Well, they upped the price of a booth badge on us, from $45 to $60 (a very significant raise, the fuckers).

So, my suggestion is that we keep the cost down to $45, but also make it clear to folks that we are taking a hit for them, and thus expect quite a lot from their participation.

The folks with games to sell are of course meeting the hit because they're paying $100 as well, which means that we really get $85 apiece, but I can live with that.

There are a couple other annoying elements ... Cynthia, for instance, is showing up with at least one helper, maybe two. That's $100 flat, for selling her game, but that's $45 in the hole for three badges. That sucks; we may have to deal with a couple such cases.

But just calling for $60 rather than $45 seems harsh.

What do you guys think?

Best,
Ron

I think you're going to regret not charging $60 for the badge cost. Since $45 is less than the normal badge cost for unwashed joes coming to GenCon, a lot of people may try to use you guys to get in cheaper.

Personally, I'd have everyone pay $100 if they're selling a game, and $50 per badge they need after the first (so, in Cynthia's case, she'd pay $150, or $200 if she has two helpers. 'Helpers' is an idea a bit fucked, anyway - you guys only have 3 booths. It's going to be crowded back there, and 'helpers' implies an intention fully antithetical to Ron's statements about what people should be there for, and how many copies of their game they expect to sell. I digress, though.)

I agree with Clinton about the cost. I consider any cost over a standard 4-day badge to be well worth the Exhibitor status these people will be getting. If nothing else, they'll be allowed in early and allowed to stay late.

If we don't charge $60, then we're being penalized $15 for every person who volunteers to help. Now, Todd Luikart will be there specifically to help me run the Key 20 booth and I have no problem sliding him a free badge. I also have no problem with Clinton and Jared getting free badges, because I don't doubt their devotion one bit.

However, I wasn't around the Adept "party booth" last year. Was the help you got worth $15 a person, Ron?

Anyway, right now I'm on the "Charge $60" side. For those fronting the $100, I have no problem saying the first badge is $45. Any extra, though, should be $60. It sucks, yeah. Especially since $45 was already bandied around on the Forge but I don't want to take the hit so people can get a cheap badge.

H'm.

OK, I'll go with the $60 (democracy, you know) per person, but I think a given "publisher" only has to pay the $100 fee once.

And I agree that if Cynthia is bringing helpers, they're Forge helpers, not CAH helpers. Either that or they just have register as schmoes.

Best,
Ron

So a publisher's $100 fee includes badge cost? I thought the $100 fee was on top of the badge cost. Was I wrong?

Jason,

No, you were not wrong. I made the mistake of saying two things in one sentence, so let me break it up.

Every publisher: $100, to sell their game there.

Every person: $60, to be there.

So a single person publisher pays $160, if they're present.

Best,
Ron

That's what I thought. Cool.