POLL: How Should Conventions Split Costs Between Vendors and Gamers?

BAMeyer is 100% right. To me, the cost of food and lodging is the major expense. I hardly pay attention to the admission price for the convention.

I have been heavily involved in planning a convention. Never once did we ever consider what kind of gamer/vendor "split" was going to occur.

We look at available floor space, and how much of that space will be devoted to vendors and gamers.

I may be overly simplistic about things, but I am pretty sure I can fill just about every game table with at least 4 gamers and maybe 6. Erring on the side of caution, I then consider that game table (6'x8') will occupy 120 square feet (table size and room to move around / aisles etc); multiply the number of square feet by the cost per square foot and divide by the number of gamers at the table. That my friends is the admission price for gamers.

Vendors often take up less room than a game table. Vendors also pose special issues -- mostly access to the vendors, loading/unloading and security.

I consider the Vendors an attraction not an income source. So we charge relatively little for the table space. In my experience a fair number of vendors also like to game. This ticks off some folks because a vendor with a small table actually gets in cheaper than a gamer. Well not all that much cheaper -- AND if a vendor fails to "vend", they will never get another table at our con. Just the same, I have no problem with vendors playing games as long as their store is open while they are playing (vendors generally have at least two folks working at a convention).

IMHO, if you want to have a successful convention, you need games. If you have the games, you will get the crowd. Simple as that.

Our organization is non-profit. Last year we raked in less than $50 USD over and above expenses. I'd say we nailed things just right!

mjc