Ticket and booth prices finally revealed

[MustBeJewel]

We (as the MLP Fair attendees) definitely shouldn't take anything at face value yet as far as what HasCon has released, that much is for sure. When the time is right and when the info is available to be shared, I know Summer will make sure we are all kept well-within the loop.

It seems that Hasbro is very delayed even in releasing the info for its own convention, so it should not surprise us if their being behind and scrambling a bit means that the Fair is also stuck behind in the traffic jam of convention planning, especially for such a large, first-time convention like HasCon. I would imagine that other fandoms may be just as frustrated by the delay in information as we are.

That said, I do absolutely agree that the prices Hasbro has put out for HasCon are astronomical to fans/sellers at our level, and by "our level" I mean that we generally are not actual businesses or corporations who could shell out $1k per table without a second thought. Which to me begs the question, too, if Hasbro is inviting other companies to sell their own merchandise at a Hasbro-centric convention, potentially even their own competition? Curious!

At any rate, all will be revealed as soon as it can be, I know that much. All we can do is try to be patient despite how hard the waiting and not being able to make plans is, and support Summer in the meantime.

[gabumon]

you all are a lot more optimistic than I am (when it comes to corporate Hasbro)!   but I'll join you and hope for the best then.
 

[MustBeJewel]

you all are a lot more optimistic than I am (when it comes to corporate Hasbro)!   but I'll join you and hope for the best then.
 

If it were just corporate Hasbro, I'm not sure I'd hold my breath. But Summer, our Fair hostess? I have absolute faith in.

[Foxtale]

you all are a lot more optimistic than I am (when it comes to corporate Hasbro)!   but I'll join you and hope for the best then.
 

If it were just corporate Hasbro, I'm not sure I'd hold my breath. But Summer, our Fair hostess? I have absolute faith in.

agreed!  I just hope that if Hascon is the same or related that tickets don't sell out before they are able to give news. ;p

[KarentheUnicorn]

That said, I do absolutely agree that the prices Hasbro has put out for HasCon are astronomical to fans/sellers at our level, and by "our level" I mean that we generally are not actual businesses or corporations who could shell out $1k per table without a second thought. Which to me begs the question, too, if Hasbro is inviting other companies to sell their own merchandise at a Hasbro-centric convention, potentially even their own competition? Curious!

Yea, even the $5000 is crazy because I can't see them bringing in outside companies to sell at a 'hasbro' centered event, unless they're companies like Build a Bear as someone else mentioned

But Even if lets say someone like Build a bear setup to sell they're MLP plush, they've not only got to pay the $5000 setup, but they've also got to pay the employees to work the event. So not only would they have to sell enough plush to makeup the $5000, they've got to makeup the cost in paying employees; unless they're going to have volunteer employees and that doesn't seem likely to me for a company to have vol. employees that don't get paid.

So I'm not even sure how someone like Build a Bear could sell enough to makeup that cost; it's likely that someone like Build a Bear might get a better rate but then who is the $5000 price targeted at??? Plus, if they're targeting collectors, a lot of us already have bought the BAB's we want...so it's hard to imagine a event targeting collectors would get a huge amount of sales since most of us buy them already. And if they're targeting kids, it's hard to see the whole kid thing being as big as they're expecting seeing as how they're holding the event in Sept. when most kids are heading back to school. So I don't see a lot of parents taking off and flying in to bring they're kids to a weekend event in RI when it seems like it would work better in summer? I'm just confused by hasbro's timing choice for the convention.

Even if a lot of us collectors band together, 10 collectors to buy the biggest booth, I have a hard time seeing how any of us want to or are able to pay a $500 vendor fee per person. That's just way out of most of our league for a convention.

Hasbro, what are you thinking??

[kitkatvintage]

 I think the idea is that those top dollar booths are meant to be like a trade show space. Large companies buy spaces at trade shows for exposure, not necessarily to sell their product during the event. Hasbro works with tons of licensees to sell their brands in plush form and all sorts of merchandise. I really think those high ticket booths are meant for those types of businesses, and were never aimed at hobby sellers. There are 2 huge venues booked for this event... that leaves a lot of space to fill. I'm sure that more info is on the horizon.

[drusilla]

well lets all hope

[KarentheUnicorn]

I think the idea is that those top dollar booths are meant to be like a trade show space. Large companies buy spaces at trade shows for exposure, not necessarily to sell their product during the event. Hasbro works with tons of licensees to sell their brands in plush form and all sorts of merchandise. I really think those high ticket booths are meant for those types of businesses, and were never aimed at hobby sellers. There are 2 huge venues booked for this event... that leaves a lot of space to fill. I'm sure that more info is on the horizon.

I know from  running a sign and printing business I've attended trade shows for companies...the prices they pay are crazy and make these prices look cheap. I know one of the trade shows I've attended in the past, one of the distributors/suppliers I use has told me some of the prices they have to pay to setup and it's a I could buy a new car price.

Not to mention being that this certain state has rules, as in they can't even plug up equipment and such and have to wait for union folks to come in and do that stuff for them.

So I've seen trade show prices, so one would assume that is who a $5000 booth is for, but even at the trade shows I've gone to for my job it's about selling, most bring product or have it where you can order; it's also about showing new product/equipment and selling it to customers; Selling equipment or supplies. Usually they have show specials where, say you want to buy a new piece of sign equipment you'll get a special price at the show, etc. Or if you're buying material like vinyl or whatever, you'll get a special rate because youre attending the show or a member of whatever that trade show is being run by.

But it is generally about selling, so I would expect anyone displaying would be selling something to those in attendance...unless it's just for exposure; I suppose it's easier for a large company to throw that kind of money at a convention whereas the rest of us can't do that...but still it seems like its more about selling than just showing up and showing off product.

[gabumon]

But if collectors are separate target audience than the general public... how will hasbro spin "cheaper pricing for collectors"?  Do we need to bring evidence of our Pony Rooms to get in?  Maybe the ticket pricing will be 75% off for MLP Arena Members?

[SweetTune]

Jumping in to say that I'm advocating for collectors. The tickets being released this week surprised me as much as anyone, but I am glad that the ball is starting to roll. Things are in the works for collectors. No details to share yet, but both Jewel and KitKatVintage have some really good ideas especially about collector sales tables... 

[MoonStars]

But if collectors are separate target audience than the general public... how will hasbro spin "cheaper pricing for collectors"?  Do we need to bring evidence of our Pony Rooms to get in?

Oh my looooord!!! Rofl!!! The mental image...

Post Merge: May 24, 2017, 02:52:20 AM

Jumping in to say that I'm advocating for collectors. The tickets being released this week surprised me as much as anyone, but I am glad that the ball is starting to roll. Things are in the works for collectors. No details to share yet, but both Jewel and KitKatVintage have some really good ideas especially about collector sales tables... 

Thank you, SweetTune!

[Foxtale]

Jumping in to say that I'm advocating for collectors. The tickets being released this week surprised me as much as anyone, but I am glad that the ball is starting to roll. Things are in the works for collectors. No details to share yet, but both Jewel and KitKatVintage have some really good ideas especially about collector sales tables... 

Yay! It makes me feel a bit better to know the release surprised you as well.

I started to get into the SDCC or NYCC mentality fearing regular admission would sell out before we got any additional news. I wanted a booth but I would much rather just have a ticket to the event than nothing . I will wait.

Can't wait for more details.

[FarDreamer]

I feel this is a fail on Summer's part for handing over the fair to Hasbro as she could have had someone else run it for one year since she was moving.  I love Summer but this I see it as it turning into a failure letting Hasbro take over.  Hopefully next year she can take the convention back over and it can go back to the way it was before.  Then we can go back to a regular more affordable prices and more notice for prices and dates or at least something like that.

Would you like to try to host a giant event with a large corporation breathing down your neck?  Maybe just say thank you to the folks doing all the hard work.

[gabumon]

Maybe with enough feedback, via the right channels, Hasbro will come around and revise their pricing, for both vendors and attendies.   It's a possibility? Maybe "early bird pricing" until Sept 7th? 

[pandorarose3]

Jumping in to say that I'm advocating for collectors. The tickets being released this week surprised me as much as anyone, but I am glad that the ball is starting to roll. Things are in the works for collectors. No details to share yet, but both Jewel and KitKatVintage have some really good ideas especially about collector sales tables... 

Glad to hear you guys are looking into things cause yea this was a shocker and I actually found out while doing the show.  I mean the whole 'Sign up and find out first about ticket sales' yea that didn't happen I had to Google Hascon as no email's went out and found out the information.  I was hoping you would post to this because you had said they were going to do something special for us, but all it seems like they are doing special for is Magic the Gathering, which is why they have 2 venues the other is for Magic the Gathering.

But we have to figure that Hasbro has been to SOOO many cons over the year's fan based and even anime cons.  One would think that they would have a general idea of what to do and how to do it.  I just hope to hear more positive information.  I mean the ticket prices are insane I know a lot of people would want to do the Hall of Fame Dinner but the only option to do it is to pay $600 for an adult.  Plus you have to pick a special event to go to which at that price I would think you would be allowed to go to all of them.  And that goodie bag had better be packed full of exclusives for that price.

But it would be nice if it can go back to the way it was before because at what they are charging for things I don't see it going well, sorry just being a realist.  But I do hope to see something get's done for us as we have brought them in a lot of revenue over the years with the Fair's and even accepted that our fair exclusive was no more than the ComicCon exclusive.  But it will also bring it back to just us collectors and fans getting together to buy, sell, trade, have fun, and just be the community we have always been.

So I hope you guy's can get Hasbro to do something special for their loyal Pony Community, I am behind you on that Summer and I never meant to make it seem like I wasn't.  But it is a mess on Hasbro's part for sure.