Deacon Will Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 This DOES about say it all..... The Single Action Shooting Society has always taken great pride in the success of the SASS Convention and Wild West Christmas. The SASS Convention has been enjoyed by thousands of SASS Members over the last 9 years and this 10th anniversary year will be certainly be one for the record books. The rumors you may have heard in regards to this being the last Convention are not idle corral gossip. There will not be a SASS Convention in 2012. However, that's not to say that there won't ever be another SASS Convention in future years. This decision was not made lightly, and was in no way as a result of the sad and untimely passing of Coyote Calhoun. The possible options for the future of the SASS Convention had been in consideration for some time now. The event has struggled with a decline in attendance for several years now, despite our best efforts to breathe new life into it each year. We feel our best move is to take a step back and reevaluate things. We, essentially, didn't want to "beat a dead horse" in regards to the SASS Convention. The future of the SASS Convention is wide open to a myriad of possibilities. All of which we will weigh carefully and thoughtfully prior to its re-launch to ensure a truly wonderful and successful event for everyone involved; from our invaluable vendors and sponsors, to every single Conventioneer in attendance. If the Convention is going, its going out with a BANG! The 10th Anniversary of the SASS Convention is proud to offer an amazing entertainment line-up, the greatest social events of the year, and the most exciting seminar offerings ever assembled. Take a moment and gallop through the Convention Entertainment, Event Schedule, and Seminar Schedule on the website. Whether you haven't ever been, haven't been in a while, or have been every year; we assure you, this is the SASS Convention you want to make it to! On behalf of the Wild Bunch & the entire SASS Staff, Misty Moonshine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 While I am not too surprised at this turn of events, I am certainly saddend by the decision. The SASS Convention is the only reason I ever went to Las Vegas in the first place and I am not too sure that without it, I will end up back there. This will be Lil Feathers and my 4th convention, all in a row. We couldn't attend prior to that due to family obligations, but I sure would have like to have been there 6 or 7 years ago when the economy, and attendance, was much better. I wish SASS the best with their efforts as they move forward with this and hope that they find away to bring it back. Dogmeat Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shenny Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 DARN shame, I made 9 out of 10 Shenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Smokepole #29248L Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I'm hoping for a change in venue..... Maybe some place like Branson. That would facilitate a bunch or us Midwesterners being able to make a day drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I'm hoping for a change in venue..... Maybe some place like Branson. That would facilitate a bunch or us Midwesterners being able to make a day drive. If that happened I would definately be there. Seems all the big SASS events like EoT, Winter Range, and the Convention happen westward ho. It would be nice to have something like that more central.... Anyway....that's my .02 cents. GG ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Will Posted November 4, 2011 Author Share Posted November 4, 2011 I'm hoping for a change in venue..... Maybe some place like Branson. That would facilitate a bunch or us Midwesterners being able to make a day drive. HORRAH for Branson, MO..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Creek Law Dog Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Even alternating each year, east, mid west, west. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffin Filler #51633 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 It is called demographics. It should not be rocket surgery. Produce two maps. One that has the number of SASS members per state (or Zip code), another with vendors. The location that "makes sense" should be easy to figure. Vendors will travel further than members if they believe there will be more people. Some of you may have been trap shooters at one time. The Grand American used to be held in Ohio (near the center of trap shooting) and it attracted more people than its current location in southern Illinois (near St. Louis). I can do the maps if someone can supply a member list with the real (also alias) names and street addresses of members deleted. Coffin Filler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Canyon Kid #43974 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Us engineers like to estimate things without all the final data. One piece of data would be to look at the number of major shoots per state including club annuals, state championships, etc to get a first order approximation of the general SASS hot spots and where the membership is likely larger. One could then take this information and compute a SASS centroid to find the center of the SASS population based on this information. This should provide a good guess as to the center of the SASS population. Another way would be to look at attendance at state championships, based on scoring data from each. Now some have maxed out waiting lists so it would not be perfect, but sure would be another way to find another centroid of SASS shooters. This might have to be weighted someway to account for state area or some such magical modifyier. The easiest way might be to just ask SASS for the percent of members that reside in each state. This would eliminate asking for numbers of members which SASS has been unwilling to provide in the past. The real issues are is a December Convention the best time for it? My best guess is yes as any other time conflicts with too many shoots. The next issue is location. If December is the right time frame, then someplace without snow in December, and other things in town to attract the SASS visitors would be a good choice to consider for location. Ease of air access would be mandatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I wouldn't expect attendance numbers to increase much until the economy improves significantly, regardless of the location of the event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 Ain't been to one yet..and likely won't be at this one either. Vegas just ain't my style Visited it a few times back in the 60's and ain't been back, just stayed on the Interstate and moved on thru. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimpy Hank Yoho Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I wouldn't expect attendance numbers to increase much until the economy improves significantly, regardless of the location of the event. Me thinks UB has a Very Valid point. And I am but a Stupid, non-knowing Nobody, seems ta' me that Dallas-Fort Worth in December would be Reasonable Nice weather ? and I would believe that is about as central as You could get, for the majority of SASS members. Plenty of flights too. OK I'm done. Wimp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monco Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 November-December tends to be a pretty busy not to mention expensive part of the year for many. Economy has more than a little bearing on this events success I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 November-December tends to be a pretty busy not to mention expensive part of the year for many. Economy has more than a little bearing on this events success I'm sure. There is a lot of truth in this statement. I've met former CAS shooters working at gun shows who told me they could no longer afford the gas to drive to matches or the match fees. They haven't sold their CAS guns yet to eat but that is next. It's hard times, especially for those in the construction business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckaroo #13080 Regulator Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 I believe the convention is a worthwhile venture. I have made all of them. But, it is wise to step back and re-evaluate the event. The economy, time of year, location and freshness of the event all need to be looked at. With some changes I am sure it can once again be a popular and fun thing for most of us. Arguments on where and when will be the two most difficult items to resolve. At this point they have a full year to make those decisions. Pleasing everyone will not happen so the next best thing is to please as many as possible. We all have our own ideas of what would work best for us, as an individual, but not necessarily for the masses. I have confidence in the Wild Bunch and believe there will be another convention in our future. Roo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Bad time of the year! Change it and they will come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuteTheMall Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 It's a single action shooting society and a cowboy action shooting sport. I wonder if shooting should be included among convention activities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamon Chute Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I wouldn't expect attendance numbers to increase much until the economy improves significantly, regardless of the location of the event. Again UB has demonstrated that he is one of the most intelligent people on the wire (or elsewhere I presume)……IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPID! Here’s how I see it: The economy was tanking in 2008. By October the stock market took a serious nosedive and there were large layoffs by the beginning of November (me included). So you have to leave 2008 attendance numbers out of the mix. The economy continued to sink into 2009, and further into 2010. By 2011 nothing was better! So you have 4 full years where those with disposable income have decided to dispose of it on other things. Add to that a lot of people have a lot of family/work obligations around the holidays. Next, even in good economic times the convention IS expensive. I’m sure a lot of this has to do with December being one of the highest occupancy months in Las Vegas. I worked for 30+ years in the travel, convention, and event planning industry. There are just no real “deals” to be found in Vegas (or anywhere else) when everyone wants to be there. Convention in Vegas? Try January when hotels across the country are begging for business. I used to plan a statewide convention for a group here in California. With 2000+ attendees, hotels up and down the state were throwing stuff at us just to get the occupancy up in their traditionally slow season. Commit to 3 or more years…..HOLY COW what they offered! As I was out of work (because NO ONE was traveling anywhere the last 4 years), I offered my services gratis to assist with the convention. I never received even one email back about it. So be it. I really would have liked to bring some of my contacts in Vegas to the table to see what could have been included. Well things are different for me now. I gave serious thought to going this year. I’m employed, doing well enough, have the time to take off, and I was so much looking forward to going to the convention. But….and there is always a but…..I am NOT going since they’ve announced it as the “last convention.” If I go, and it’s is the last one, I don’t want to have the feeling of regret that I’d missed so many of them. You never “miss” what you’ve never experienced. If it was advertised as “the last convention…..in LAS VEGAS” well then I’d be in! I too am one of those in favor of moving it around….Branson, San Antonio, Deadwood. As long as they’re not in the middle of the holidays the SASS convention would be the centerpiece of a very nice vacation. Just putting much more than my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud McCoy Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I say we nominate Chuckaroo to head up this event. He never lets us down here in the Northeast and besides that he got a new derby yesterday and we made him the mayor. Never made it to the convention, would've love to. I always found myself in a tough spot with Thanksgiving, Christmas and work that was all going on during the convention. Maybe rotate it yearly to each of the SASS recognized regions. Hud I believe the convention is a worthwhile venture. I have made all of them. But, it is wise to step back and re-evaluate the event. The economy, time of year, location and freshness of the event all need to be looked at. With some changes I am sure it can once again be a popular and fun thing for most of us. Arguments on where and when will be the two most difficult items to resolve. At this point they have a full year to make those decisions. Pleasing everyone will not happen so the next best thing is to please as many as possible. We all have our own ideas of what would work best for us, as an individual, but not necessarily for the masses. I have confidence in the Wild Bunch and believe there will be another convention in our future. Roo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud McCoy Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 We could schedule our convention around the Democratic National Convention. That way one room will be full of cowboys and the other one full of jackasses! Hud McCoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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