so where is 2020 nats

[Moose135]

 

On 7/30/2017 at 10:11 PM, Waco said:

No bids for 2020 is a huge warning flag.

 

Not really.  They have some clubs interested in 2020, but that is three years out - in the past, they normally would have announced 2019 at this year's Nats, and 2020 next year.  They change procedures so someone could bid three years out, if it helped them book a place, which is why Chattanooga for 2019 was announced last year.  It's not cause for concern that they don't have one yet.

[Steve N]

Duplicate Post. 😶

Edited August 2, 2017 by Steve N

[Steve N]

On 7/31/2017 at 7:51 PM, habu2 said:

 

That's not a Saturn V, but  obviously based on one. It looks like a whif based on the Saturn C8 proposal.

 

Note the SEVEN F1 engines on the first stage, many other differences from a Saturn V

I believe the model was called something like "direct ascent lunar rocket."  I thought it was a Saturn V myself until I heard the announcement during the awards ceremony. 

 

SN

[Rex]

We need to be reallllly careful with the "2020  Nats",,,,,,,,we don't want any judges with glasses for instance.

 

Geez, I don't know if me and my bifocals are even eligible to build and display models at such an event.

[habu2]

At this time foresight is 2020.....   😎

[Moose135]

On 7/30/2017 at 11:33 PM, mec011 said:

I know the contenders only because someone from IPMS New Jersey bothered to post the winners Saturday morning onto their Facebook page,

 

How were they able to do that? The winners aren't announced until the banquet on Saturday night.

[mec011]

Just now, Moose135 said:

 

How were they able to do that? The winners aren't announced until the banquet on Saturday night.

 

For 2016 and 2017 (and continuing into the future, as far as I am aware) they are announcing the Best ofs winners for each main class on Saturday morning to give everyone a chance to view and photograph the contenders for the Judges Grand Award (aka Overall Best in Show) before the mad dash to pack up on Saturday night.

[Moose135]

That's right! I forgot about that - I did shoot most of the "Best Of" winners on Saturday at Columbia last year.

[John Tapsell]

On 31/07/2017 at 3:54 AM, Darren Roberts said:

I completely agree. I was part of a panel discussion on the state of the hobby because I'm a small, niche, aftermarket company. One of the participants was an editor from SAM magazine and Vlad from Eduard. Both told of how vibrant the European scene is. Eduard makes more in a matter of hours at a European nationals than they do in four days at the US Nats. I would surmise they lose money when they come to the States. The big question is why the difference? I think you hit on a big part of it. It's the old "We've always done it this way, so we'll continue to do it until we fade into non-existence" mentality. The only hitch to having change is the fact that the Nats seem to produce large results (both modeling-wise and economically), so they don't see a need to change. It's short term gain at the expense of long term viability.

 

There are some fundamental differences to a European show compared to a US event.

 

I attended to 2001 IPMS USA Convention in Chicago, so I'm basing my comments on that experience. It was a great show and I really enjoyed it but it was very different to the major shows in the UK and Europe that I attend on a regular basis.

 

The IPMS UK Nationals is marketed as Scale ModelWorld. It's an annual event run at the same venue since 1998 (difference #1) and is organised and run directly by the Executive Committee (E-board in US-speak) with significant volunteer input from the grassroots membership across the entire society rather than just a few chapters in the area (difference #2). It's a two day event (difference #3) held over a weekend - Saturday and Sunday (difference #4). It is a much larger event than the US Convention in terms of floor area.

 

Some basic statistics:

Current IPMS UK membership is approx 3,500 (roughly two thirds attend Scale ModelWorld).

Scale ModelWorld attracts 10,000 visitors across two days.

180 vendors.

180 Chapter and SIG displays.

Contest entries - roughly 1000 each year.

'Display only' models - roughly 4000 each year.

IPMS Members pay no fees to enter the show or the contest (that's IPMS Members from anywhere in the world, no matter what national organisation you belong to).

The show is self-financing and makes a small surplus every year which we plough back into other IPMS activities.

 

We can do this for a number of reasons. We are a small country so it is viable for most of our members to travel to the venue by road. It also means the chapters and SIGs can bring a structured display with them to exhibit at the show, each with an average of 20-30 models on it. Cumulatively, that's where the 4000 display models comes from. The lack of display models at Chicago was the biggest shock for me - with very rare exceptions, the chapter displays at a European show are the centrepiece of any event.

 

The contest itself is smaller than the US Nationals and always has been - it's an important element of the show but it isn't why most of us attend. Only around 5% of the show visitors will enter a model in the contest.

 

The vendors come from all over the world - roughly one third are from outside the UK (mostly Europe but also from Asia and North America). Again, geography plays a big part in that. A European vendor can drive to the show rather than having to fly and ship their stock separately.

 

Changing, refreshing the US Convention is great, but it has to work within a US context. What works in Europe won't necessarily translate as a whole concept across the Atlantic, but some of those aspects might be worth investigating.

 

Regards,

John

 

 

[Mr Matt Foley]

On 7/30/2017 at 11:22 PM, Johnopfor said:

The Judges' Grand went to this pipelayer........

http://www.ipmsusa3.org/gallery/v/events/2017Nationals/Auto/IMG_4707.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

I don't remember who won the popular choice award, maybe the earlier posted PB4Y?

 

 

LOL...when I first read that I thought you were referring to someone who is a member of this forum.....god I kill myself....

[dnl42]

2 hours ago, John Tapsell said:

There are some fundamental differences to a European show compared to a US event.

Outstanding analysis!