ORIGINAL: BobH
I've attended several Scale Masters over the years and it seems that when the SM is on the west coast attendance is low. The Biggest SM's are those held in Dayton or that area. It draws modelers from the east and west coasts.
I would agree that a fixed venue where ever it is is the wise choice. The Nats no longer roam and TG has never roamed. Having a fixed location allows for proper planning by the contestants and the event organizers. The issue then would be who would run the event? Normally its a club that does so. This would have to change of course.
Hi Bob,
Actually, Top Gun did start out by roaming a bit.....the 2nd event in 1990 was held in Mesa, AZ. I think Frank quickly found out that the logistics involved of conducting an event like TG 2000 miles from home base was tough to deal with. He went back to Florida and stayed there.
There is no doubt that the biggest participation in the Scale Masters Championships was when it was held in the midwest. I can remember having 75 or so contestants at Dayton one year.
I have flown at many SM Championships....and have traveled to the west coast at least three times plus Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas and Kansas City. Not too many years ago, you could ship a model crate across the country round trip for less than 200.00, airline tickets were cheap, we got special rates on motels.....you could make the whole trip for less than 1000.00. Things are just different now. The economic climate is bad and everything costs so much that not as many people can afford to travel. I think the interest is still there, it's just that people have to work harder to make ends meet now....which results in less time for modeling and travel, and fewer dollars for that big time model project. Heck, even TG is down some in attendance.
The alternating East coast, west coast venue is probably the most fair....but it is a nightmare for those trying to conduct the event. If you go strictly West coast, it means not many East coast guy's will make it and vice versa. If you go with a permanent midwest location, you run the risk of neither East or West coast guys making it....although if I had to vote, that would be my choice.