How many shows can the industry support?

Hell Puppy · 06-22-2008

Here's a topic while everyone is still coming off a show high....

In the current climate, how many shows can the industry support?

By my count, we have 11 significant shows in the U.S. There's another 3-4 shows in Mexico or the Carribean that are targeting mostly U.S. webmasters. This does not count what I'll call industry party events that are just one night deals.

Sponsor dollars are tougher to come by as more people are watching ROI and the industry undergoes consolidation. The number of webmasters making anything more than beer money is shrinking. Fuel prices are making the price of an airline ticket more significant.

The Atlanta Forum is going to be an indicator I think. The show should have EVERYTHING going for it. It's on the east coast in the fall which is an underserved region and an underserved time frame. Atlanta offers lots of cheap flights. Sweet T has a sterling reputation as a class act and has absolutely top quality personnel organizing this thing. It's in his backyard, so he has all of the contacts and an intimate knowledge of the town. And he's leveraging what is currently considered by most to be the best show of the year in the Phoenix Forum and following their road map.

If the Atlanta Forum is anything other than absolutely runaway success, I think that's a huge sign that shows are oversaturated.

My gut tells me there needs to be some consolidation at that level and a lot more attention paid to regions and niches served. The Atlanta Forum does exactly this, it's very business nuts and bolts oriented and in the southeast. I really dont think we need any more west coast shows teaching us how to recruit girls, shoot porn and put it on the web.

06-22-2008	#1
Hell Puppy Fat Fucking Nobody Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 6,523	How many shows can the industry support? Here's a topic while everyone is still coming off a show high.... In the current climate, how many shows can the industry support? By my count, we have 11 significant shows in the U.S. There's another 3-4 shows in Mexico or the Carribean that are targeting mostly U.S. webmasters. This does not count what I'll call industry party events that are just one night deals. Sponsor dollars are tougher to come by as more people are watching ROI and the industry undergoes consolidation. The number of webmasters making anything more than beer money is shrinking. Fuel prices are making the price of an airline ticket more significant. The Atlanta Forum is going to be an indicator I think. The show should have EVERYTHING going for it. It's on the east coast in the fall which is an underserved region and an underserved time frame. Atlanta offers lots of cheap flights. Sweet T has a sterling reputation as a class act and has absolutely top quality personnel organizing this thing. It's in his backyard, so he has all of the contacts and an intimate knowledge of the town. And he's leveraging what is currently considered by most to be the best show of the year in the Phoenix Forum and following their road map. If the Atlanta Forum is anything other than absolutely runaway success, I think that's a huge sign that shows are oversaturated. My gut tells me there needs to be some consolidation at that level and a lot more attention paid to regions and niches served. The Atlanta Forum does exactly this, it's very business nuts and bolts oriented and in the southeast. I really dont think we need any more west coast shows teaching us how to recruit girls, shoot porn and put it on the web.