What would the date move of Anime-NYC means to Otakon's future?

[Daniel Perales 108]

Hi All!

 

        Just got back from Anime-NYC. So far, it's ok. But this news caught my attention:

 

Anime NYC Moves to August in 2024 With Expanded Javits Presence - News - Anime News Network

 

      With this change of date, this places Otakon right between two major industry anime cons, now.  With these conventions barely a month apart now, I'm afraid that Otakon is going to be squeezed out of existence.

 

Just to put things into perspective:

Anime Expo:  July 4-7, 2024

Otakon:   August 2-4, 2024

Anime-NYC:  August 23-25, 2024  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Daniel Perales
Added the dates

[Clutch 87]

Isn't Otakon the original one for the East Coast? Where do the attendance numbers land for those other conventions compared to Otakon?

[Daniel Perales 108]

1 hour ago, Clutch said:

Isn't Otakon the original one for the East Coast? Where do the attendance numbers land for those other conventions compared to Otakon?

Let's use the attendance numbers for 2022 as a reference:

 

Anime Expo 2022: Over 100,000

Otakon 2022: Over 40,000

Anime-NYC 2022: 55,000

 

Anime-NYC is the newest convention (started in 2017), and it took off like a rocket compared to Anime Expo and Otakon in their years of existence. If it wasn't for the COVID-19 pandemic interruption, it would have been probable that Anime-NYC attendance numbers would have caught up, or at least closed in on Anime Expo's numbers by now. They already surpassed Otakon numbers as you can see.

According to the article, it looks like they're going to take the entire Javis Center and maybe other venues around the Hudson Yards and Times Square area next year. We just had New York Comic Con last month in the same venue and their attendance numbers were over 200,000.

On second thought, having Anime-NYC catch up to both Anime Expo and New York Comic Con will be a real feat since those 2 cons are a 4-day event while they're only a 3-day event. Otakon tried to be a 4-day event once way back in 1995 and it almost killed them.

 

 

 

 

[lightningneko 3]

It might affect attendance for Otakon and/or AnimeNYC if planning for two conventions in the same month.  If both required a hotel, I would have to pick either Otakon or NYC.  At least I only need a hotel for one convention.  Still, Otakon has been my alternate to NY/NJ conventions since 2015 so I'll likely continue to go to otakon until Real life finally catches up to me. 

I did notice that while 3-day and Saturday tickets sold out quickly for 2023, Friday/Sunday waited until maybe the last week or two weeks to sell out.  200K might be an estimated challenge for AnimeNYC, but 100K may be possible.

And if the mention that other venues around or near the convention being used is true, any special events/concerts that fill up quickly/sell out in less than an hour, more would be able to get tickets for those events.

[Daniel Perales 108]

Well, the con came and went.

The preliminary numbers of attendees for AnimeNYC did indeed hit 100,000.

 

 

[Attendee7000 35]

It's kind of difficult to compare numbers from different cons because every con seems to count them different, and Otakon uses a method that just about comes up with the smallest number possible (They don't count dealers, guests, and others not on a membership badge). And if you want to make sense of turnstile numbers then divide by 3 (A single person will get counted each day).

 

There's probably not that big an impact on the two cons being close to each other. Otakon shares specific numbers with the membership, so you can see who's from where. In 2023 it was:

Maryland: 12783

Virginia: 9726

Pennsylvania: 2898

DC: 1774

New Jersey: 1635

New York: 1287

Delaware: 664

North Carolina: 429

Florida: 388

West Virginia: 278

 

You can even see how Otakon's NY & NJ numbers have been as AnimeNYC has grown:

New York:

2018: 605

2019: 1118

2021: 861

2022: 1312

2023: 1287

 

New Jersey:

2018: 1253

2019: 1492

2021: 1480

2022: 1908

2023: 1635

 

So I don't think I'd be too concerned about impact to numbers.

[Daniel Perales 108]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:05 AM, Attendee7000 said:

So I don't think I'd be too concerned about impact to numbers.

I think it's too soon to tell right now.

But, I did come across reading and hearing complaints about Anime-NYC about lacking certain things because of how close in time between 2 major cons. For example, some companies don't have enough serious wad of money to spend sending people and things to two major cons in a short amount of time.

 

[TomDent 24]

I wonder if there's a possibility in the future for Otakon to move to a different time of the year so that it's not so close to other major cons; either earlier (late spring/early summer) or later (late fall/early winter). I can see moving to an earlier time of year being a major (nearly impossible) move since it would seriously cut down on prep time for the first year with the new date. I wonder how hard it would be to move toward the end of the year (before winter sets in). Then there's also the hurdle of getting it approved with the WEWCC. I guess I'm just curious whether it would be a feasible move or not and whether it would help or hurt with congoer attendance and major industry attendance.

[Revengel 30]

On 9/8/2024 at 9:42 PM, TomDent said:

I wonder if there's a possibility in the future for Otakon to move to a different time of the year so that it's not so close to other major cons; either earlier (late spring/early summer) or later (late fall/early winter).

Personally, I don't think moving the dates of Otakon to a different time of the year would be a good move - feasible or not. The summer is an easier time for many attendees to make the trip to Otakon based on school being out and/or family vacation time. Moving an event of this size to the winter - while potentially successful - would have to navigate these types of hurdles.

 

There are certainly successful conventions throughout the year; I've attended the Washington Auto Show every year since the winter of '82. But for the size and demographics of something like Otakon, the summer is the best time to hold the event.

 

Granted, this is just my opinion.

[Daniel Perales 108]

2 hours ago, Revengel said:

Personally, I don't think moving the dates of Otakon to a different time of the year would be a good move - feasible or not. The summer is an easier time for many attendees to make the trip to Otakon based on school being out and/or family vacation time. Moving an event of this size to the winter - while potentially successful - would have to navigate these types of hurdles.

 

There are certainly successful conventions throughout the year; I've attended the Washington Auto Show every year since the winter of '82. But for the size and demographics of something like Otakon, the summer is the best time to hold the event.

 

Granted, this is just my opinion.

I agree with your opinion when it comes to date moves. Maybe not as dramatic as a city/venue move (which took Otakon a while to recover it's numbers despised the pandemic earlier).

Honestly, I'm in a peculiar situation right now.

Supposed if I can only do just one summer anime con a year? Common sense would dictate that I do Anime-NYC because it would be a lot more easier and cheaper to attend compared to Otakon.

 

Edited September 18 by Daniel Perales

[Revengel 30]

On 9/18/2024 at 4:52 PM, Daniel Perales said:

Honestly, I'm in a peculiar situation right now.

Supposed if I can only do just one summer anime con a year? Common sense would dictate that I do Anime-NYC because it would be a lot more easier and cheaper to attend compared to Otakon.

 

I'll admit I'm biased; I'd vote Otakon (I know, shock on the Otakon forums) but I understand it can be difficult to weigh these choices. I had to weigh Otakon vs. being flown to Germany and drive on the Nurburgring on my 50th birthday. Otakon won out for me . . . without hesitation (and if you know me, that's quite the statement!)

You are one of the very few who have been going to Otakon longer than I have; I only date back to Hunt Valley.

But I'm not you.

I hope you can find the space for both Otakon and any other convention you love.

Still, only you can live in your shoes.

I support you whichever you choose.

[Clutch 87]

The average person does not have the disposable income to attend multiple conventions, while having to pay for hotel rooms. Prices don't go down, but wages don't seem to go up either. These big conventions will price themselves out of the market some day. Same with the guests charging for things. They will only get what the market can bear. A local comic convention was held a few weeks ago and I think there were prices up around $80 for a photograph. People will decide the cost/benefit analysis on those is not worth it, but to each their own.

[TomDent 24]

On 9/20/2024 at 6:15 PM, Clutch said:

The average person does not have the disposable income to attend multiple conventions, while having to pay for hotel rooms. Prices don't go down, but wages don't seem to go up either. These big conventions will price themselves out of the market some day. Same with the guests charging for things. They will only get what the market can bear. A local comic convention was held a few weeks ago and I think there were prices up around $80 for a photograph. People will decide the cost/benefit analysis on those is not worth it, but to each their own.

This is a big reason my friends and I have been exploring a few other cons outside of Otakon. For a few of us, Otakon was our very first convention (of any type, not just anime) even though we live almost 6 hours away. We've been going almost every year since 2011 and have no plans whatsoever to stop because we really love the trip so much, even though it's been hard the last few years. However, because going to Otakon is such a big expense for us and because it's in a crowded part of the year con-wise, it does limit us on going to other big cons, such as Anime Expo, DragonCon, Anime NYC, etc. There are new, small cons popping up now more than ever, it seems, and we even have a few within an hour drive or in our town. With the economy the way it is and wages not keeping up (not to mention a lot of us aren't getting any younger) it's nearly impossible for a lot of people to go to more than one big con or multiple smaller ones. Our group has basically settled on two cons a year (Otakon in DC and Yama-Con in Pigeon Forge, TN). If there were other cons close to us around the time Otakon happens, we might eventually make the tough choice to skip Otakon and attend more, smaller cons. I guess I'm saying all this because it just seemed to me that some of the biggest cons were picking dates really close to each other (in the summer for obvious reasons) and that there could possibly be some benefit to moving to a different time of the year to try to give a lot of congoers a better break between the larger cons. But I know that's not a perfect solution (there probably isn't one) and might not even be possible. I suppose I'm just ranting a bit and wishing things were a bit easier.

[Daniel Perales 108]

On 9/20/2024 at 6:15 PM, Clutch said:

The average person does not have the disposable income to attend multiple conventions, while having to pay for hotel rooms. Prices don't go down, but wages don't seem to go up either. These big conventions will price themselves out of the market some day. Same with the guests charging for things. They will only get what the market can bear. A local comic convention was held a few weeks ago and I think there were prices up around $80 for a photograph. People will decide the cost/benefit analysis on those is not worth it, but to each their own.

Hey, I'm average!

Anyway, it's just not the cost, but also the time-off I can get, too. There are too many coworkers that also want the time off around that time, too. I only take the days off that I need. I only take off that Friday and Monday.

I usually stay for 3 nights. The cheapest hotel I see is the Moxy that goes for $204 a night (way too much money for the type of room you get at that place), with taxes and other fees, will probably be around $700. Then, the cost of a badge, I'll say $80. The cost of transportation, I paid like $64 round trip by booking Amtrak early enough.

Then there's food.  

I managed to keep my food budget under $70 for my whole weekend.

With all that, my weekend of Otakon would cost me at least $900. That doesn't include the swag and nick-knacks that I buy at the con (if I can still afford to).

 

[Clutch 87]

Depending on your method of travel, you can get tickets early and move some of the costs around a bit. Same with the registration. The hotel is the biggest hit on the pocketbook and they will burn you if you need to cancel at the last minute. But I agree that going just to Otakon sets you back quite a bit financially.

If you can bring a roommate then costs can be split, but then you have to suffer through each other's snoring. 

[Daniel Perales 108]

14 hours ago, Clutch said:

Depending on your method of travel, you can get tickets early and move some of the costs around a bit. Same with the registration. The hotel is the biggest hit on the pocketbook and they will burn you if you need to cancel at the last minute. But I agree that going just to Otakon sets you back quite a bit financially.

If you can bring a roommate then costs can be split, but then you have to suffer through each other's snoring. 

I had a roommate (a good friend of mine), at the last Otakon (the last time I drove to the con), in Baltimore. I had to leave on a Sunday instead of staying until Monday because he couldn't stand my snoring.