Hey Spurr,
Is all good mate and your suggestions are spot on.
All i can say about Expo is that next years will be different ( Rians words). he is aware of the backlash that an auction brings. But it seems to me that the concept was born with 3 guys involved who are putting $$$ where their mouths are. No doubt the top question was "how we going to make this financially viable"?? and the answer it seems is an auction. That decision has been made.
Next years will be a different affair and no doubt based on what was successful this year and what wasnt.
it will grow, it will develope. This is Expo#1. It is what it is,.....but......it does now exist - something that wasnt alive 3 months back.
The auction may not be popular with the forum guys, but it may well be a huge success with Joe Public who will be a larger contingency at Expo than we will be.
So who do they cater for?? us??? Or reaching out to Joe Blow and getting him involved in the hobby.
If i was thinking of setting up an Expo and wanted to guarantee its financial success and had 30 pins sitting there, then i too would say - OK, ill auction these off for X $$ ea and it will pay its way with enough to expand for next year.
Its up to the organisers to decide how best to guarantee a return on their funds... like i say...next years may well be a different affair, but for this year - those decisions have been made already
