Ticket and booth prices finally revealed

[Baby Sugarberry]

I'm sorry but what the flocking is Hasbro thinking? 
Vendors and panels are basically the two things people go to conventions for.  Maybe also to show off if you're into dressing up, but not everyone is.  This is ridiculous.

[Vertefae]

From what we've been told. There may be some panels but nothing organized by the Fair staff. Basically Hasbro could give two shakes about anything older than G4

[ChipsteRJ]

From what we've been told. There may be some panels but nothing organized by the Fair staff. Basically Hasbro could give two shakes about anything older than G4

True. Us G1 fans are not bringing in any "new" revenue to Hasbro. The G4 line sees a bit of fans branching out to the vintage nostalgic appeal of MLP.

[LadyMoondancer]

Hasbro has also shut down Botcon, the main Transformers convention that has been around since the 90s.  Very sad.

I appreciate all the work of the MLP Fair staff, of course none of this is their fault.  I know they're trying their best to get us reasonable ticket prices and such.  I am dubious that Hasbro will be influenced much, because if they give special concessions to the MLP community then won't other fandom communities also want special concessions?

I mean, I hope I'm wrong, but . . . this is Hasbro's overall vision for their con.  One big convention, rather than multiple smaller conventions.  I don't think they care if the cultures of the smaller cons that they are supplanting are swept aside.  In fact, I think that's what they want--for con goers to mingle and look at ALL the Hasbro brands (and get into other Hasbro toylines) instead of MLP people sticking with MLP people, Transformers people sticking with Transformers people, etc.

But I also think Hasbro is being very shortsighted.  I go to big, general cons  that aren't centered around any one brand/franchise (like Emerald City Comic Con), and yeah, they're fun.   But MLP cons, Transformers cons, etc, are fun in a different way. They're more intimate.  Everyone at them is a fan of MLP (or TF, or whatever).  They get your inside jokes.  They will sympathize with you (and know what you're talking about) if you complain about pony age spots.  They recognize your cosplay of Mainsail or Sunbeam or whatever else semi-obscure (i.e. never in a cartoon) pony.

And Hascon's prices are just too high.  Like, even for a large con, the prices are too. dang. high.  My TF friends, who think nothing of dropping $100 on a Transformer, couldn't believe it when they saw that it cost $160 for a full pass, plus $200 and more for many events, PLUS children are not free at this event, they are charging for children 3 and up ($30 for one day pass, $75 for the whole weekend) at this "family event". I think Hascon is going to be a trainwreck, to be honest.  Through no fault of the MLP Fair staff.

[Baby Sugarberry]

Couldn't agree more with everything you've said, LadyMoondancer.  It really is sad - I mean I'd never have the opportunity to go either way being stranded way up here in Canada, but it was always nice to see pictures of the events.  HasCon is just a big marketing pitch they're making consumers foot the bill for.  The various Hasbro brands often have little in common and next-to-no overlap in interest groups.  Hasbro itself doesn't inspire my interest or loyalty.

[LadyMoondancer]

Incidentally, this is similar to something Hasbro is trying with it's "boy brand" IDW comic books.  Previously IDW's Transformers comics were in a separate continuity from their G.I. Joe comics, etc.  But Hasbro has forced IDW to merge them all into one universe.  I don't know how M.A.S.K. or G.I. Joe fans feel about it, but Transformers fans are extremely resentful, especially since a really good Transformers comic book is being cancelled and word has it that it will be replaced with a comic in which Cobra invades Cybertron.  SO DUMB.

The main effect that I have seen is that it's made a lot of Transformers fans really hate G.I. Joe.  I really don't think Hasbro understands fans at all.

[drusilla]

baby sugarberry im from canada too,, next to you in quebec.  i was happy it was rhode island because i cold have just jumped on the gray hound bus to go. and in February the price was only 122 BUT seeing as it took forever for information and that the information turned out bad the price has since jumped to 260 for the bus ticket.  anyway point is being from canada you could still attend pony fairs.

I am confused and who can afford this??? i just dont know... im guessing really hard core fans that will sell there kidneys to go will be there but i dont see regular collectors of any toy being able to go

[MLPgal13]

I'm truly in shock at this news. I can't believe the cost of all this.

[Lorelei Redfern]

baby sugarberry im from canada too,, next to you in quebec.  i was happy it was rhode island because i cold have just jumped on the gray hound bus to go. and in February the price was only 122 BUT seeing as it took forever for information and that the information turned out bad the price has since jumped to 260 for the bus ticket.  anyway point is being from canada you could still attend pony fairs.

I am confused and who can afford this??? i just dont know... im guessing really hard core fans that will sell there kidneys to go will be there but i dont see regular collectors of any toy being able to go

I think thre trying to be like sdcc where everyone pays an arm and a leg to  go.  and htey thinkthey  cna make a lot of money  if they combined all the differnt cons. 

and i dont think this is going to  be regular or casual collectors. only actual  businesses can vend there. and i cnat see a    normal perosn  being  able to drop at least 1,000 or more for a weekend  of this thing. i think that it will blow up in there  face. and it wont be  as good a turn out or a money making thing as they  hope.

from what i understand.   it costs   a large amount to go.   and then an extra    200 for the dinner?   forgive me if i'm wrong i vauglly remember  seeing prices  somehere but dont remember  what. 

also if you wante to do the vip thing thats 600.  plus allthe extra  stuff  plus the    trandportation plus the hotel.   

they are  tryign to be a   big money making con right out of the gate and compete with   sdcc and the other major cons.

[gabumon]

Unfortunately i think Hasbro already weighed the risks and i wager it will be a modicum of sucess for them  - otherwise they wouldn't have done it at all.  maybe that's why prices are so high - to minimize their risk?

i'm sure they'll break even and likely do it again at least one more year to save face.

[Galactica]

So Hasbro has shut down all of the larger fan conventions, and had a minimal presence at SDCC this year.

Obviously they are doing this with the thought they can force all of the collector communities to HASCON where they can wring the collectors completely dry...

I also think they have grossly misunderstood the people they are hoping to lure. (Agree with everything LadyMoondancer said above)

It is so obvious that whoever is in charge of this insane idea, is not part of and has never even really talked to or tried to understand the collector communities. You can't just push Transformer and MLP fans into one Convention- what on earth do they have in common?  I would worry that the other communities besides MLP might mock MLP people and collector stuffs.  Maybe they wouldn't, but at the very least it is not the same "safe place" that people are attracted to with small fan-based conventions.

And Hasbro doesn't understand why people attend SDCC either.  While it is true that the toy exclusives are a major draw- SDCC is more of a celebration of comic book and pop culture- the toys were just a perk and incentive to attend. Plus it took YEARS for SDCC to become what is is now and for the reputation and desirability of "SDCC exclusives" to build. 

Is anyone going to pay any attention at all or see any value in a "Hascon exclusive"?  Especially when Hasbro will most likely list every "exclusive" that it has in huge quantities on its site a couple of weeks later?   

[Stormrave]

As someone who collects both MLP and TF...I'm really glad that Transformers still has "off brand" "unofficial" conventions like TFCon.  Botcon went too "corporate" for my tastes circa 2003; TFCon has always felt like Pony Fair to me, very fan-focused.

I'm glad to hear that MLP seems to have an unofficial con in the works to maintain the spirit of Pony Fair.

I will say that TFcon dealer room has always had a mix of "fans selling duplicate/extra Transformers" and "online toy companies selling new merchandise."  I am wondering if the second is who Hasbro wants to attract, since Hasbro themselves don't do much direct selling....get in companies who buy Hasbro product in bulk, let those companies sell to the fans (like bigbadtoystore, the Chosen Prime, Captured Prey, Ages 3 and Up, TFSource, Entertainment Earth....)  Ponies have never been a big part of these companies business, though I know some sites have sold some pony stuff on occasion.  But it goes to show how the pony fair culture is not an easy transition to an event like HasCon.

And ponies don't have the big movement in the TF fandom which is 3rd party companies making unofficial toys of their interpretation of various characters....something that might be behind Hasbro's obsession with official merchandise.  When you have factories making competing unlicensed product....

[LadyMoondancer]

And Hasbro doesn't understand why people attend SDCC either.  While it is true that the toy exclusives are a major draw- SDCC is more of a celebration of comic book and pop culture- the toys were just a perk and incentive to attend. Plus it took YEARS for SDCC to become what is is now and for the reputation and desirability of "SDCC exclusives" to build.

^ THIS!!  So much THIS!!!

SDCC grew organically.  That's what Hasbro doesn't understand.  You can't just "committee together" a big convention and expect to replicate SDCC's success.

[Wardah]

As someone who collects both MLP and TF...I'm really glad that Transformers still has "off brand" "unofficial" conventions like TFCon.  Botcon went too "corporate" for my tastes circa 2003; TFCon has always felt like Pony Fair to me, very fan-focused.

I'm glad to hear that MLP seems to have an unofficial con in the works to maintain the spirit of Pony Fair.

There are a bunch of smaller MLP related cons but they are mostly ones that cater to FIM fans.

And ponies don't have the big movement in the TF fandom which is 3rd party companies making unofficial toys of their interpretation of various characters....something that might be behind Hasbro's obsession with official merchandise.  When you have factories making competing unlicensed product....

There's the "Dreams Come True" project but that's it.