Comments on: IBMA to Raleigh — Poll #2

By: Dick Beckley

Dick Beckley — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:46:55 +0000

To Joe: Your IBMA membership buys you a chance to attend a great convention each year and to be tuned in to what’s happening in the industry, and to hear a lot of outstanding bands. To my wife and I, it has become like a family reunion each year as we see friends who we only connect with at IBMA each year. I do think some thought should go into having a preferred section at fanfest for those of us who attend the whole week, instead of having to fight for seats at the event everytime we relinquish ours to attend to some unfinished business. The weekend fans who come just for fanfest hang onto theirs the whole weekend saving seats and hanging belongings on them. etc. It is a different group who come for the weekend as they are not as tuned into the convention atmosphere and also not nearly as polite and cordial to others.
To Jon: I somewhat agree with you about the choice of answers in the poll, but I think the positive figure on those more likely to attend in Raleigh clearly indicates that a lot of people, including myself, thought that Nashville had gotten far too expensive. The majority of the 30 or so % of those voicing displeasure, I think, come from those who live in and near Nashville, which , I also think , was the main reason it was moved there in the first place.
It remains to be seen if Raleigh becomes more expensive in the ensuing years. Cities seem to not try as hard to satisfy event attendees, once they are locked in for a number of years for a venue. There is something to be said for having a different location each year. It makes the cities bidding for our convention try harder . On the other hand a different location each year is probably more work for the IBMA staff to put it together.
My preference will always be for IBMA to be held in Kentucky where it belongs, and where it originated, even thoug Raleigh is much closer for me , personally.

By: Joe P.

Joe P. — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:33:59 +0000

People need to look at what IBMA membership buys them. I don’t think it buys anything ….. particularly any voting rights. The decision to move to Raleigh had to be one made by the Board.

It’s a great event but I’ll not be attending Raleigh.

By: Jon Weisberger

Jon Weisberger — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:33:00 +0000

I’m sorry to see that the many people whose decision to attend isn’t really influenced by location, but mostly by their estimation of the value in attending wherever it may be held have no option they can choose in this survey. I know that I, and others, have attended the World of Bluegrass and will continue to attend regardless of where it’s held – and none of the survey options allows for that point of view.

By: Temperance Bellerin

Temperance Bellerin — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:22:46 +0000

As an old-time Disc Jockey, I been to a lot of places fer convenshuns and such but I ain’t never been to the same place twiced in a row fer the same convenshun. Even the SuperBowl moves around ever year. Nashville may have seemed like a good choice at the time but you cain’t prove it by me. Even 3 years in Raleigh is gonna be hard to swaller. Won’t it be grand when citys around the world are biddin’ fer the bluegrass Superbowl and the IBMA has to work 5 years in advance so we can share our fun all over the world. Hey, it ain’t that hard. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Committee already knows who the headline entertainer will be at the 2020 Rodeo.