Could SLCC someday have Lego exclusives?

[xboxtravis7992]

I have a question that I started wondering about today. I don't know how many of you guys would have heard about it but today was the starting day of the third year of the Salt Lake City Comic Con and from what I've been hearing it's been growing rather quickly, fast becoming a pretty big Comic Con event. Some commentators have predicted at the rate it's growing it might soon be a rival of the SDCC and the NYCC. Although I haven't yet attended the SLCC, just watching the media today has shown it's success, particularly the huge (possible record breaking) double feature panel with Mark Hamill and William Shatner today which filled an arena.

With that, I am wondering if the convention continues to grow quickly at this rate, could it someday attract an official Lego presence? Could SLCC someday be the home of exclusive minifigure releases? Admittedly Salt Lake is nowhere near as huge of a Lego market as the megalopolises in SoCal and the Northeast US... But with how popular the convention is growing, the possibility seems ever more likely.

Thoughts?

Edit: A quick comparison of recent attendance stats between the three Comic Cons in question:

SDCC: 167,000

NYCC: 170,000

SLCC: 127,000

While the SLCC is obviously the smaller of the three events, its size is still rather comparable. A part of me is curious though what other conventions in the US are of a similar size, and makes me wonder if they to might ever get an official Lego presence.

Edited September 2, 2016 by xboxtravis7992

[Coca-Cola]

In the near future I would highly doubt it. But as you said if it keeps growing as it has been, there is no reason it couldn't...

[BrickJagger]

Maybe. Do you have a ballpark figure of how fast it's growing in attendance per year as compared to the other two?

The problem is that a lot more people talk about the other two, more famous Comic-Cons. I personally have no idea when SLCC starts each year. However, if there's enough growth I figure that Lego would at least dip a toe into the waters.

[xboxtravis7992]

Maybe. Do you have a ballpark figure of how fast it's growing in attendance per year as compared to the other two?

The problem is that a lot more people talk about the other two, more famous Comic-Cons. I personally have no idea when SLCC starts each year. However, if there's enough growth I figure that Lego would at least dip a toe into the waters.

I know it hold the record for "Largest Comic Con per capita" which is a fancy way to say "lots of people showed up despite the smaller population". Their official website has some stats on their growth and records;

http://saltlakecomiccon.com/about-salt-lake-comic-con/

[Amazing Bricks]

I live in Utah and know that this is a popular event. I haven't been able to attend, but would if there were exclusives. It would finally give me a chance to get a comic con exclusive, here's hoping they do make some there!

[Robert8]

Do we want more exclusives, though?

[dr_spock]

SLCC could contract LEGO make some exclusive memorabilia for the event attendees. No idea how much LEGO charges for that kind work. Other organizations like airlines have had special sets made in the past.

[Pimbo]

Do we want more exclusives, though?

Some people sure do, some people sure don't. I suppose for Lego it's a balance between making money off these pretty-much-guaranteed sales and brand recognisability, and alienating a large group of customers who are unable to obtain their product.

[Lyichir]

It's possible, but I wouldn't consider it inevitable or anything like that. Lego's budget for those sorts of cons is limited so they can only split it so many ways before their overall presence becomes less impressive at each. Also, the duality of SDCC and NYCC provides a lot of coverage of the things Lego is interested in promoting: One is on the West Coast and the other on the East Coast; one takes place in the early summer and can promote that summer and fall's new releases, while the other is in the fall and can promote new themes for the upcoming year. Adding a third convention situated between the two both geographically and chronologically might be considered superfluous. If Lego were to add to their convention presence they might instead prefer to focus on other countries and regions entirely, like their recent presence at Fan Expo Canada.

[HawkLord]

I don't want to be the one that says I hope something beneficial doesn't happen to the collector base, but I would say that I hope if more con exclusives were to be released for other cons (than SDCC) that Lego continue the trend on not having them be brand new characters.

This year's Marvel Captain America is a good example of something that feels exclusive, but does not hurt the community in terms of chances to get a similar minifigure in the future. Phoenix, though, that hurt...

[Bricky Dee Williams]

Do we want more exclusives, though?

Absolutely not.

An interests question you've posed though, the rapidly growing attendance numbers of the event could lead to such a thing, no doubt.

[xboxtravis7992]

I don't want to be the one that says I hope something beneficial doesn't happen to the collector base, but I would say that I hope if more con exclusives were to be released for other cons (than SDCC) that Lego continue the trend on not having them be brand new characters.

This year's Marvel Captain America is a good example of something that feels exclusive, but does not hurt the community in terms of chances to get a similar minifigure in the future. Phoenix, though, that hurt...

Chase variants of a common character is something I agree is rather good, versus say a single character only being released as an exclusive. I agree that sucks!

Maybe the exclusives don't have to be minifigures, but small scale sets, such as what Ultron's Throne was at the SDCC. All the pieces are common and in production, making it easier for Lego to produce and easier to recreate for those who weren't at the convention. But the packaging and certificates allow those who bought the exclusive set to enjoy having an exclusive! I could see a series of small scale sets working better anyways for smaller conventions, leaving the minifigures for the higher profile SDCC and NYCC.

[x105Black]

Maybe the exclusives don't have to be minifigures, but small scale sets, such as what Ultron's Throne was at the SDCC. All the pieces are common and in production, making it easier for Lego to produce and easier to recreate for those who weren't at the convention. But the packaging and certificates allow those who bought the exclusive set to enjoy having an exclusive!

This is how all exclusives should be, in my opinion.

[BrickJagger]

I know it hold the record for "Largest Comic Con per capita" which is a fancy way to say "lots of people showed up despite the smaller population". Their official website has some stats on their growth and records;

http://saltlakecomic...lake-comic-con/

Hm. I don't see a whole lot more potential for growth from those stats. Sure, the 72k-120k jump is massive, but the increases of only 5k last year and 2k this year (Judging by the first post) show that that's pretty much the maximum amount of people interested in going.

Also, do you count the "FanXperiences" as Comic Cons or no?

In conclusion, that is a lot of people, but there isn't growth, which is probably what Lego needs to consider it as an option.

[rodiziorobs]

In conclusion, that is a lot of people, but there isn't growth, which is probably what Lego needs to consider it as an option.

If LEGO were to consider creating SLCC exclusives, they would probably also look at the sales figures for the area--both from the LBR store in Fashion Place and also stats from the Target/Walmart reps, etc.

I think there would definitely be a market for it among the con-going folk; lots of people I know who go to SLCC are big collectors of geeky toys. If they did SW collectibles (and let SDCC keep the superheroes), it would definitely be a hit.

But will they? Dunno.