billroper | WorldCon - going down hill (Reply)

From: (Anonymous)

Bill I understand what you are saying.

Before I start I should point out that I have been on WorldCon committees, I have chaired many conventions and have been active in Fandom for many years. There are several reason that WorldCon and Science fiction conventions in general are getting smaller and smaller. Here are a few reasons in no order.

We want it small - - - One of the odder reasons is because there has been and still is a movement to keep conventions small. I have heard many organizers from across the country say that they do not want the WorldCon to become too big. That right there dooms most convention from the start.

Elitism - - - Also many WorldCon’s don’t want any Media, Anime, Gamers and other groups to attend the convention. At the last LA worldcon I was talking to a big name fan about this and he flatly said: “If they do not know the difference between a Lensman and a Skylark they shouldn’t come to the convention”. No joke, the person was deadly serious.

Cost - - - WorldCon is very, very expensive. LA worldcon was $200 at the door for all five days. DragonCon was $85 for all 4 days. (And you know what you get more for your money at DragonCon)

Zero Marketing - - - Most WorldCon do nothing for marketing or advertising. The most they do is through room parties and place ads in other conventions program books. This only reaches the already hardcore fan and doesn’t do anything to reach the general public or the regular fan.

No Change --- The WorldCon is being run the same way that it was run back in the 1980. The same program panels and the same guests. When was the last time you saw something new at a WorldCon???? Trying to get a committee to try something different or new is next to impossible, trust me I’ve tried.

I could go on and on about other problems with the WorldCon, but it just makes me depressed. But the real bottom-line is that many of the SMOFs do not want things to change. They are in charge and they love to hear themselves scream about how much they are the true fan, the true guardian of fandom and they would rather run fandom/Worldcon into the ground than change.

Eric Gerds
www.filk.com
The home of Filk Radio