Is There a GayVN Summit?

[Lee]

I don't think it's logical to expect that just because one show does something one way, others should do it the same way.

It is also not logical to assume that just because the Forum had a really good attendance for their gay gathering that AVN, who is charging almost $500 for registration will have.

Its a well-known fact that the AVN/Internext shows have been dwindling attendance wise over the past few years whilst, at the same time, costs for attending the shows have risen, if you [AVN not you personally] cant see the correlation between the constant increase in prices and the constant decrease in attendance, then something is amiss.

But what I can say from a personal perspetive is that AVN typically offers a different, more "high-end" experience, and one that is costly for us them produce.

Then why not pass that cost across to the people who should be paying it, the people who are getting their names flashed in front of every person that attends one of the shows? The simple fact is, you cant, because show attendance is dwindling... Sponsors dont want to spend the money on sponsorship.. There is that vicious circle i mentioned earlier.

Ultimately, if what you [AVN/Interext] is doing now is failing, and be under no misconception, it is failing, you need to start changing things... Perhaps having a 'high-end experience' shouldnt be what you guys focus on, instead, focus on THE most important aspect of a successfull show.. The attendees.

Several people have commented in this thread and in your 'gaydar' thread that the costs of the AVN/Internext shows is to high, just as people have been doing for the last 3 years, perhaps Paul and the organizers of the shows can actually listen to what their potential attendees are saying and do something about it for a change.

Sponsors at the show want to attract a certain type of webmaster, the newbie, they want to hook them on their product as early on as possible, if a newbie cant afford to attend the show, what is the point in a sponsor paying thousands of dollars in sponsorship?

Most people who attended Vegas this year, already have programs that they work really closely with, the costs to program owners to sway these established affiliate relations over to their program is unbeleivably high, it is much easier to snag a newbie [speaking as a program owner] and develop that newbies skills than it is to 'pay off' a midbie to send traffic.

Bottom line, you [and other shows] need to start attracting newer webmasters to their events, these newer webmasters are the future of the industry, we either cater to their needs educationally or we kill the industry as we know it and, in time, kill the tradeshow.

A $500 'registration' does nothing to attract fresh blood to the shows, in fact, its having the opposite effect, its pushing people away from them.

Regards,

Lee