We took the feedback from the Gillette show, poor lighting, low overheads, broken up display areas, and, of course, the food prices, and went looking for a new venue. Our priority, as it has always been in every one of our fifty plus Expo's, was to put on the best show possible and keep the tradition of fishing and nothing but fishing alive.

We heard that space was available at Stonehill College, visited it, and it just felt right.

We knew, especially after the problems with Gillete, there were some doubts out there about our making a comeback so we put together a package with a few built in deals.

We did our mailings, we did our calls and we did our operations planning. Then, on Friday Feb. 29th, we held our breath. We sweated throught a slow snowy Saturday. Finally at 9 AM Sunday it all came together just as we had envisioned it. The, to my probably prejudiced eye, t best show of it's kind in the Northeast was on!

We offer our thanks to the vendors who took a chance, to our guests who bought their tickets, to On the Water with their innovative interactive tables, to our sponsors, and to Striped-Bass.com for not only their sponsorship but also their outstanding seminar schedule.

As committee chair I offer a special thanks to both the committee and the volunteers who worked the show. Without their hard work the F. M. couldn't have happened.

Mike G.
MSBA Expo 08 Chairman

Note - I am rather new to and unfamiliar with the online fisihing community so so please do not construe my only posting this here at this time as a slight against any other online forum. I wll try to correct that soonest.

Thanks Mike - and you can slight any other forum you like - just not this one :hihi:

Seriously - it was a good show - the weather charlie foxtrotted the first day unfortunately but big thumbs up to MSBA and the folks that helped out...

One bit of criticism if I may; In the future, try to disseminate the particulars regarding the show a bit earlier than this year. I was trying to get vendor and seminar info to plan the event. I was unable to obtain any but the slightest details right up until barely a week before the Expo took place. Consequently, I was not comfortable putting in for the time off from work based on the information available.
I know you're never going to please everyone, and I'm just one person, so you do the best you can. But, I talked to several others that felt the same way and they too didn't attend the Expo because of the same logistical issues.

I perfer to think of it as constructive observations.

We knew there was going to be a problem when the whole set up went nuts in the last week and we were taking booth reservations the day before the show opened, the final layout was being changed at 11 PM Thursday the night before the show and we were waiting for certain other info which needed to be confirmed

It was a problem we were aware of but the general consensus was that it would be better to post no information rather than bad information. I'm sure you'd agree that the first is defense able but the second unforgivable to someone who had laid down the cash to see something in particular only to find it wasn't there.

Sometimes it is just the nature of the beast and you do the best you can with what you have.

MikeG

Understandable Mike. But to be honest, the answer you just gave me was the best I've gotten to date (too little, too late though). When the question was raised before the Expo, the answers were very vague to say the least. Had I got the answer you gave, I might have taken the chance and gone. As a result, I decided that I'll go to the RISAA show instead.

I've personally been to the show for the last 15 or so years and have never been disappointed. Even with the mentioned issues at Gillette I still enjoyed it. A lot goes into the shows and it’s impossible to get everything perfect. I took my 3 1/2 year old son on Sunday. The guys working the door were courteous as always. I had to make it a real quick visit as the little one has a short attention span, but the show was great, spread out, and a lot of new, creative stuff to be seen and heard. Great job MSBA.
My son was disappointed that there were no live tiger sharks, but he enjoyed the hamburgers. :laugha:

We only want to build on what we hear. We could have given more info on who we knew was coming as vendors with "many more not yet confirmed" we could have listed our speakers with "more speakers and detail to follow". We can get better.

As for the front door crew- awsome as always and I am sure they tried to make the 3 1/2 year old accepted. I had a great time during my stint as ticket taker and door prize schill and front door guy reminding people to buy raffle tickets.

As kindly mentioned above we always put on a great show. Always have great speakers and no repeats. Thanks to John and all of you at Striped-Bass.com for your support and great speakers.

We will try to get more info out sooner next year. We do strive to create the type of show where it is so well known for quality that just based on the fact that it is occurring means quality and that you should take the day off and attend, like an ol Dead Concert, or like that ball field in Iowa in Field of Dreams we will build it please come. Fact is we are already starting planning for next year. Based on the positive feedback we have received and the constructive observations it will only get better.

I want even more attendees next year to hear our speakers and inspire them to take it to the next level and to take part in the hands on activities and get great deals fom the vendors and keep them happy as well. The MSBA EXPO needs to be the start of the fishing season.

Bill
President MSBA
and really proud of our 2008 EXPO

Again, thanks to Mike and his Show Committee, John and the great fisherman at Striped-Bass.com.

Seems to me that Gillette put a stake in the heart of the MSBA show, the move to Stonehill gives you a fighting chance. Compared to RISSA, however, the manufacturer turn out was thin. Hopefully that will improve as the new location breathes life back into the show.

I agree with Numbskull. Need more manufacturers and dealers or its just not worth going. Hopefully they'll be able to build it up in the coming years. Probably tought to compete with RISSA though when the two are so close together. I think I covered the place in about 10 minutes and was like now what. Took and ride over the Burgess B&T and hung out with Phil for a bit while down there though, which is always a good time, glad to see him doing well. The fact that he had some "goods" stashed away for luds and I didn't hurt either :jump:

It was the first time I've been and I really enjoyed it. I'm sure I'll be back next year. Thanks to everyone for all your hard work.

Actually it isn't because we don't. The RISSA show and the MSBA Sports Fishing Expo are two different animals who happen to fall near each other in the compressed February/March fishing show schedule. As does Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and Suffren.

The difference is plainly shown in the names. RISSA puts on a great show with lots of different stuff. The MSBA puts on a Sports Fisihing Expo with only one aim, giving it's visitors the best and newest in sports fishing from national manufacturers, local custom builders, and the shops the local fishing community does business with.

As it was in the past and, as we grow in the new venue, it will be in the future, you may have to wiggle your way past a crowd around a booth at the MSBA Expo but it will because they are checking out something new and innovative in fishing equipment and not because the crowd is looking at fancy leather belts or family heraldry plaques.

We could have stuff, we turn stuff down every year because stuff isn't what the MSBA or the Expo is about.

Please never confuse the MSBA Sports Fishing Exposition with anyone's show. Whether you spend ten minutes or two hours going through a MSBA Expo what you will see it the best, most concentrated exhibits of sports fishing equipment and vendors to be found in the New England region as well as meeting old and new fishing friends and some of the most knowledgeable saltwater fishermen of every discipline to be found anywhere.

My thoughts on the MSBA Expo and competition with any show anywhere.

MIkeG
MSBA Saltwater Sports Fishing Expo Chairman

my point wasn't that its a direct competition. my point is that some of the possible manufacturer's reps, plug builders, tackle shops, etc. in the area only have the time and monetary resources to do one show. With RISSA being a larger show with more people and therefore exposure, it may be tough for MSBA to draw them away from RISSA and therefore get back up to the number of vendors it had in the past. I won't list examples because I don't want to single anyone out, but a quick look at the list of fishing vendors (not counting guide services and misc. non fishing related vendors) at each shows this point. i'm not saying one show type is better or worse than the other or that one is trying to outdo the other.

my point wasn't that its a direct competition. my point is that some of the possible manufacturer's reps, plug builders, tackle shops, etc. in the area only have the time and monetary resources to do one show. With RISSA being a larger show with more people and therefore exposure, it may be tough for MSBA to draw them away from RISSA and therefore get back up to the number of vendors it had in the past. I won't list examples because I don't want to single anyone out, but a quick look at the list of fishing vendors (not counting guide services and misc. non fishing related vendors) at each shows this point. i'm not saying one show type is better or worse than the other or that one is trying to outdo the other.
This is essentially the point I was trying to make about the Expo coordinators disseminating vendor info as far in advance as possible. Clogston just worded it better. If I have a limited amount of time and have a specific purpose in mind, such as hitting as many quality vendors as possible to maximize my efforts, I need information in advance. This information was almost non existent up until a week or less before the MSBA Expo.
Sorry mikeg, but that's how I perceived it this year. Believe me. I've been attending the MSBA Expo for many years. As bad as the Gillette Stadium venue was, at least I was able to get the information I wanted before hand. I've only attended the RISAA show a handful of times, but that's where I feel I'll be able to maximize my time spent at a New England Fishing Show this year. And that's where I'll be going.

I would just like to say good job to all. And remember when it was at the armory in Braintree??? You guys have come a long way with this show. Thanks

Proud Member MSBA
Dave Davis

I thought the scheduling could have been better.It was the same weekend as the Big Show in Sufferen NY.The larger tackle companies are always there. an a pretty big show in NJ.The berkley club show.Which had over 1700 on sunday.The MSBA show used to always be around the third weekend in March.I looked forward to it.Why the change??

Because people whined about it being too close to the RISAA show. You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time!:tooth:

Actually it isn't because we don't. The RISSA show and the MSBA Sports Fishing Expo are two different animals who happen to fall near each other in the compressed February/March fishing show schedule. As does Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and Suffren.

Like it or not, you compete against RISSA. If the word compete makes you uneasy, you can feel free to call it something else, but you are competing against the RISSA show, and the Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and Suffren shows for that matter.

You are competing to get attendees, you are competing to get quality vendors, and you are competing to get quality presenters.

Nothing wrong with it, but thats what it is....:D

Because people whined about it being too close to the RISAA show. You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time!:tooth:


Ya I guess thats true.I used to go to both.
There are no "open" weekends anymore seems everyone and their brother is trying to capitalize on fishing show popularity.Maybe it's time for a Show in August...:btu:
I know Ur club does some nice Meeting seminar type plug nights maybe this yr I can schedule a trip around one of those.What time of the month are ur meetings?? Ours are always the second Thursday of the month.

We meet the 4th Wednesday of the month at the Viking Club in Braintree, unless there is a holiday conflict (usually Thanksgiving and Christmas when we may move the meetings a week ahead).

MSBA.NET has all details.

Historically we do Plug Night in August(invented by our own Big-Fish).

Our March Speaker is Al Gag's and I believe Big Fish himself is set to be a speaker soon after that.
Bill

:hidin:

I will wear my kevlar vest!;)

I know I am in a small minority here, but I brought my kids to RISSA last year and MSBA this year. They would recommend copying the kid's casting area that they have in Providence if there is space available.

They also love the fish fighting simulator but that probably costs a few more bucks.

Just a thought..