Posted in: Comics, NYCC | Tagged: comic con, entertainment, new york, new york comic con, NYCC, nycc 2016, nycc16

Only 6% Of NYCC Attendees Are Primarily Comic Books Fans

I was talking to Bleeding Cool's  Convention Organiser Daniel Celko earlier today about the lack of gaming programming at NYCC, despite the massive gaming booths up front.

Rob Salkowitz, author of the Comic-Con And The Business Of Pop Culture book was presenting at the ICV2 Insider Talks event, about convention statistical analysis.

There's a problem with such data as competing groups are loathe to share it. But he's used surveys and social media data to discover some intriguing insights, the kind that might inform where publishers set up, where attendees might go, which shows talent might choose – the idea that someone at a shoe complains that the lines are packed but no one is spending money might mean they are at the wrong show.

But which one to choose? On Labour day weekend, there were five major comic conventions and a few minor ones. And William Shatner was at four of them. So how can people make decisions? We need more, and better, data. 

And prices are going up, with shows spending over a million dollars on attracting talent for a show. So where should people be spending their money?

His data analysis has shown that even in 2013, they had an economic impact of $4.2 billion. That gender parity has been realised.  And that the most engaged attendee is a female anime fan under 30, going to 5 or more shows a year.

As for New York Comic Con, he revealed how much it is a huge gaming show, with 35% attendees stating that gaming is their primary interest.

In comparison, 6% say they are primarily comics fans.

And that's why the gaming booths are at the front. Maybe there could be more programming? Of panels, I mean.

However, he also showed how NYCC attendees differ from SDCC fans, in that SDCC is a number of separated tribes, but NYCC attendees, basically, love everything. And on that point, he states that NYCC is not a competitor to SDCC, they have different audiences and SDCC is closer to the likes of SXSW. And the kind of data he's generating could show which people, companies, creators, should attend which shows.

After all, this year Indianapolis had 8 pop culture shows. No one can go to them all…

Oh and as to the biggest social media influencers for comics fans? Both Bleeding Cool and myself seem to be in there. Sweet.

Oh go on then.

Who else can you see?

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