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You've never run an event have you Jeff?
First off, an event for more than 800 attendees has some expenses other
than just the 'space' for panels, displays etc. Quite a few.Start with
insurance., now I'm not sure about Virginia, but in my area the cost
for event insurance jumps drastically at 200, 500, 800 and 1000
attendees. That's TOTAL attendees, not just the number of attendees at
any given point, so you'd have to include all attendees of those coming
to the Public Day as well. It's not cheap.
assume for one moment that the hotel did actually provide the event
space for free, that does not include 'extras', Electrical power (yes
every convention center/hotel event place I've ever worked with has
charged for this on a per need basis), Tables, Chairs, Water and glasses
(I didn't attend, but I'll bet there was a table with water and glasses
in every convention space room), Service
(setup and take down of tables chairs et al.). Those organizations such
as hotels make their money on those extras, and boy do they usually make
a killing. The 'Free meal' I read about in another post, probably cost
quite a bit. They convention organization has to have enough reserve to
pay the deposit on the space, which usually includes enough to pay for
the space if insufficient rooms are booked to meet the contract terms
which made the space 'free'. Advertising, postage for mailings, printing
services for mailings. If there are guests of honor, the convention is
usually expected to feed, house and transport said guests. A small
convention (less than 500 attendees) will often cost a minimum of
$5,000, and that is just insurance, space, tables, and a single guest of
honor. Additionally, while the main display space was specifically
mentioned as having been 'free', I do not recall mention of things like
green room/operations, panel/meeting rooms, Convention Staff rooms being
'free'. It all adds up, and it adds up fast. If there is a 'Con Suite/
munchies' room those alone can consume a $2,500 budget to keep minimally
stocked with soda and chips.
I haven't even mentioned equipment, such as projectors, video rooms or
any other such although I'm certain there were at least projectors used
in the panels. $45k to operate a convention is PEANUTS for a convention
the size and popularity of Brickfest. I doubt that Joe or Christina did
take any compensation other than reimbursement for expenses. But if they
did, then I look at it thus. I don't put in more than 80 hours of
charity labor on any one thing. If for no other reason than the fact
that if it requires that much time, I cannot afford to not be
compensated in some fashion. Oh and let's not forget, I seem to recall
Brickfest having really spiffy badges, but even cheapo paper, black and
white, with a plastic pin holder cost an average of $1 each after
printing costs (even if they use their own printer).
Trust me, if they were making a profit at all, it was a pittance. GenCon
is a for profit convention: Reg Fees $150 for the weekend, plus pay for
play events, and you are inundated with advertising for it's 'Displays'.
Hmm, is the Brickfest organization listed as 501c3 LLC?
If not, then you are completely wrong about whether or not anyone cannot
be paid. Even if they are, then the organization board has the right to
elect to pay someone for their time.
As for your definition of 'Events', ever heard of GenCon? C3?
Information Technology Events. some of these cost over $1,000 to attend
and are run for profit.. and what do you get, a few classes and a couple
truckloads of advertising.... So they are for profit and forward what is
for many a hobby and for others a job or career.
So my challenge Jeff: why don't you run a con and see how you feel. Oh
yeah, don't forget that until the con starts and the registrations are
all in, you probably had to get a loan or two to fund the on to start with.
I may not have been able to afford to go, but not because of a measly
$60 reg fee, rather I couldn't afford the travel, hotel, time off and
the parts budget I would have needed.
Jeff Stembel wrote:
> In lugnet.events, Tommy Armstrong wrote:
>
> > In lugnet.events, Jeff Stembel wrote:
> >
> > > In my opinion, any monetary compensation for staffmembers is akin to
> > > embezzlement (especially if it is not made known) and any money going from
> > > the event to another organization (again, especially if it is not announced
> > > beforehand) is very unethical.
> > >
> > > Jeff
> >
> > Golly Pete
> >
> > In my opinion no monetary compensation for the event coordinator of a major
> > event is akin to slavery. And that is very, very unethical. Once you pay
> > your registration fee to an event you should have no say how, where, or to
> > whom it goes as long as you are satisfied with the results--unless it is
> > billed as a charity event in which case you do have not only the right to
> > know where the money went but have responsibility as a citizen to to know
> > before contributing. BrickFest has never been advertised as a charity event,
> > or a non-profit event. To say that Christina, if she realized any
> > compensation from BrickFest in past years or Joe this year, is guilty of
> > "embezzlement" is absolutely ridiculous. How can they embezle thier own
> > money?
>
>
> Slavery is not voluntary, and they CHOSE to participate, as did everyone else on
> staff. Staffing a convention is not employment, it is a voluntary service to
> better the hobby. In addition, the money is the *event's* money, not any one
> individual's.
>
>
> > > I expect every cent I put in to go back to the
> > > event itself, and not the people running it.
> >
> > So the people running the event are not part of the event???????
>
>
> No, not really. They are volunteers. Events are not about the people running
> them, but about the hobby they are promoting.
>
> Jeff
>
>
--
Joe Greene
UNIX Systems, Network and IT Specialist
If you aren't having fun, you're doing the wrong thing!
All opinions expressed are mine alone. You Can't Have them!
42.857142857142854% of me is a huge nerd! How about you?
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