In response to posts bashing the National Sweepstakes Convention in Texas. I have to agree with Mr Sweepy on a couple points. Yes, the convention should be totally neutral without catering to any one or even two sweepstakes newsletters and websites. And I'm sorry that they made him feel like all they wanted was prizes, and that they didn't want him to speak.
But I also have to point out that the 2008 convention almost didn't happen at all. The 2007 convention was going to be the very last "National Sweepstakes Convention". In Moline at the 2005 natl convention, at the Past & Future Presidents meeting ( where clubs volunteer to run a convention, and anyone can attend the meeting and vote BTW) there wasn't one club ready to host a convention for 2007. The plan was to have one last "Blow Out" in Vegas in 2007 and end the national convention altogether. Many long time sweepers didn't want to see that happen, and the Michigan Wolverines just jumped in and said "fine we'll do it" and they weren't even planning on hosting a national convention in the future. Part of the problem is that hosting a national convention is a HUGE complicated deal, and most clubs don't want to bother with spending an entire year and a half planning and promoting a convention. If there were more groups willing to host a convention, then obviously there would be more choices in this "semi secret meeting"
All of the conventions have the Past & Future Presidents meeting, heck it's even listed on the San Antonio website right now so that people know when it is, they have it scheduled for Thursday Aug 28th from 9-10:30 pm (in case you're going and want to attend). It's outside the actual convention activities, normally right after an evening session, because A LOT of people don't want to sit through it. Last year there were probably 20 people at the meeting. I went, my girlfriend went, and we're not in a sweepstakes club, we're not thinking of running a convention, we just wanted to go.
There was ONE club ready to run the convention for 2009. They pick convention sites two years in advance so that they have the year and a half to get everything planned. So with one club ready to do this, obviously they get it, they're the only one's who want it.
Does anyone remember the two page survey that the Michigan Wolverines passed out in Phoenix? Where it asked what everyone liked and disliked about the convention, what they wanted to see at a convention, and what type of prizes they wanted to win? Most of the surveys complained that the sessions were too long, there was too much space between prize drawings, and they wanted to go to a convention to win things. So they gave away a LOT of prizes in Michigan, had fewer speakers,(one was the District Postmaster, but he literally called and cancelled the DAY he was supposed to speak, and sent someone else instead) But they only picked a postmaster because he was asked for on the surveys from Phoenix.
And before I get trashed and told that I'm biased and I'm a member of the Michigan wolverines, I'm not, I live in AZ, but one of my family members is a member. So I got to see the side of the convention that most people didn't see. It was a lot of work, and while everyone loves to win something, no one wants to do the work involved. So we can all sit here and complain that we're not going to go to a convention because they don't like Mr. Sweepy, but that's the San Antonio groups choice, and loss. There are a lot of people who could and probably should speak at a convention, and when there is finally one convention that lets everyone speak, and we go and sit in three hour sessions listening to person after person, I guarantee that someone will complain about all the speakers, just like they've done before.
Part of the problem is when there are lots of prizes, we complain that there weren't enough speakers. And when the session is full of speakers, we complain that there weren't enough prizes. Then we do this year after year, and you always hear someone say "I could run a better convention" but the same groups are the only ones who volunteer to run a convention, just so we can all go. Haven't you noticed, Michigan has hosted two, this will be the second for texas, san diego has done at least two that I can think of right now....and florida wants to host another one too.
I guess my point is I don't think we fix anything by protesting the convention, all we do is support the problem because there are no dissenting voices in attendance. We serve change better by going to the convention and talking to the group running the next one, or the one after that. We should go to the meeting to see how the sites are picked for the convention, and voice our concerns there too. That's how you fix something.