High autograph prices

[MikeDonovan]

Some people on here have had some very strong views about the £25 upper limit - I've been pretty vocal about the fact that for me there's no practical upper limit, it depends on the guest. Others have said that for them, £25 is the absolute upper limit whatever the guest.

 

So now that we've had a guest announced with an auto price of £75-£100, I'm interested to see how that's affected peoples views - particularly in view of the fact that he's a sports guest. I suspect Tyson will be a hugely popular guest, irrespective of the price.

 

So, in this context, would you pay £50 for Kurt Russell? Would you pay £150 for Harrison Ford?

[taniad]

There shouldn't be a limit.

 

If I can afford an autograph, great! If not - that's life. Why should other people have to miss out on something that might be a dream come true for them just because some are too childish to realise you can't always have everything you want? It may not be fair, but life rarely is and Showmasters is a bussiness, not a chairty. I'd rather there was a chance for some people to be happy than a chance for nobody at all.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Siren

[xlorix]

At the end of the day, if that's what it is going to have to cost to get certain guests.. That's what it costs!! If you don't want to pay it then don't, simple. £100 yes it is alot of ££ but £100 for say a signed Mike Tyson glove that you know for absolute certain is genuine and to meet the man?!? That really is an absolute bargain!!!!!

[XLcatloveress]

I agree with the sentiments of the 2 above posters - if I can't afford it, I won't get it, but I would never presume to suggest it shouldn't be offered in the first place. Who knows, others might be willing and able to pay that kind of money asked, and who am I to say no, you can't have anyone at the con who charges 100pds. just because I personally might not be willing and able?

 

Also, if there was the right guest coming, I'd sell my KIDS (j/k, j/k, don't send child services ) to get the money and have them sign something, no matter what the cost. Now, Mike Tyson? Not my cup of tea, but if the right movie guest was coming, hell yeah, I'd pay what they were asking! Just for the experience of having 'met' them.

[timelord81r]

Im not an auto collector, but anything over 50 for autos makes me think thats high even though I know big stars go for 100 quid plus even 200 plus and some of the crazy ones 500 plus when buying from collectors and such.

 

so in photo shoot terms which is what I am into, this was 50, at first I thought man thats high, but then i paid 40 for the klingons last month so in those terms is it so high?

but in terms of money yer anything over 20/25 is high for me for a photo, but Im still willing to pay higher if its someone or somthing big.

now would I pay 100 plus quid for a photo? proberly not, only someone massive like harrison ford, will smith, denzel, j lo, maybe but i think my limit right now for photos would be 60/70 and id be proper crying lol, under 25 is a reasonable amount.

[nicky]

The £75 price tag (and 4 hr limit) for Mike Tyson, who I would consider to be an A' list sports star, is an indiction of what we can expect for an A' list movie star I imagine...although Mike is no longer active.

 

Would I pay that much for Snake Plissken? I don't know...the chances of me doing that decrease if he's only signing for a few hrs. I'd rather pay that much for a talk that way at least we get to "chat" with him.

 

This thing with the bigger stars only signing for a few hrs (such as Patrick Stewart previously) is a real half-arsed attempt to please fans and a cop-out I find (unless of course they genuinely dont have more time).

[DavidB]

Personally I like that we're being given the option. On paper, it looks a lot, and sometimes it can be a bit surprising. However, if it's a choice between saving up a little bit or never getting the chance to meet some of these guests, then I'll happily take higher priced guests.

 

I'm not ALWAYS going to be interested in the higher priced guests, so it won't always be an issue, but if it's possible then why not?

 

I don't believe for a second that it's a case of Showmasters being 'greedy' and wanting to get more money, so I never agree with that argument if anyone ever throws it out. I highly doubt they make a huge amount of money on the biggest guests anyway because they cost so much to get there in the first place. It's just necessary.

 

And for anyone that says we can get these people at premieres or theatres etc - I'm far happier paying for a guaranteed photo/auto in a relaxing environment than spending hours I don't have just to possibly be disappointed and come away with nothing.

[Marky242]

If you think Tyson is expensive at LFCC try being a Star Wars fan going to C5 in Florida in August - the organisers are hinting at a $400 uber guest but not saying who just yet!!

 

Prices are what they are - we'd all like them to be less but you get what you can afford without getting yourself into financial difficulty (hopefully!!)

[Charisma]

I think its a crazy price i wouldnt pay it... You could go to a prem and meet Higher stars and get autos for nothing... Just seems a lot of money now..its more like oh i wana meet a person i need to skrimp and save thats like a weeks wages for me for someone to scribble on someting... ill never do it.

[DavidB]

I think its a crazy price i wouldnt pay it... You could go to a prem and meet Higher stars and get autos for nothing... Just seems a lot of money now..its more like oh i wana meet a person i need to skrimp and save thats like a weeks wages for me for someone to scribble on someting... ill never do it.

But you get some people who wait all day and get absolutely nothing from a premiere, so surely for the right person you'd be happier to guarantee that you'll meet them?

[bundyse]

for the right guest like mike tyson i would pay a high price for an autograph

but in the past i have not got an autograph from a guest because i think it was on the high side.

[dufresne]

If you build it, they will come.

 

When SM decide on a price, they have to strike a balance between recouping their costs and alienating us as customers. So it's guesswork and risk on their part. So if they are up for taking a financial and professional risk in making it 95% possible for me to meet huge f*ck off names, fair play to them ! Anyone who gives them grief because of their own inability to do the remaining 5% of the work (come up with the cash) is clearly an idiot.

 

"Damn you and your business / negotiating skills Jason ! Seventy five sods to meet someone I haven't a hope in hell of otherwise getting even in the same room as ??? Over my dead body - I'll be spending that cash on a couple of nights in the pub thank you very much, or DVDs, or non-urgent soft furnishings".

 

The type of guests we are alluding to here (Ford, Russell, Hamill , etc) and Tyson for that matter, you wouldn't even get the chance of "getting" with a five hour wait at a stage door or premiere. SM have been bringing such guests as standard for the last few years. I mean, it's all subjective, but Christopher Lloyd ffs !! As a guest, and a piece of work by Jason, he wipes the floor with Patrick Stewart and the like (in my opinion anyway !)

 

There are two main "arguments" put forward for an auto being too expensive.

 

1. I can't afford it

2. My principles tell me it's offensive for someone to want what I earn in a week as payment for writing their own name.

 

Well then ....

 

1. Do a car boot sale .... get a paper round ..... talk nicely to grandma ..... take the telly to cash converters. If you want to meet a guest, do 5% of the work ffs ! or,

2. Damn your principles. this is how it's going to be - like it or lump it, matey ! Just don't regret not meeting a guest when it's six months down the line.

 

It's not greed - how the hell is it greed ? Mike Tyson, Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell ...... take your personal pick of the A list .... they have all busted their gut for 20, 30, 40 years to get to the top of their field, and any one of us in their shoes would want to harvest as much as possible from the system. Of course you would !

 

Football's maybe not a good analogy this week especially, but hey ! John Terry etc get paid PER WEEK what most of us would need ten years to earn. I'm jealous as hell, but I applaud them for taking it. It's in proportion to what they allow their employers to earn as a result.

 

"Nice one Wayne - replica shirt sales are up 20% and ticket prices are up 15% but the punters haven't batted an eyelid. Have this cloth bag with a dollar sign on the front and take it to the local granny-specialising knocking-shop".

 

"No thanks boss, I'm only doing what you expect of me - minimum wage and a few bags of chees and onion will be fine, thanks."

 

Obviously not ! Frank Lampart and an Asda cleaner don't have the same market value.

 

The guests are making a committment and SM are doing tireless (often thankless) work. Sometimes we, the great unwashed, have to pull our weight or walk away. But don't shout over your shoulder, giving the others an ungracious hard time as you do .....

 

Here endeth the lesson.

[Kurgen1975]

I think its great that Showmasters have previously said that they will try to put a ceiling on the cost of guests autographs, but, i like to have a choice

 

If i have to pay more to get someone that i would never have a chance to meet otherwise, then give me that choice and ill make the decision based on my circumstances at the time, and if i can afford it, ill get it

 

Mike Tyson is a guest that i never imagined seeing at one of these events. The autograph price is too rich for me, but i may get a photoshoot, i just have to do some quick maths and get in there soon

 

For big guests, forget the ceiling, give us the option, and let people make their own decision on if its worth it

[showmasters]

its interesting that you all see it the same way , mostly ? and in a way i do to , i know i can gook bigger guests but the fees would have to be more and that means the cost of an auto would be more .

 

for this sports guest i feel that i could just try this once to see if it would work , its his first world public signing so its a rare chance to meet this guest , and its seems to be working with fans coming from all over the world to meet him .

 

the thing is if i talk this limit off and book some more A list guest i know there will be people on here going on about how 5 years ago you go your Dr who guests at £5 and you could get another 4 items for free , this is not sastanable and no one can book the bigger names at these prices anymore .

 

i do feel that Showmasters have been able to keep the prices down and in cheque for the last 8 years as if you look back the £10 are still £10 and the £15 are still £15 and so on , i know we talk alot with the agents and brokers to keep it this way , there the odd exsepshions to the rule and it just comes down to if we want them to attend then we have to come up to the bar .

 

the london events has gotten bigger each year and i also feel that the event should go for a few more bigger names and A listers , i know there are lots of you out there that do understand that it will take the cost of an auto going up to get the bigger guests , i think we are sensable and will alwase try to keep the costs of an auto down for all the fans , but i agree its time to push the limits and see who we can book .

 

i do not think i can get this in play for this event but we will start to go for it for Collectormana London in Nov

 

i hope you will help me when we do get some negative feed back about pricing and help us to explaine why bigger names charge more , and i also hope that everyone on here knows that we do only have you in mind and we are the ones that have fought for years to keep the price of the autos down and we will still work very hard to do just that .

 

thanks you for this chance to talk openly about this and lets see what the future holds

 

yours

 

jason

[XLcatloveress]

 

I would definitely prefer paying the higher price and having the more relaxed, guaranteed atmosphere of a con over standing at a premiere or stage door any day for a big guest! Now, I was lucky enough to get Patrick Stewart's signature at a stage door, mind you, with only about 25 other fans in attendance and willing to wait, but we stood there for 2.5 hours in New York city at around midnight, got rained on, didn't know if the wait would be even worth it and I was lucky to have planned ahead and taken the car (!) into NY city (!) traffic (!) in the afternoon (!) and parked it (!) off Broadway (!) a good some blocks of walking (!) away from the theater from which I had to walk back (!) after midnight (!) [and did I mention it was friggin' NY City? ] because I would have missed the last train/ bus out to where me and my family were staying that night. Over such a hassle? I'll take paying for his autograph seriously any day! Knowing I'll get it. Not having to queue in the rain. Etc. etc.

 

And with premieres - not everyone is lucky enough to be living in London where big stars might come to premiere red carpet affairs! The closest 'big city' to where I live is Munich - and *snorts* You won't see international stars on red carpets there. Berlin maybe, but .. that's a 10 hour travel for me (heck, I'm in London about as fast if I take the plane to either city!), and then, I wouldn't have the certainty to come away with anything as compared to here, where I know I'll be getting what I'm paying for! Again, would choose to pay over premiere visits any day, period.

 

I'm pretty sure everyone has high-end guests like that, whom they'd not mind shelling out the dough for - even if $500 dollars as was mentioned above would definitely keep me from getting the sig. That's just not within my price range, no matter who or how much I'd love to meet them. But again - there are others who'd pay the price, who am I to say 'you can't try and get guests who will charge more than a certain pre-set amount for a signature'?

 

Also, I find the prices still comparatively reasonable - I've been to American events and HOBOY! There's some killer fees right there, is all I'm sayin'!

Edited June 29, 2010 by silky_cat

[xlorix]

i know there are lots of you out there that do understand that it will take the cost of an auto going up to get the bigger guests , i think we are sensable and will alwase try to keep the costs of an auto down for all the fans , but i agree its time to push the limits and see who we can book .

 

 

[DJHicks]

Its of course up to any one if they wish to pay but I personally think the prices are a **** take.

 

They are taking advantage of the very people that put them in the position they are in or the status they hold, Especially when i think of the thousands i have spent over the years on merchandise, seeing films, shows, tributes etc.

 

Amuses me when these events are the "stars" only source of income now and still charging silly amounts when they no longer do anything or have done for over 20 years +

 

It comes down to individuals evaluation of how much they personally think that 2 mins of signing a piece of paper or something is really worth and if they can afford it.

 

If more people left the expensive stars to just sit around and go for the more affordable ones the prices would easily come down. They'd have no choice as many don't do anything else and are just capitalising on their own fans.

[nicky]

If you build it, they will come.

 

Here endeth the lesson.

 

Kevin Costner fan, eh?

Edited June 29, 2010 by nicky

[JacknDaniel]

Nice to hear that Jason. Obviously I and everyone else would love all auto prices to be as low as possible, but if keeping prices below £25 or £30 means we'll never see Mark Hamill or Kurt Russell etc, then i(and i'm sure most other fans of certain people) would be quite willing to pay. We'll just have to trust that you won't get someone and charge £80 just for the sake of it, which I doubt you would do as you seem to keep the prices quite low for the most part.

 

I personally think it'd be fantastic to see Mr T, Sigourney Weaver, Kurt Russell, Mark Hamill and big names like that who obviously must cost more to get as i'd imagine you've tried all of them. But if for example you got Mr T and his auto was £35 then yeah i'd pay it. I would be happy to get the opportunity to meet the man.

[DavidB]

If more people left the expensive stars to just sit around and go for the more affordable ones the prices would easily come down. They'd have no choice as many don't do anything else and are just capitalising on their own fans.

The problem is that they are kept down as much as possible. A lot of people don't seem to take into account the costs involved in bringing a high profile rare guest to these events (flights, hotels, appearance fee etc) and so if we want them, they need to be able to cover these costs.

 

Not every guest is even profitable for the organiser, so it has to balance out overall or else these events will sink faster than the Titanic.

 

I'm fully aware that many people believe signing events are a huge money spinner but considering how in demand some of these guests are, they could easily go elsewhere if no-one in this country is willing to pay for them. And if that happens, it'll be entirely frustrating. I for one quite enjoy not having to travel around the world to meet guests like Shatner, Stewart, Lloyd and Tyson etc. And I know a lot of others do too.

[JacknDaniel]

Its of course up to any one if they wish to pay but I personally think the prices are a **** take.

 

They are taking advantage of the very people that put them in the position they are in or the status they hold, Especially when i think of the thousands i have spent over the years on merchandise, seeing films, shows, tributes etc.

 

Amuses me when these events are the "stars" only source of income now and still charging silly amounts when they no longer do anything or have done for over 20 years +

 

It comes down to individuals evaluation of how much they personally think that 2 mins of signing a piece of paper or something is really worth and if they can afford it.

 

If more people left the expensive stars to just sit around and go for the more affordable ones the prices would easily come down. They'd have no choice as many don't do anything else and are just capitalising on their own fans.

Have to say I wholeheartedly disagree. They have every right to charge an appearance fee. If someone asked me to travel a few thousand miles, give up my weekend, stay in a hotel for a couple of nights, and sit for 2 days signing autographs, I wouldnt say 'yeah no problem i'll do all that at my own expense' i'd expect to be paid for it like any other job. And if they have to paid, then Showmasters have to be paid to make up for it. For the most part the only people who charge more than the average of £15 are NOT people who haven't worked for 20 years, they're current working actors

[nicky]

Amuses me when these events are the "stars" only source of income now and still charging silly amounts when they no longer do anything or have done for over 20 years +

 

You do realise you're one of these fans that pay-out for autos, right? So who's the bigger fool, the fans that pay or the 'stars' that charge?

Edited June 29, 2010 by nicky

[dufresne]

Amuses me when these events are the "stars" only source of income now and still charging silly amounts when they no longer do anything or have done for over 20 years +

 

You do realise you're one of these fans that pay-out for autos, right? So who's the bigger fool, the fans that pay or the 'stars' that charge?

 

[/yoda]

[MrT]

i agree with everybody else. for the right guest i would pay a higher price.

 

if people don't like it, then they dont have to get their autograph. why should others be punished.

 

For the people who dont get their autographs they are in exacetly the same position as they would be if the guest didn't come (except they may get a look at the top attraction). And for the people who do get the autographs they will have a cherished autograph that they can treasure forever.

 

Plus bigger guests pull in more customers. Meaning more revenue for stalls, more money spent on autographs from other guests. This should mean we may get more £10-£25 guest due to more demand because of more customers.

 

well done showmaster. Bring out the big guns.

 

I would happily pay more for big names, even perhaps if instead of them getting the larger fees money gets donated to charity as i know some stars don't like charging for autographs (e.g. seth green and Joss Whedon). That way the fans are happy and charities benefit.

[TerraHawk]

the thing is if i talk this limit off and book some more A list guest i know there will be people on here going on about how 5 years ago you go your Dr who guests at £5 and you could get another 4 items for free , this is not sastanable and no one can book the bigger names at these prices anymore .

 

Well Sir Derek Jacobi and Christopher Ryan did just that last year, so they obviously aren't bigger guests.

 

I don't have a problem with paying up to £150 for megarare guests, but more than that I think I'd bow out. And If I was spending that sort of money on big guests I'd have no money spare to spend on the little ones.