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If anything, the slower the economy, the better those shows do because the public want to comparison shop before spending their hard earned dollars.
Sacramento ISE show is busting at the seams, and keeps growing year after year.
But I can easily put my finger on the problem in the Bay Area.
There used to be a Sports and Boat Show at the Cow Palace that ran for 10 days in January, usually about the 10th thru the 20th or there abouts. Sacto ISE ran for 5 days from Wed to Sun,around Jan 20th. Duck season used to end on that weekend or the week before. SAn Mateo show First week of Feb, back in the 80's and early 90's , I remember San Mateo in March???
About 2000 or 2001, ISE decided San Mateo was too big, not tapping into the Contra Costa/ San Joaquin market enough, and they pooped out the PLEASANTON ISE SHOW which ran on Valentine's Day weekend (TOTALLY STUPID MARKETING MOVE), moved San Mateo earlier to compete with Cow Palace Show and try to squeeze them out of business. Pleasanton was a disaster. Vendors didn't want to pay full price for a carnival sized show, so they didn't come. Show goers who had previously gone to San Mateo and been overwelmed by the size of show and the excitement, were un-impressed with Pleasanton, and didn't return the 2cd year. More and more vendors dropped out. At the same time, the Fly Fishing Show started in San Rafael, with FREE PARKING and friendly show staff, both toward vendors and customers. Lots of seminars, on topics people wanted to watch, and BIG NAME speakers. Many Flyfishing vendors saw the light, and decided to only spend their limited show budget at the Fly Fishing Show. ISE then dropped the Pleasanton show, the Fresno show, and changed venues in So Cal.
Then the FFS moved to Pleasanton, and I think that was the final kiss of death
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