RedsFest Cancelled for the next 2 years...

[Matt700wlw]

Why would the Reds FO work for something when they can just throw in the towel and say the hell with it?

[remdog]

This is a pretty good example of the knee-jerk reaction the Reds often get on this board from people that don't have any idea what they're talking about. Sorry if that sounds harsh but, IMO, it's true.

I work over 50 events per year and the logistics involved are complex. Replacing a 190,000 square foot venue isn't easy. Besides the square footage, things like labor contracts, staffing (both permanent and temporary), dates, compeating events, exclusive contracts and things as mundane as food and bathroom facilities come into play. Throw in things like personal appearances, sponsorship, advertising deadlines, etc. and you get a lot on your plate that doesn't appear to the casual attendee.

If the Reds went ahead and did a half-assed job of RedsFest for the next two years I have no doubt that the hue and cry on this site would be what terrible marketers they were. Some people will always take the negative tract and that's just the way it is.....(shrug).

I did two events last year that I wrote negative reviews on and recommended that we not do them again unless certain changes were made: one was the 2003 NCAA Track & Field Championships which was a precursor for the 2004 Olympic Trials. The other was the JP Morgan Open Tennis Tournament at Home Depot Center in Los Angeles. Both of these events take place in July and, up until about two weeks ago, we (meaning Marriott) opted not to sponsor them again because these two events had not satisfied what we considered to be minimum requirements for an enjoyable customer/sponsor experience. So, even though the facility was 'available', it took 10 months to iron out the other problems. Starting from scratch, looking for a new venue would probably take even longer and, IMO, the Reds are smart to announce the RedsFest interuption now and let the blame fall on the convention center. If they can successfully find a suitable venue, with the required facilities, they will look like heros.

Doing an event in less than optimum circumstances is simply doing more harm than good because it is human nature that people will remember the negatives long after the effort to keep the continuity. Both of the above events have now corrected enough of the problems that Marriott (as well as other major sponsors that made the same complaints) will be doing these events this year. But, it took 10 months to iron out the details at venues that were already in place. Trying to find a new venue that not only has the space but the ancilary facilities, the staff, the dates and (maybe most importantly) the the attitude to make an event a positive experience for the patron is much more dificult.

I would not be surprised if, down the road, the Reds announce that they've found a way to do RedsFest '05/'06. But, IMO, in case that doesn't happen, they are better off announcing a postponement now rather than later. It's been common knowledge that the convention center has been unavailable for conventions during this time period so not having enough for RedsFest isn't exactly a surprise.

Rem

[Chip R]

If the event actually needed 190,000 square feet, to whip up some math for a moment, that's roughly the size of four football fields. Not many facilities have that space in total, much less contiguous.

So what would you do? Have it scattered into multiple facilities? Cancel some of the stuff that requires a lot of space? Limit the number of available tickets? Not taking a position one way or the other. Just askin'.

I think it would not be too difficult to book one of Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky's finer hotels for this. One of the larger meeting rooms could be used for the Q&A and Games and Reds Jeopardy. Other smaller meeting rooms can be used for autograph and photo sessions. Suites can be used for the memorabilia hawking. I don't know anything about what kind of space would be available for this. I do know that there is a lot of open space on the floor at Reds Fest. Particularly over by the autograph and photo areas.

Matt, I know you like to see cheapness as a motive in everything the Reds do but if they wanted to save money, they would have cancelled Reds Fest several years ago. Chalk this one up to incompetence and lack of foresight.

[Matt700wlw]

Matt, I know you like to see cheapness as a motive in everything the Reds do but if they wanted to save money, they would have cancelled Reds Fest several years ago. Chalk this one up to incompetence and lack of foresight.

That works too

[dman]

Columbus has not only Nationwide Arena, but the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Schottenstein Arena that the event could possibly be held at. Yes it is away from the Queen City, but there are a lot of Reds Fans in Columbus including myself.

[IslandRed]

I think it would not be too difficult to book one of Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky's finer hotels for this. One of the larger meeting rooms could be used for the Q&A and Games and Reds Jeopardy. Other smaller meeting rooms can be used for autograph and photo sessions. Suites can be used for the memorabilia hawking. I don't know anything about what kind of space would be available for this.

I just did a Google check for fun... I may be missing some bigger facilities, but the largest hotel meeting space I found was the Hyatt Regency with about 33,000.

[Chip R]

I just did a Google check for fun... I may be missing some bigger facilities, but the largest hotel meeting space I found was the Hyatt Regency with about 33,000.

Is that just for one room or would that be for the whole hotel?

[remdog]

That was cute, Chip.

Rem

[Chip R]

That was cute, Chip.

Rem

I wasn't trying to be cute. I just asked if that is the largest area they had available or if that included the largest area with other meeting rooms, ballrooms, etc. Since you are the hotel expert, Rem, perhaps you could answer my question.

[creek14]

Matt, I know you like to see cheapness as a motive in everything the Reds do but if they wanted to save money, they would have cancelled Reds Fest several years ago. Chalk this one up to incompetence and lack of foresight.

I'm not Matt, but I dated one once.

And I don't totally agree with your statement. Well I do agree with the incompetence and lack of foresight part.

But maybe someone in the FO is smart enough (slim chance) to realize that if they have another fire sale this July the fans will go ballistic. So let's think of other ways to cut costs. Well we can use those 2003 cups and wow look at this stroke of good luck, the convention center is being rehabed. Hey we can say we can't find any other place to have RedsFest and save a few thousand there.

[Matt700wlw]

But maybe someone in the FO is smart enough (slim chance) to realize that if they have another fire sale this July the fans will go ballistic. So let's think of other ways to cut costs. Well we can use those 2003 cups and wow look at this stroke of good luck, the convention center is being rehabed. Hey we can say we can't find any other place to have RedsFest and save a few thousand there.

I don't know, that seems rather complicated for them...

[remdog]

Gee Chip, here I am trying to give you credit for being funny. My bad, I guess.

Sure, I can answer your question. Go to www.marriott.com or www.spg.com or www.hyatt.com, etc., etc., etc......All the info you need is there.

Of course, I would recommend that you first read my previous post. There is a lot more to staging an event than square footage.

Rem

[KronoRed]

I'm not Matt, but I dated one once.

And I don't totally agree with your statement. Well I do agree with the incompetence and lack of foresight part.

But maybe someone in the FO is smart enough (slim chance) to realize that if they have another fire sale this July the fans will go ballistic. So let's think of other ways to cut costs. Well we can use those 2003 cups and wow look at this stroke of good luck, the convention center is being rehabed. Hey we can say we can't find any other place to have RedsFest and save a few thousand there.

Matts are pretty cool

I lean more toward this is just a stupid move without much though behind it, more like
Fo worker: "we can't find a space, what should we do?"
MeanPeopleInCharge: "Cancel it! stop running the phone bill up calling people"

[REDREAD]

But maybe someone in the FO is smart enough (slim chance) to realize that if they have another fire sale this July the fans will go ballistic. So let's think of other ways to cut costs. Well we can use those 2003 cups and wow look at this stroke of good luck, the convention center is being rehabed. Hey we can say we can't find any other place to have RedsFest and save a few thousand there.

Got to find some way to fund that HOF that Carl mandated.. that money has to come from somewhere

[Chip R]

I'm not Matt, but I dated one once.

And I don't totally agree with your statement. Well I do agree with the incompetence and lack of foresight part.

But maybe someone in the FO is smart enough (slim chance) to realize that if they have another fire sale this July the fans will go ballistic. So let's think of other ways to cut costs. Well we can use those 2003 cups and wow look at this stroke of good luck, the convention center is being rehabed. Hey we can say we can't find any other place to have RedsFest and save a few thousand there.

I can see where you are coming from, creek. But Reds Fest could be a moneymaker for the Reds. I mean, you think John Allen would keep something going if it wasn't making money? Plus they have said that they are in a position where they don't have to cut salaries and quite possibly could add a salary. And there aren't a whole lot of big salaries to cut. Sure, if Casey were traded people would be burning effigies of DanO, Allen and Lindner. If Jr. were traded, people would be upset but in the back of their minds they would realize that he could get injured again at any time and he's no spring chicken anymore. Graves I don't think a lot of people would be that upset with.

I would think there are several solutions to this problem rather than going out and saying, "No RedsFest the next two years cause we can't use the Convention Center. Sucks for you." I would hope they are 100% sure that they cannot stage it anywhere else before they went public with that. A few years ago they did the same thing. They used to have it in January but they said they couldn't get the times they wanted in Jan. so they may not have it. Turns out they did happen to get those dates in Dec. so they were really crying wolf. I hate to say this but if you are going to look at another place to do this, look at the team who started this thing: The Cubs. I think they use some hotel in Chicago for their shindig. I'm sure that the hotels here aren't as big as the ones in Chicago but RedsFest isn't as big as Cubs Fest either.