Attendance can be capped?
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Posted by jimmythesaint
#1

http://www.gencon.com/press/badgesellout

Anyone know what the cap is? 

Posted by dautzen64
#2

I am more curious if the cap will become permanent for future Gen Cons. I know the attendance for this year is going to be another record breaking number, since it is #50.
 

Posted by andrewj.rager dautzen64
#3

davester1964 wrote:
I am more curious if the cap will become permanent for future Gen Cons. I know the attendance for this year is going to be another record breaking number, since it is #50.
 
I actually expect 50 to be the crescendo & in will dip back down the next couple of years. Everyone wants to be there for 50, then there will be some who do not want to put up with the crowds any more.

Posted by bith
#4

It dipped last year, so yea I don't expect full sell out to continue forever, but at least for this year. 

As for the "cap" I imagine it will always have a cap, because of fire codes. It's just a question of whether the con approaches that cap or not.

Posted by choriqueso
#5

and people laughed at me when I said this year would break 100k. :)

Posted by choriqueso
#6

I'm calling 100k+ right now.

Posted by andrewj.rager choriqueso
#7

shavenskaven wrote:
I'm calling 100k+ right now.
Oh wow. I can't imagine it would be over 100K. I'd think more in the 75-80K range is more reasonable. But who knows.

Posted by njseahawksfan andrewj.rager
#8

andrewj.rager wrote:
shavenskaven wrote:
I'm calling 100k+ right now.
Oh wow. I can't imagine it would be over 100K. I'd think more in the 75-80K range is more reasonable. But who knows.
Agreed.  I think is bananas to expect in excess of 40% growth in just one year.

Posted by quarex
#9

It would be magnificent if we suddenly hit 100,000, but I think, you know, something like 75,000 is a bit more likely :)

Fun aside...ugh.  This is not happy news.  One of my favorite things about being a Gen-Con evangelist was always "knowing" that unlike other popular conventions, all were welcome, and there was no elitism at work in the very ability to attend (from a purely "able to purchase a badge" sense, that is).  But now...oh dear.

Agreed, though, that this will likely be the most-attended Gen-Con ever for at least a few more years, though it would not surprise me if the attendance got back up to the bursting point again in 2021, especially if that ended up being the last year in Indianapolis or something insane like that.

Posted by rhone1
#10

Or maybe this is just a PR move to continue the hype for the best four days of the year?

Don't worry about a cap people, we are a loooooong way from one.  Although, like the above poster, it would be really cool to hit 100,000!

Posted by bith
#11

Why would they do it now, when they've never done it before?

Posted by varelseshrike
#12

I am thinking 75,000 would be the cap. No reason, just thinking how packed the place is with the 63,000 we have had the last two years. I doubt 100,000. There is no way to fit that many people.

Also, RIP to my wishlists of new releases. 

Posted by trace_sl
#13

Think it would be fire/building code that would limit the attendance. 

Also, are we talking turnstile as that is listed as 201,852, but 75,000 unique attendance could be the cap for population support in the area.  

Why now?  I would say that we are getting close to reaching that number.  So, action has to be taken. 

 

Posted by gencon322198
#14

We all knew attendance would be up, but this is a big surprise.  I feel sorry for the families that were planning to show up and buy passes on the spot and not in advance.

Seems like mixed news in many ways, more crowds but more exiting.

Posted by loon
#15

We're not at capping. We're at "If things keep up at this pace, we will cap." I have no idea how ticket sales ebb and flow between in the two months before the convention, but I suspect that capping is still unlikely, though it's cool marketing to say "hey, this thing could sell out."

Posted by bith loon
#16

loon wrote:
We're not at capping. We're at "If things keep up at this pace, we will cap." I have no idea how ticket sales ebb and flow between in the two months before the convention, but I suspect that capping is still unlikely, though it's cool marketing to say "hey, this thing could sell out."
On the other hand, they've never made an announcement like this before.  So, even if it doesn't sell out, the fact that they felt the need to tell people is not small.

Posted by garhkal trace_sl
#17

trace_sl wrote:
Think it would be fire/building code that would limit the attendance. 
Also, are we talking turnstile as that is listed as 201,852, but 75,000 unique attendance could be the cap for population support in the area.  
Why now?  I would say that we are getting close to reaching that number.  So, action has to be taken. 
 

Yup.  IMO Gencon itself might wish to handle half a million ticketted gamers, but if the Convention space is only rated for 300 thousand, then that's all they can sell up to..  INC exhibitors, special guests and volunteers.

Posted by trace_sl bith
#18

saburch wrote:
[/forums/22-general-info-2017/topics/7829-attendance-can-be-capped?page=1#30828ined] loon wrote:[/url]
We're not at capping. We're at "If things keep up at this pace, we will cap." I have no idea how ticket sales ebb and flow between in the two months before the convention, but I suspect that capping is still unlikely, though it's cool marketing to say "hey, this thing could sell out."
On the other hand, they've never made an announcement like this before.  So, even if it doesn't sell out, the fact that they felt the need to tell people is not small.

There may have always been a cap, it is just this year we are pushing it. 
 

Posted by jpederso
#19

News of a cap may get some of my fence sitters ("maybe I'll come and crash at your hotel") to make the decision.  4 day passes are refundable like everything else, right?

Posted by trace_sl
#20

Just imagine...the gamer stink, it shall rise above Indy like a mushroom cloud! :)

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