FedCon USA Closes Abruptly

TrekToday · June 15 2008, 07:40 PM

During the second day of the FedCon USA convention, being held in Dallas, Texas, the convention was abruptly canceled due to low attendance.

As reported by TrekMovie.com, after John Billingsley, the first Saturday guest, had finished his appearance, Richard Anderson, show MC, came out and informed the crowd that "We have no choice but to cancel the remainder of the event."

The reason given for the cancellation was lower-than-expected attendance. Organizers had been "hoping for people to show up," but when they didn't, "we ha[d] no choice," Anderson explained. He then explained that attendees would get a full refund, with those who bought tickets at the event getting them first and others would get their refunds "at a later date."

Anderson said that FedCon USA organizer and TrekUnited founder Tim Brazeal, who was not in attendance due to illness, would "go into personal debt" to pay back all attendees.

FedCon Germany, who had licensed the name to Brazeal, had disassociated themselves with FedCon USA back in January and according to Billingsley, "this has nothing to do with FedCon Germany."

According to Chuck Ballard, Brazeal's son, "The biggest matter was disorganization. Tim is very smart, but we were spread thin, and some areas didn’t get covered."

To read more, head to the article located here.

ELURIA · June 15 2008, 08:55 PM

John Billingsley, a class act al the way

Pioneer · June 16 2008, 03:52 AM

The convention center would expect to get paid whether the show when on or not. It's not like they could rent the hall to different group on short notice. So what was the point in canceling early? There's more to this than is being told, I'm sure.

cardinal biggles · June 16 2008, 04:12 PM

Maybe if Tim had the legendary Al Vinci on hand to keep things running tip-top, this wouldn't have happened.

auntiehill · June 16 2008, 06:07 PM

Yeah, I mean, what's point of canceling after it's already started? Unless all the other guests backed out or the checks bounced.

Pioneer · June 18 2008, 02:45 AM

auntiehill wrote:

Yeah, I mean, what's point of canceling after it's already started? Unless all the other guests backed out or the checks bounced.

That's probably it. But Dallas, Texas. Jeez! Didn't they advertise?

Jack Bauer · June 18 2008, 03:15 AM

What a huge clusterfrak this turned into.

LRavenwolf · June 18 2008, 08:52 PM

For anyone who wants to see more of what happened at Fedcon USA, check out our first two (of three) parts of coverage at our website. We have extensive video coverage as well as a play by play after we returned home from the convention on Saturday afternoon. We have part 3 coming up on Thursday and a special treat on Friday that I think you all will be interested in checking out.

Thanks much for your time!

TheGallifreyanSith · June 18 2008, 09:26 PM

LRavenwolf wrote:

For anyone who wants to see more of what happened at Fedcon USA, check out our first two (of three) parts of coverage at our website. We have extensive video coverage as well as a play by play after we returned home from the convention on Saturday afternoon. We have part 3 coming up on Thursday and a special treat on Friday that I think you all will be interested in checking out.

Thanks much for your time!

Great, thanks. I've been wanting to see this train wreck since it happened. I heard Billingsley was really fantastic in handling the situation.

number6 · June 18 2008, 09:31 PM

Ahh the Blood Lust of Star Trek fans..

TheGallifreyanSith · June 18 2008, 09:35 PM

number6 wrote:

Ahh the Blood Lust of Star Trek fans..

Gee, I don't recall wanting to see anyone hurt or maimed. So "blood Lust" is a bit of melodrama, now isn't it.

I've curious as to how Billingsley handled the mess, I've heard nothing but good about how he dealt with it.

number6 · June 18 2008, 09:41 PM

SeerSGB wrote:

number6 wrote:

Ahh the Blood Lust of Star Trek fans..

Gee, I don't recall wanting to see anyone hurt or maimed. So "blood Lust" is a bit of melodrama, now isn't it.

Not really when you factor in the "rhetoric" in the Gen Trek thread.

I've curious as to how Billingsley handled the mess, I've heard nothing but good about how he dealt with it.

He done good. I particularly liked that little note he wrote about the incompetence of the event organizers.

cubbie · June 18 2008, 11:39 PM

Thanks for posting the video online. I am so impressed with John Billingsley. What a class act.

cardinal biggles · June 20 2008, 04:52 PM

number6 wrote:

SeerSGB wrote:

number6 wrote:

Ahh the Blood Lust of Star Trek fans..

Gee, I don't recall wanting to see anyone hurt or maimed. So "blood Lust" is a bit of melodrama, now isn't it.

Not really when you factor in the "rhetoric" in the Gen Trek thread.

Something you're as guilty of as anyone else in that thread. Pot, meet kettle.

number6 · June 20 2008, 06:15 PM

cardinal biggles wrote:

number6 wrote:

SeerSGB wrote:

Gee, I don't recall wanting to see anyone hurt or maimed. So "blood Lust" is a bit of melodrama, now isn't it.

Not really when you factor in the "rhetoric" in the Gen Trek thread.

Something you're as guilty of as anyone else in that thread. Pot, meet kettle.

Hey that kettle is black.

Don't you roll your eyes at me.