Unfortunately, it's true. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Mike has used up all his second chances over the years and people are fed up with it.

This was evidenced by the vendor hall which seemed sparse. I know vendors pointed out to me how people were allowed to spread out to "look more full". Plus, attendance looked WAY down to me. Usually, there's a line down the hall of people waiting to get into the vendor hall when it opens at 6. No such line this year. Maybe 10-15 people - that's all.

I already heard talk of a setting up a competing show on the same weekend. Unfortunately, I've been through this kind of things in another industry and all it did was hurt everyone involved. Expo needs to fail into oblivion and just go away for a year or 2. This will allow new management to come in and re-kindle what it was. Unfortunately, this is a long process in the hayday of the rebirth of pinball (funny, same timing as the other industy I mentioned).

The other way is for Mike to step away (or be forced out) and allow someone new to come in.

Rob B - you know this needs to happen.

Jaz

Korn is spot on. You end up splitting what is a relatively small pool of resources. Some will inevitably stay loyal. Some will jump to the new. You end up with bad blood and ugliness and no one wins. So, that's why I say the show needs to either completely die so a new one can be rekindled from the ashes, or Mike needs to go to prevent it from dying.

The difference is how long it takes and how much damage is done in the interim.