph. It's hard to explain and would probably have to be with a certain guest to avoid confusion but the autograph wouldn't really be free either as it has already been paid for in entrance costs. If this happens, it means that each and every visitor of the convention will have paid for the entrance and an autograph which should hopefully allow the event to break even or gain profit. It's just an idea anyway, what does everyone else think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffy2k Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) Showmasters have offered this in the past for a specific guest at events i believe, sure they can confirm this? I dont think upping the entrance fee would be enough, to gain another say £2 entrance fee your losing £15 - £20 from an auto sale per person this would mean more of a loss and you still couldnt guarantee the extra auto and photo sales once inside still and this is whats makes a show viable. I have been to other events where guests are paid from the auto and photo sales so i cant see this working. An event i went to years ago a guest was paid (i believe) over £200k to appear, so the cost is expensive especially for big names to appear if they choose too and i am sure there are people unaware of just how much it costs to get guests over so i totally understand the need for photo/auto sales at events to make it successful, i just wish i had more at the moment to spend! nicky Edited May 12, 2009 by buffy2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) However for the amount they need to cover the events i dont think upping the entrance fee would be enough, to gain another say £2 entrance fee your losing £15 - £20 from an auto sale this would mean more of a loss and you still couldnt guarantee the extra auto and photo sales once inside still and this is whats makes a show viable. I have been to other events where guests are paid from the auto and photo sales so i cant see this working. nicky Hiya Nicky, I didn't mean to up it by £2, I meant that the full autograph price would be added to the entrance fee. This would therefore mean that every visitor would be paying for an autograph, entrance fee and anything else they wanted to get like photoshoots or more autographs. Some people might not even go to see the specific guest that is paid for as part of the entrance costs but it's just an idea that has a possibility of working. I'll leave it to the experts to decide. :) Edited May 12, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurkFox Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hiya Nicky, I didn't mean to up it by �2, I meant that the full autograph price would be added to the entrance fee. This would therefore mean that every visitor would be paying for an autograph, entrance fee and anything else they wanted to get like photoshoots or more autographs. Some people might not even go to see the specific guest that is paid for as part of the entrance costs but it's just an idea that has a possibility of working. I'll leave it to the experts to decide. :) It sounds like a good idea in theory, but I'm not sure it work. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you're suggesting that the entrance price is higher by X amount (X being the cost of an autograph with a specific guest). I'd be rather annoyed if I had to pay £15 extra to get in if I didn't want the "free" autograph with that specific person! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) It sounds like a good idea in theory, but I'm not sure it work. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you're suggesting that the entrance price is higher by X amount (X being the cost of an autograph with a specific guest). I'd be rather annoyed if I had to pay £15 extra to get in if I didn't want the "free" autograph with that specific person! Hiya Turk Fox, yeah that's what I meant :) Hmm, I suppose it's true that it might annoy some people but I did recently go to a convention that charged £25 entrance and that didn't cover any costs for autographs or anything else. It was simply to get in and listen to all of the talks. With this idea, you would get the oppurtunity of an autograph at the price too and it may well work out cheaper depending on which guest's autograph is included as part of the entrance fee. Edited May 12, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psychosis Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 If I had to pay £25 entry and it gave me an autograph with somebody I didn't want, I wouldn't attend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffy2k Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) I think this would put a lot of people off going to be honest paying this much to get in just to a signing event and at the moment when things are tight anyway, i know i wouldnt pay this to get in and for an auto with someone i probably wouldnt want to see. I have been going to these for years and never took up the other offers like this as i only go to see really buffy/angel guests anyway with a few other exceptions and they wouldnt likely be on the list. I prefer proper conventions anyway for that. I would only go to signing events at the moment with the exact amount for autos and buy any photoshoots i want on line in advance to save money. Nicky Edited May 13, 2009 by buffy2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACKKNIGHTS Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 How about a photoshoot with your guest of choice and all the guest do a photoshoot entry £10 plus Photoshoot = £25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Sindel Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 How about a photoshoot with your guest of choice and all the guest do a photoshoot entry £10 plus Photoshoot = £25 Wouldn't work out timewise. With 30 guests per show (and all guests would have to do shoots both days) that wouldn't be possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) Hmm, I did think this would be debatable. Perhaps you could pay for your first autograph (as of choice) as part of the entrance fee. It means there would be different entrance costs for the people wanting to meet different guests but it would result in everyone in attendance paying for at least one autograph. Do you think that would put anyone off coming? Edited May 13, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffy2k Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) Have you seen some of the q's at something like LFCC which are long anyway to get in. With potentially 4 entry fees going on - ticket only, +£10, £15 or £20, the whole thing would be chaos and there would still be those people who cant decide when they get to the window even though they have just queued for 1/2 hour to get in anyway or who have to ask how much a certain persons auto was costing then having a "think about it" for ages - dont know about you guys but that would drive me mad. I am still unsure how this would bring in extra revenue. If your intending on buying 2 autos and you pay for 1 with your entry ticket and then you still purchase the other 1 when you get inside whats the difference to what you would have bought anyway, i dont really understand this one. Edited May 13, 2009 by buffy2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) Have you seen some of the q's at something like LFCC which are long anyway to get in. With potentially 4 entry fees going on - ticket only, +£10, £15 or £20, the whole thing would be chaos and there would still be those people who cant decide when they get to the window even though they have just queued for 1/2 hour to get in anyway or who have to ask how much a certain persons auto was costing then having a "think about it" for ages - dont know about you guys but that would drive me mad. I am still unsure how this would bring in extra revenue. If your intending on buying 2 autos and you pay for 1 with your entry ticket and then you still purchase the other 1 when you get inside whats the difference to what you would have bought anyway, i dont really understand this one. True, I've never been to any of the Collectormanias apart from the last Manchester one and there wasn't a massive que then. Basically, what I was trying to get at was that this would mean everyone attending would pay for autographs. The reason why I suggested this was for the fact that it's been noted previously that one of the problems was people attending and only spending money at the stalls instead of on autographs or photoshoots. Edited May 13, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmasters Admin showmasters Posted May 14, 2009 Author Showmasters Admin Share Posted May 14, 2009 One of my friends is a conference centre bookings manager at the lowry conference suites and also a massive Trek fan so I'm sure he could sort something out if an event was to go ahead in the future The conference suites at this hotel only holds 350 people and thats smaller that our Q & A space sorry i am looking for a new venue but it needs to be around 2000 to 3000 sm in one place or in sevral rooms we will be back up there soon jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 we will be back up there soon jason Excellent and good luck with the hunt for a venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) we will be back up there soon jason Yay, that's great news. Thanks Showmasters and good luck Edited May 14, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblackrose Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 we will be back up there soon jason That's excellent to hear. Good luck with finding somewhere Jason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexiDSC Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Have you maybe considered the academies? You've got academy 2 & 3 (plus club academy) in one building. then, if ya needed it, there's academy 1. Just because the gig scene tends to die down a bit through summer due to the open air festivals. Just a suggestion like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 (edited) Hmm the Lancashire County Cricket Club can hold 1,500 in it's theatre and an improvement, the Bridgewater Hall can hold 1,800 in it's auditorium. All together, the University of Manchester is even better too with way over 2,000 capacity in total. I'm not sure of the prices for any of these when you book them but I hope it's a help anyway. Edited May 27, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) Again, this may not be the most favoured of ideas but I've just thought of something that I thought I'd share with you. If photoshoot tickets and autographs aren't selling enough, isn't there a possible way of doing a special offer which means that if you paid for an autograph then you would get like £1 off a photoshoot ticket. This may or may not work but the idea is that it may attract more people to get both an autograph or photoshoot rather than just one or the other. It's just an idea, what do you all think? Would you be persuaded to get both if there was a reduction in price? Edited May 28, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyT Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Again, this may not be the most favoured of ideas but I've just thought of something that I thought I'd share with you. If photoshoot tickets and autographs aren't selling enough, isn't there a possible way of doing a special offer which means that if you paid for an autograph then you would get like £1 off a photoshoot ticket. This may or may not work but the idea is that it may attract more people to get both an autograph or photoshoot rather than just one or the other. It's just an idea, what do you all think? Would you be persuaded to get both if there was a reduction in price? To be honest, is a £1 reduction on a £15 item going to make much difference? Six or seven percent discount isn't going to be much of an incentive, I wouldn't have thought. And then, for all the aggro of making tickets to prove people bought an autograph, and then collecting them in and having added complications reconciling cashing up, not to mention no doubt having scores or hundreds of them dropped on the floor by people who don't want them (and complaints from people who do want them but find that maybe the photoshoot they want has sold out)... it'd be easier just to knock a quid off the price of all of them. And you also have the point that at the moment, everything at a show is priced to end in either a fiver or a zero, meaning that hopefully transactions will be predominantly (bank)note-based, and hopefully most of your takings will be in notes. Start pricing things to end in fours and nines and you then have to have a load of pound coins available in your float for change, and you're more likely to end up with several kilos of change at the end, which is painful to deal with on several levels. I'm not trying to urinate on your conflagration, just trying to point out that it does have some drawbacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) I'm not trying to urinate on your conflagration, just trying to point out that it does have some drawbacks. I understand, it was just an idea, and when you put it like that, I do understand that it would get overly complicated. Oh well, I'll keep thinking of other ideas and other things that could take place. Edited May 28, 2009 by Doctor Who Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 (edited) I understand, it was just an idea, and when you put it like that, I do understand that it would get overly complicated. Oh well, I'll keep thinking of other ideas and other things that could take place. All that can be done is hope that when the show returns at a smaller venue in Manchester(which there are plenty)is that whoever job it is to create the line up gets the guests right. Because if loads are turning up but no ones buying autos then they are getting it wrong.Im sure its difficult to gather a line up and i dont know how anyone can figure who will work in an industry where so called "hot" tv shows are losing viewers after one or two seasons but without good guests you might as well not bother.Itll be a waste of hard effort and time coming back. Edited May 28, 2009 by Phantom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Who Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 All that can be done is hope that when the show returns at a smaller venue in Manchester(which there are plenty)is that whoever job it is to create the line up gets the guests right. Because if loads are turning up but no ones buying autos then they are getting it wrong.Im sure its difficult to gather a line up and i dont know how anyone can figure who will work in an industry where so called "hot" tv shows are losing viewers after one or two seasons but without good guests you might as well not bother.Itll be a waste of hard effort and time coming back. Yeah, I suppose all we can do now is wait and keep our fingers crossed that it will come back and ultimately, be a success. Manchester does lack a lot of conventions compared to many other places and there is only a few every so often. Hopefully Collectormania Manchester will be back and better than ever sometime in the hopefully non-distant future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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