Tried to look up info but failed. Wondered whether it worked or not financially?
Worked great. Over 600 attendees, I believe. Excellent clinics and panel sessions, good discussion after the clinics, high-quality video layout tours, often with follow-up live online discussion by the owners.
The committee won't share exact financials (and shouldn't!) but I think that worked out fine, as well. Huge time investments by dozens of volunteers made the Convention a big success. I’m still looking at clinics now. You missed a lot.
Byron
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
From what I gather, it was extremely well received by almost everyone.
Several individulas are of the opinion that more virtual clinics should be scheduled at even "live in person" conventions, when they get resumed, as the virtual ones were very well put together, and the hosts would stick around to answer questions from participants.
"Live in person" events there is usually not time for the following "meet and greet" and Q&A sessions.
But it seems to have been a very good success, from everyone I've heard from anyways.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Seems 600 or so is pretty small.
rrebellSeems 600 or so is pretty small.
Really? What on-line model railroad conventions do you know of that drew more?
600 does seem small for an event of potentially international reach. There's lots of reasons why you should expect a relatively low number of people, but it feels like it should have been higher.
It is unqualified, of course, just an impression based on what live events muster.
NittanyLion600 does seem small for an event of potentially international reach.
600 does not seem low if it was only open to NMRA members.
I don't know any details about the convention, it came and went and I missed out.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
There were a couple of hiccups in the promotion of the event caused by changes in volunteers' circumstances, so it did not get the publicity that it might have.
I heard from a few people that "$49 is too much when YouTube videos are free". The event was much better than "watching YouTube videos", but I think it was hard for potential attendees to understand what the experience would be like.
The event was open to anyone, not only NMRA members, but the lack of publicity failed to get that word out.
I did post some information in a couple of threads here, such as this one:http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/287999.aspx ... which some folks in this thread also posted to. But in general it could have been promoted better, for sure.
There may not be an event exactly like this again, but if there is, examples from the 2021 Convention would be a good thing to share as part of the the publciity and outreach.
To me, 600 people spending fifty bucks each for an unknown quantity wasn't too shabby for a first time. And to the OP's question, I think it was a success, as many other clinicians and attendees agree.
cuyamaThe event was open to anyone, not only NMRA members
I hope this continues to the future in-person "real" NMRA conventions as well.
SeeYou190I hope this continues to the future in-person "real" NMRA conventions as well.
This varies depending on the local committee and sponsoring group (club, NMRA region, etc.). Insurance and other issues apparently come into play, but I don't know the details.
SeeYou190 cuyama The event was open to anyone, not only NMRA members I hope this continues to the future in-person "real" NMRA conventions as well. -Kevin
cuyama The event was open to anyone, not only NMRA members
This was a rather unique circumstance. I suspect if a future in-person conventiion did allow non-members, there would be a higher price for them.
Insurance would be a significant issue. Having virtual events means there's no chance for anyone to get hurt, etc in the various layout and prototype tours, as well as riding the buses to and fro. Go back to humans interacting in that way and then there is considerable work and costs involved, including at the hall where the convention is held, etc.
National money, which comes from the dues of all members, is an investment insuring the financial success of the convention. It would seem a bit like freeloading to members to allow non-members to take advantage of that if it was the same price as members.
I guess I have a bit of an issue with the premise of the question, but some folks seem to be always looking for a reason to call the NMRA a failure. To hold any kind of event in the midst of this pandemic is a success IMO. What reliable yardstick can you name that truly gives reason to suggest 600 attendees is a failure, especially when people from around the world participated far more easily and cheaply than our foriegn members ever could before?
The NMRA is what its members make it. 80+ years of existence suggests that the failings that a few see reflexivly are mainly about it not meeting someone's own personal magical yardstick of success. It's not perfect, but it seems to meet the needs of many and the fact that they were able to quickly put together a virtual convention on such a scale shows the organization is also nimble and innovative.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
On allowing non-members addmission into the in-person national shows:
If it is a higher price for entry than members pay, and it is a "at own risk" style ticket, much like baseball games, etc...., than it could possibly work.
Otherwise, insurance would be way too high to be feasable.
But I have only ever attended a national in-person show once, as it was close enough to not require a hotel and plane ticket...
Again, on it working well - The multitude of participants, and the multitude of positive feedback they gave, speaks for itself. It worked very well.
A couple observations:
Attend at you own risk means nothing. If I fall because I’m not looking where I’m going at your place, yes that’s on me. But you can bet that there will be an ambulance chaser who will be willing to prove that you were negligent, in which case you will be sued.
The local NMRA RPM group has a function every 2 years with clinics and open houses. There is a fee to attend. One does not need to be a NMRA member to attend either the clinics or the open houses.
HOWEVER, all of the individuals hosting the RPM, and anyone hosting an open house, have to be NMRA members. This is because they will all be covered by the NMRA insurance.
The purpose of said insurance is not to protect the visitors. It is to protect the sponsers from the visitors.
No disrespect ment, just trying to fiqure out what happened. I was all set to go to the real one but virtual, not for me. With me everything has a cost benifit analysis, just how my mind works, guess my time being dirt poor before my ship came in has something to do with it.
mlehmanInsurance would be a significant issue.
I don't buy into that excuse, simply because I attend A LOT of hobby conventions, mostly Sci-Fi, Wargaming, and CosPlay. These conventions are all open to the public and to members. The public pays more, and has less chance of getting into the "good" events.
If you want to see the Walking Dead panel, you better be a member.
I have shared this story before, so sorry for being repetitive.
I attended the National NMRA convention in Orlando, Florida a few years ago. They had the convention in the South International Rosen Plaza, which is a dump, so I did not stay at the convention hotel.
Instead, I stayed at the OCCC Hilton and walked to the NMRA convention hotel. On the walk to the NMRA convention I walked through the Hyatt Regency, and there was a National Dollhouse Convention going on in that hotel.
Those guys at the dollhouse convention were eager to share their hobby with anyone that showed any interest at all. They had displays in the lobby and let people know where to go for more information. Everyone involved with these dollhouses were enthusiastic and welcoming. They were actively recruiting people into their hobby at their convention.
At the Rosen Plaza, if you did not know the NMRA was there, you did not know. If you wandered into the NMRA area (not even the convention rooms) you were quickly sent away. The contest models and other displays were 100% off limits to any curious viewers. No one would talk trains with strangers. No one was openly enthusiastic about the hobby.
Back at the Hilton, there was a real estate loan officers convention, and my wife and I hung out at their party until well after midnight!
If you are at the same hotel as an HMGS Wargaming convention we will suck you into everything, except the business meeting and the flea market. You might not leave as a member, but you will know a lot more about wargaming.
HMGS buys a 2 million blanket insurance policy naming the venue on the policy for the weekend, and it is only a negligible cost. Much less than the table rentals and awards. Now those are expensive!