2008 Game Show Congess?

[Winkfan]

I received this report from "Professor Steve" when I got an e-mail from him regarding my new site:

I don't know whether we are going to have a traditional Game Show Congress this year.  Funding for it has somewhat stalled and we are also staring the same thing as many other conventions are facing:  the high price of travel costs is making a lot of people rethink their budgets.  So, we're going to have to see what happens.

Stu Shostak said when he was producing the "I Love Lucy" conventions that five years is about as far as they could carry it.  We have done six GSCs and we may have to rest it this year, see how the gas prices flow and try to do another one in 2009.

Which is too bad, because I was getting myself prepared for this year.

Are any of you disappointed as I am?

Cordially,
Tammy

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Winkfan\' post=\'187984\' date=\'Jun 11 2008, 04:20 PM\']
Are any of you disappointed as I am?[/quote]
Considering that the most recent news before this was that they'd basically sold out to the casino game industry, no, I can't say I'm all that disappointed. At least, not now. That passed a while ago.

[Adam Nedeff]

[quote name=\'Winkfan\' post=\'187984\' date=\'Jun 11 2008, 07:20 PM\']
Are any of you disappointed as I am?
[/quote]
Disappointed, yes. Surprised, no.

[TimK2003]

When I was beginning to hear word that this years Congreff was "in the planning stages" several months ago, I was looking forward to going, but I agree that the skyrocketing travel costs this year for driving or even flying has already changed my mind.  My wife and I are spending a few days in Denver next week, and in just gas alone is gonna run us close to $200 round trip -- thank goodness for $4.00 Rockpile seats @ Coors Field!!!

It's a bit sad that it's getting harder to keep these conventions going when their main attractions are only getting older and there aren't many younger emcees & celebs of the same caliber (Sorry, Rossi) keeping the field strong.

It would be nice to see them rotate the host cities between 3 or 4 locations across the country instead of the usual New York & L.A. outlets so that it makes it a little more affordable -- even if that means the number of "honored guests" is a fraction of the usual L.A. entourage.  At least the convention-eers would be a little more varied.

Hopefully a Congreff in 2009 is still a possibility, and that travel costs would be a little more palatable by then.

[gsgalaxy82]

I'm a little dissapointed. I finally live on the west coast, so I was kinda hoping it'd happen in LA this year. Oh well.

[chris319]

I can now go to my grave with the satisfaction of knowing that Mark Itkin received an award for his contributions to the industry. Exactly what those contributions are, I couldn't tell you if there were $1 million waiting for me.

[joshg]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'188024\' date=\'Jun 12 2008, 01:38 AM\']
I can now go to my grave with the satisfaction of knowing that Mark Itkin received an award for his contributions to the industry. Exactly what those contributions are, I couldn't tell you if there were $1 million waiting for me.
[/quote]
What, you didn't watch the tribute tape? That mentioned all of his contributions in stark detail. Maybe Der Perfesser has a copy of that as well as his notes from his speech that year. I heard it was a good one...

Josh

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'188024\' date=\'Jun 12 2008, 04:38 AM\']
I can now go to my grave with the satisfaction of knowing that Mark Itkin received an award for his contributions to the industry. Exactly what those contributions are, I couldn't tell you if there were $1 million waiting for me.
[/quote]
The one I remember is Al Howard's tale of how Mark Itkin beat the hell out of someone who rejected one of his ideas. A fine quality in a man receiving a humanitarian award. He's no Marty Ingels, that's for sure.

[SRIV94]

I took part in the conference call last night.

There are some things being bandied about, but I think it's safe to say that Steve's E-mail to Tammy is correct in that if we do have one it won't be traditional in the sense of the word.  Nothing has been set in stone at this point, but I'm not sure how much Paul would want me to disclose.