You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone not pleased that today is the last day of this year’s NAB show. Not that the show was bad or anything. It’s just that the intensity needed to bring off such a monumental event wears on participants.
This year’s show attendance fell by 6,000 to just over 105,000. That’s down from last year’s 111,000---if you believe the numbers. Me, I just ask the cabbies. They always seem to know the real attendance figures.
Attendees may not be as tired as exhibitors. But remember that vendors haven’t just been here since Monday, or for four days. Most arrived much earlier to set up booths, attend meetings and coordinate a list of activities. Then there’s the issue of booth set up and tear down. Most attendees have never seen anything but a finished show floor.
However, believe me, going from two million square feet of empty concrete floors and walls to that same space filled with 1,600 exhibitors with lights, carpet and stands is a whole lot of work---and expense.
A large company can easily end up spending more than $1million to be here. Don’t forget to add, construction (and tear down and storage) costs. Add a staff, housing, meals, travel. Oh, don’t forget the labor costs to erect the booth. And don’t plan on doing much yourself. Unions control most aspects of work on the show floor.
Bottom line, by the time Thursday arrives, most people, and especially exhibitors, just want to “Get out of Dodge" (or Las Vegas).
Me, I’m about to begin my sixth day of show duties.
BTW, you can check out both almost 20 videos recorded live on the show floor here on the Broadcast Engineering TV site. You’ll get clear and up close instruction on the latest new products from company experts.
We’ve also posted the 2008 Pick Hits on this blog. So look for Susan Anderson’s story and see the top 40 product from this year’s show.
Time to go, but stay tuned for more.
For more posts from NAB, visit the BE@NAB blog.