2019 ChaserCon

[Ben Holcomb]

The Hills have posted on the official ChaserCon facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chasercon/posts/1837564422979001

They want to hold ChaserCon 2019 in Wichita on the weekend of Feb 8-10. They are seeking feedback right now on who all would attend. It's a good event, so if you think you will go or want to go, please throw your 2 cents in so they can make an informed decision!

 

[Dan Robinson]

I will go!

 

[Jacob Higgins]

If the event is held in Wichita, I would definitely go! That would be super convenient for my first one.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Maybe someone could encourage the Hills to post here as well (hopefully one of them has an account). I'm not on Facebook though I could see that post. I think there is a more-than-negligible contingent of chasers not on that platform.

 

[Todd Lemery]

I wish I could say for sure. It’s more likely than not at this point though...

 

[JamesCaruso]

Maybe someone could encourage the Hills to post here as well (hopefully one of them has an account). I'm not on Facebook though I could see that post. I think there is a more-than-negligible contingent of chasers not on that platform.

Good luck. It’s a shame that most of the veteran chasers snub ST and its members. The same members that would be customers of the conference.

 

[John Farley]

Roger just posted that it is ON for Wichita on the dates mentioned above. Hope I can make it.

 

[Bill Hark]

ChaserCon is always so much fun and educational. I highly recommend attending even if a new chaser. I try to go when ever I get a chance.

Some images from ChaserCon 2014
http://www.harkphoto.com/NSCC2014.html

Bill Hark

 

[Mark Blue]

Based on the number of likes and comments on their FB post it looks like the beginning of the end to me but what do I know.

They pony up 40K every year to have this event yet when Storm Doctor started a Go Fund Me campaign last year to reimburse some of their losses it was like pulling back teeth to get to 5K. I used to go every year but the last time I went was 2015. I hate to see this happening because it really is the biggest gathering of chasers each year away from the storm where time is extremely limited for chewing the fat.

 

[Steve Miller]

Good luck. It’s a shame that most of the veteran chasers snub ST and its members. The same members that would be customers of the conference.

James said it best.

Here's the thing, ChaserCon is as much an institution as Stormtrack in that it brings chasers together to learn and share. Like what happened with Stormtrack, the owners may allow it to slip into the point of no return. I'd never want to see it go away and I truly believe there is an opportunity to revive it if the correct people were brought in for the job. At this point though, the conference is tired and uninspired. And to James' point, why would the organizers expect a large outpouring of interest from a community they are no longer a part of?

 

[John Farley]

Changes are being made in Chasercon. For example, Jon Davies' forecasting class will be included in the regular Chasercon agenda on Sunday morning and will be available to everyone registered for Chasercon. I have never participated in the class (mostly because it was an upcharge and occurred Friday evening when I was more interested in socializing and re-connecting with other chasers), but I have heard Jon speak a number of times and his talks are always excellent. And I have heard good things about the class from those who have taken it. Although Wichita is quite a bit more of a haul for me than Denver, this definitely makes me more likely to attend.

 

[Shane Adams]

Based on the number of likes and comments on their FB post it looks like the beginning of the end to me but what do I know.

They pony up 40K every year to have this event yet when Storm Doctor started a Go Fund Me campaign last year to reimburse some of their losses it was like pulling back teeth to get to 5K.

I can't speak for anyone else, but in my opinion it's insane to give money to a Kickstarter when my "reward" would be getting to spend another $800. I understand it's an out-of-pocket thing and they're losing money or whatever, but that doesn't change the fact it's expensive as hell to attend one of these, if you're actually going to have fun and enjoy yourself. Why does the conference have to be at a hotel? Why can't it be at a convention center like TESSA? They have 500 people every year and it's FREE. IMO, if the cost of the conference itself doesn't allow them to at least break even, then maybe it's time to ditch the hotel thing and find a stand-alone venue. Or just stop doing it altogether.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Why can't it be at a convention center like TESSA? They have 500 people every year and it's FREE. IMO, if the cost of the conference itself doesn't allow them to at least break even, then maybe it's time to ditch the hotel thing and find a stand-alone venue.

Agreed - this seems like the obvious way to go. Most of the hotel-based conventions are made for higher-income attendees rather than the regular Joes (IE, the contractual requirement for each person to spend a hundred bucks or more on overpriced food and drinks). Heck, you could rent out a high school or church gymnasium for Chasercon that would be big enough to handle the typical turnout for a fraction of the cost. Just do a Gofundme for the venue rental and let anyone come who wants to.

The other thing that is hurting Chasercon is all of these "I'll start my own chaser convention in my own backyard" things popping up all over the place. There is no way these aren't poaching a big number of potential attendees. Who is going to go to *two* chaser conventions in a year, especially when many of the same speakers are invited?

 

[Bill Hark]

I always enjoy myself whenever I attend ChaserCon. The speakers are usually educational and interesting. I also enjoy socializing with other chasers when I'm not worried about initiation or too dog tired to think after a chase. I am exited about this year as Wichita is a much cheaper place to fly into because of location. It's also not on President's Day weekend which kills airfares. Jon Davies gives really good forecasting talks.

As for conferences in general, I think there is some decline overall. I have to attend medical conferences. They are very expensive (much more than ChaserCon), but the costs are somewhat mitigated by sponsors. I have noticed that attendance is down overall in the last few years and some conferences have ended. More people are doing online activities rather than attending in person. There has also been a decline in sponsors and a corresponding increase in cost.

 

[John Farley]

Having actually organized a couple of large conventions myself, I can tell you that it is not as easy as some of you make it sound. Yes, it would be less expensive to rent a gym somewhere, but then a lot of things that the hotel takes care of fall back on the organizers to do. That would be less true of a convention center, but they charge big bucks for what a hotel provides free in exchange for guaranteeing they will rent out a certain number of rooms. I don't know how TESSA works, but if it is free, I would be pretty sure someone is subsidizing it somewhere, probably quite a bit. And if you want a real convention that goes beyond just locals, then you need a hotel, food service, etc. If the organizers had to do everything that a hotel, perhaps combined with an exhibit company, does, then I don't think you would ever find anyone willing to organize it for 20+ years running. Now, I do agree some changes are probably needed, like moving to some kind of organizational structure so the work and the risk do not fall on one individual. But it is not as simple as just make it cheaper by having it in a gym somewhere or at a convention center.