BTS 2015 = total bust?

[kwinter]

I don't know that there is a complaint, or that lavish parties attract tech divers. For the first 4 years I attended, the tech party was in the Embassy Suites. It was a walk. Now, it's a bus ride away, and it starts at 9PM, so you get out of the show, wait 3 buses until you get on one, ride 15 minutes to the hotel, drink a bud, bud light, or miller lite, buy some decent beer, party until after the buses stop, missing the last bus back, get in bed by 2 and start the show at 9 AM. Or, it could be a no host party at any of the 10 cheeseburger chains within walking distance (Cheeseburger in Paradise, BurgerFi, Chili's, Red Robin, Buffalo Wild Wing, etc. etc.) and have one great time.

And it isn't held at the Embassy Suites any more because they saw it as a way to make some money, instead of just selling us beer, and started charging for the privilege of drinking in their bar.

See, a social occasion doesn't need to be expensive, just planned.

I guess you should have come to the party. All the beer was free, not just the first one like it was years ago. In fact all the beer was free the last time it was at the Embassy Suites 2 years ago as well. Dive Rite sponsored it and there were several people walking around with pitchers of beer to serve the crowd. Pete Nawrocky never let my cup get empty.

So all the beer and food are free, with plenty of door prizes given away. Yes, I would prefer it to be at the Embassy. I thought last year was a one-time thing, but I guess it is up to the sponsors. Still, a good time was had by all. Or at least one.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

 

[MixAddict]

As a vendor who exhibited at BTS, (Sub-Gravity.com), I can say that we had good steady traffic at our booth throughout the show. The only real slow time for us was the first 2 hours on Sunday morning, but other than that we had all the traffic we could handle with 4 of us working the booth. The crowd at BTS is definitely a little on the older side, but they are also the people who have more expendable income. This was our 2nd year exhibiting and have already booked next year's space. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello and look at our HammerHead CCRs as well as our shiny new SubGravity H3 dive computers!

 

[tridacna]

I'm still keen on understanding why there were so many 'fluffy nothing-to-with-SCUBA'' booths. I was approached many times by an aggressive masseur armed with an iPhone. Pretty weird...

 

[RJP]

I'm still keen on understanding why there were so many 'fluffy nothing-to-with-SCUBA'' booths. I was approached many times by an aggressive masseur armed with an iPhone. Pretty weird...

They are a convention floor staple... buying up empty booth space for pennies per square foot.

---------- Post added March 30th, 2015 at 09:54 PM ----------

Dive Rite sponsored it and there were several people walking around with pitchers of beer to serve the crowd. Pete Nawrocky never let my cup get empty.

I'm sure DiveRite will be thrilled to know that. (Hint: Pete works for OMS now.)

 

[ddmattos]

As a vendor who exhibited at BTS, (SubGravity.com), I can say that we had good steady traffic at our booth throughout the show. The only real slow time for us was the first 2 hours on Sunday morning, but other than that we had all the traffic we could handle with 4 of us working the booth. The crowd at BTS is definitely a little on the older side, but they are also the people who have more expendable income. This was our 2nd year exhibiting and have already booked next year's space. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello and look at our HammerHead CCRs as well as our shiny new SubGravity H3 dive computers!

Don't forget those the nice Subgravity Backplate Harness Sliders. My buddy and I were lucky to attend Friday and pickup the SS version. Thanks for digging them out of the bin and the four you making change $. They work perfectly. We are using one on our right harness strap. I put the tri-glide on the inside of the strap as a stop so I don't tightened too much. My can light buckle will stop me from loosening it too much the other way.

Thanks again

 

[kwinter]

I'm sure DiveRite will be thrilled to know that. (Hint: Pete works for OMS now.)

Read my post, Ray. I was talking about 2 or 3 years ago. Both Lamar and Pete were serving it up by the gallon. Dive Rite didn't sponsor the party this year. And while I spent some time with Pete on the show floor, I don't think he made it to the party.

 

[RJP]

And while I spent some time with Pete on the show floor, I don't think he made it to the party.

Yeah, I was home in bed by then myself.

 

[tridacna]

They are a convention floor staple... buying up empty booth space for pennies per square foot[

Precisely my point. In a previous life, I helped run trade shows for a Fortune 50. Those filler booths are a good pointer of the success (or not) of a tradeshow. There were a LOT at BTS. I stopped going to some shows because of them.

How many SCUBA travel agent booths do you suppose were there at the show? Seemed like a lot too.

 

[Mr.X]

I don't believe it represents the fact that diving is not a mainstream hobby. If that was the fact that in attendance by both vendors and divers would be low but stable. The fact that attendance seems to be declining would be suggestive of the fact that for all reasons mentioned in other forum threads diving does not seem to be attracting as many new participants as we would like. I also go by my initial comment that the Internet has allowed access to products and information that previously would need to be seen in person.

We quit attending + having booths a few years ago. Since we're in the tech / RB sector most info. could be found on our website. Plus, other than saying hello to NY/NJ/DE/PA tech friends - most of the time it was a bother going to NJ + working with casual divers were mostly there to get bags of freebies. And yes - I did get a bunch of massagers in those many BTS filler spaces.

As per the internet - is there a direct correlation between diminishing turnout at BTS due to web-based comp.? Would need to conduct a survey at BTS to see if that's the case, or even a factor. I just feel that it's a schlep, not so much family fun, high price of general admission + most folks would rather do something else than dive. Especially if it's a religious holiday too. Also, if memory serves me - the entire US rec. scuba industry profits equals one, or two nights of gambling profits in Vegas. That makes US scuba industry a shrimp vs. other sports-related hobbies like cycling, or skiing where the gateway to play is so much more easier.