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Anatomy of a trade show – The National Sports Collectors Convention, Part 1 of 3
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The Nationals Sports Collector's Convention kicks off on Wednesday, July 29th and runs through the end of the weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. Once a year sports enthusiasts from around the world gather to swap sportscards, collect autographs and just get together with other crazy athletic fans to talk about their game (or lack thereof). The greatest athletes, former and current players in all major sports and other personalities will be in attendance. They lure us in to the hall. I'm always asked where I find most of my favorite collectibles. It doesn't matter if I'm seeking sportscards or hunting down a rare coin. Some of the finds come via internet auctions but the memorable purchases are conducted face-to-face at conventions.
Defining an attack strategy as you browse the exhibitor map, navigating through the aisles, scavenging through boxes and binders, and sitting for hours at a dealers table in a quest to find the mis-priced rarity are just some of the images we collectors think about when we start planning for a big convention. The imagery is similar for most trade shows. We pick out t-shirts to wear and advertise our interests. Our roller bags are filled with price guides marked by highlights and sticky notes. We make multiple trips to our favorite supply booths. Bargain bins are hidden under piles of hands, 1/2 off glass cases are moving junk, and dealers are begging for a glimpse of our want-lists to capture our dollars. But, there's nothing like finding a unique piece at just the right price, picking it up just seconds before another collector finds it for themselves. It's our buzzer beater.
To be continued....convention eve, the pre-party!
For The National general information and tickets, please visit: http://www.nsccshow.com/
