PRI trade show now $40

I get it, but I'm not interested. I'm thinking this will help cut down on the crowds at least.

Industry people who need to be there for business will pay the $40.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

isnt it not open to the public, ergo everyone pays?

In reply to fidelity101 :

I believe so–well, except media. :) 

I've been to ~15 trade shows in 3 completely separate industries and every one of them someone has paid something to the organizer specifically for me to attend.   Usually it was substantially more then $40.  

So you're not really buying entrance into the show. You're joining PRI, which gets you free entry. PRI is using this to boost their membership numbers.

https://www.performanceracing.com/membership

It's an industry trade show, not a car show. Tourists just ruin it - just look at what's happened to the SEMA show. Which, BTW, is something like $45 to register and you don't need to be a SEMA member. But you DO need to prove you're in the industry at least tangentially.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

its pretty easy to fake these credentials too

In reply to fidelity101 :

Yeah, which is why the show is only barely functional as a trade show.

From my discussions with those in the industry and PRI, the membership fee does two things:

1. It helps eliminate the "tourists" as Keith said. The people who are just there for sightseeing often interfere with those who want to do business - which is the whole point of the show.

2. It also helps with PRI's political action committee (PAC). PRI Political Action Committee | Performance Racing Industry . This is a big focus for PRI.

$40 to join a trade group that lobbys on behalf of your industry is a pretty small price to pay, particularly at a time when legislation threatens to decimate if not completely wipe out said industry.   Think of admission to the show as just a perk.  

I have no issue with the $40, I have a larger issue with them using it to posture that it's in support of the RPM act, which I won't start on in this thread, as it's not the place for it. 

I went once for work.  

You will easily bring home $40 worth of chachkis.   

nocones said:

I've been to ~15 trade shows in 3 completely separate industries and every one of them someone has paid something to the organizer specifically for me to attend.   Usually it was substantially more then $40.  

TMC was $300 plus flights and hotels when I did the oil thing. Two of us meant $1500-2000 

Each year I've gone, I've gotten WAY more than $40 worth of value out of it.  Between learning about new stuff, being able to converse with vendors we use face-to-face instead of by phone or email, and seeing lots of friends I don't see very often, it's well worth it.  Plus, you can sometimes work out good deals on items that a vendor doesn't want to have to pack up to take home.  All the free beer koozies is just icing on the cake.

Overland Expo is basically that much and isn't nearly the same level as the PRI show

nocones said:

I've been to ~15 trade shows in 3 completely separate industries and every one of them someone has paid something to the organizer specifically for me to attend.   Usually it was substantially more then $40.  

On one hand the "threats facing the industry" line is BS. But on the other hand...wait it used to be free? I would have thought it would have already cost 10x that. I mean even if it was "just" a car show and not a trade show...I'm pretty sure I've had to pay an entry fee for most of the car shows I've been to.

I'm in the $40 seems cheap and floored it used to be free camp. 

I'm trying to build connections when I'm there because of racing and buying/selling parts. The sticker grabbers really get in the way. I'd go if it were $100

$40 is fine, now bring it back to Orlando along with AIMexpo. 

In reply to Slippery :

+1 on taking it back south. I really never want to go to Indiana, but I REALLY don't want to go to Indiana in December. 

In reply to Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

If you stay in the right hotels, you'd never have to step outside. Also, average temps are not that different from Baltimore for the same timeframe: