From The MSBA Expo committee and the MSBA membership - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

mikeg · 03-03-2008, 11:23 AM

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.

JohnR · 03-03-2008, 11:27 AM

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

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...

BigBo · 03-03-2008, 12:40 PM

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.

mikeg · 03-04-2008, 08:41 AM

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

BigBo · 03-04-2008, 11:47 AM

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.

Back Beach · 03-04-2008, 03:51 PM

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.

Title Wave · 03-08-2008, 05:04 PM

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.

mikeg · 03-10-2008, 08:52 AM

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

Clogston29 · 03-10-2008, 09:27 AM

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.

BigBo · 03-10-2008, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clogston29

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.

davisd · 03-10-2008, 01:40 PM

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

NIB · 03-10-2008, 06:47 PM

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??

zacs · 03-10-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg

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....

BigFish · 03-12-2008, 06:10 PM

boot man · 03-13-2008, 06:38 AM

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..

BigFish · 03-12-2008, 07:07 PM

I will wear my kevlar vest!