Archive

Overcrowding
at the 2019 Worldcon

Following some overcrowding at the
2014 London Worldcon matters were
even worse at Helsinki (2017).
Lessons still had not been learned
for Dublin (2019)…

And so to help focus the minds of future European-venued Worldcon organisers, here is the view through some excerpts from convention reports of the Dublin 2019 Science Fiction Worldcon together with just a few Tweets (other social media also exists) that exemplify widespread concerns.

File770: A cold truth surfaces…

Jacey Bedford: The amount of queuing for EVERYTHING

For Great Justice: The venue was too small

Fandom Rover: Queues were sometimes too long to attend an item

Geek Syndicate: There were definite struggles with space

Salon Futura: I missed most of the program (sic) because early on I took a policy decision
not to go to anything that I wasn’t on panel for. The queues looked bad

And on to social media. There was simply too much to cover, so here is a small selection from Twitter (other social media also exists).

There is a certain irony to this panel's title (below) and the thrust of these Tweets… 

Stop Press: Since the Dublin 2019 Worldcon we have carried a few articles commenting on and addressing Worldcon issues including overcrowding. Solutions to the issue include:
  - capping the number of memberships sold
  - encouraging virtual memberships
  - increasing the price of memberships
  - recording talks and panels and putting them on YouTube

Each of the above have their own pros and cons.  Capping the number of memberships would necessitate an amnesty for those Hugo short-listed and their partners.  Encouraging virtual memberships would not preclude folk changing their minds and converting to attending.  Increasing the price of membership above normal levels might only be introduced after the initial six months of a Worldcon bids win to enable die-hard fans and regulars of more limited means not to be disadvantaged. Part of the increased revenue might be used to subsidise local unemployed/unwaged enabling them to attend. Part of the increased revenue might be used to buy the necessary kit to record programme items for YouTube. While YouTube videos would not enable participants to ask questions, knowing that a programme item was being recorded for viewing later (as opposed to virtually in real time) would take the sting out of those at the convention unable to attend the event.