For those that planned to visit Disney and go to MACNA, unfortunately it has been canceled. I’ve linked the official cancelation below. I’m disappointed as I was looking forward to attending as the last time I went in 2019 it was at Disney as well.
MACNA 2024 Orlando - Canceled
- Thread starter iu_gary
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It's not that bad. The problem they talked about in the public meetings is that once they built a following for MACNA, they have always had booth signups at the current event for the next year. They did not have that for this MACNA and I don't think the Aquatic Expo helped their cause as it was not as well attended as precovid events for multiple reasons. Financially, as of a few months ago, they had something like $80,000 in cash, so MASNA is still well funded and I like the changes that the new MASNA board is implementing. They need clubs to re-engage with them and they recognize that.
This is a call to action. If you believe in having a master organization to represent the needs of our hobby/ industry then please support MASNA. MACNA the exhibition is the vehicle we see publicly. There are many global initiatives and regulations (Hawaii export ban was an example) that threaten our hobby and MASNA are at the communicators to make sure that organizations like ours are aware, but only if we participate.
I attended the MASNA public meeting tonight. I was wrong. The cash in the bank was mostly the MACNA deposits which they have refunded at a rate of 65%. That leaves 35% ($15,000) for MASNA to find the money for or have the vendors / sponsors accept donation receipts in place of the money. The MASNA board does not know if it will survive the next 60 days. Survival, in my opinion, largely depends on MASNA finding a donor to handle the $15,000 shortfall plus anticipated additional expenses including hotel attrition charges and contractual obligations due to the cancellation of the event. The MASNA board will update in 30 days at the next public meeting.
Some additional information: 44 Booths were sold at the time of making the decision to cancel. They needed 80. They had 66 attendees registered when they needed 1,000 minimum at this point.
Some additional information: 44 Booths were sold at the time of making the decision to cancel. They needed 80. They had 66 attendees registered when they needed 1,000 minimum at this point.
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That is really a shame and for me shocking. I don’t know the numbers but the 2019 MACNA at Disney seemed to be well attended. I have to admit I’m guilty of not pre buying my ticket but I have 4 nights at the hotel booked through the event page. I’ve been to a few of the prior MACNAs and really enjoyed them. Hopefully the community and sponsors will rally to support MASNA.
Another casualty of COVID, it seems? Without a white knight to cover their shortfalls and ongoing capital needs, I don’t see how they will make it? Very sad turn of events.
In the past, local clubs sponsored and organized MACNA’s. That is where the ARC’s trust deposits came from. It was a profitable event, when last done here.
In the past, local clubs sponsored and organized MACNA’s. That is where the ARC’s trust deposits came from. It was a profitable event, when last done here.
I think the issue here is that they tried too hard to capitalize on the tradeshow/expo side of things, right when shows like Aquashella/reefstock/reefapalooza became a thing. it turned into a battle of scope creep, MACNA tried to run something bigger than they could run with local club support and the organization just wasn't built for the expo side of things. I hate to see them go under, but I do hope that this will drive more innovation and entrepreneurship in the way of reef-related conferences!
The problems MASNA faced are multi faceted from what I sense. Lack of income during COVID. The existing/ongoing cash drain due to contractual obligations. Likely a dose of lack of efficient management, due to it’s volunteer support structure, etc.
All of the other shows mentioned have profit driven businesses behind them. The MASNA concept was to act as a national unifying organization, of local hobbyist clubs. Like the ARC, and we are in fact members of MASNA.
The organizations behind the other shows were able to hibernate better, during the down years. Then came back/re-emerged if you will, executed their shows, and turned profits.
Trying to compete with organizations whose ‘day jobs’ are putting on large annual shows, backed by professional staff, is an ‘iffy’ thing on a good day. It takes dedicated people, with significant project management and business skills to pull it off. I’m not throwing anyone under the bus here. It may have just been determined by circumstances beyond anyone’s control, given the economics.
The main reason MASNA took over doing MACNA shows from local clubs, was because of a couple of poorly executed MACNA shows. Having been an integral part of a couple of ARC Coral Shows, I can say that it boils down to a group of motivated like minded people getting and keeping the ball rolling!
Throw in a couple of years in missing revenue, it apparently became a fiscal black hole
from which MASNA can’t recover?
Essentially this is what happened to Reef Central. It was once ‘the’ forum for especially new information on reefing. Things were great, then gradually organizational entropy began to occur. Reef Central also had server issues, similar to ARC’s, at some point. The next thing you know, R2R shows up, driven by new blood with a fresh look. Lots of sponsor sourced giveaways drew new members and bam
. Reef Central is a shadow of its former self. It has been said that there may be a profit motive at R2R too? I’m not involved enough to know? These kinds of things take their toll on all organizations. It’s why managers get big bonuses for ongoing results in profit driven companies. In spite of that, some languish anyway?
All of the other shows mentioned have profit driven businesses behind them. The MASNA concept was to act as a national unifying organization, of local hobbyist clubs. Like the ARC, and we are in fact members of MASNA.
The organizations behind the other shows were able to hibernate better, during the down years. Then came back/re-emerged if you will, executed their shows, and turned profits.
Trying to compete with organizations whose ‘day jobs’ are putting on large annual shows, backed by professional staff, is an ‘iffy’ thing on a good day. It takes dedicated people, with significant project management and business skills to pull it off. I’m not throwing anyone under the bus here. It may have just been determined by circumstances beyond anyone’s control, given the economics.
The main reason MASNA took over doing MACNA shows from local clubs, was because of a couple of poorly executed MACNA shows. Having been an integral part of a couple of ARC Coral Shows, I can say that it boils down to a group of motivated like minded people getting and keeping the ball rolling!
Throw in a couple of years in missing revenue, it apparently became a fiscal black hole
from which MASNA can’t recover?Essentially this is what happened to Reef Central. It was once ‘the’ forum for especially new information on reefing. Things were great, then gradually organizational entropy began to occur. Reef Central also had server issues, similar to ARC’s, at some point. The next thing you know, R2R shows up, driven by new blood with a fresh look. Lots of sponsor sourced giveaways drew new members and bam
. Reef Central is a shadow of its former self. It has been said that there may be a profit motive at R2R too? I’m not involved enough to know? These kinds of things take their toll on all organizations. It’s why managers get big bonuses for ongoing results in profit driven companies. In spite of that, some languish anyway?
Oh dear. What a shame.
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