Safari Club International 50th Anniversary Convention A Record Breaker 2022

[AfricaHunting.com]

SCI 50th Anniversary Convention A Record Breaker
After a COVID imposed break in 2021, Safari Club International came back with a vengance at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas!
Auction records were broken, hunts were booked and best of all, old friends once again were able to connect and catch up.
While the camaraderie is always integral to the SCI Convention, the true purpose of the event was never lost on those who attended. Members knew how important it is to maintain the fight for the sustainable hunting and conservation, and proved their dedication with record breaking donations to help SCI continue its mission for another year.

Join SCI In Nashville For The 2023 Convention
SCI will be moving our annual convention to Nashville Tennesee for 2023.
We're hoping even more of our members will be able to join us in this vibrant city for another spectacular convention!


Source: Safari Club International SCI

 

[Hank2211]

Hmm. I was there last Friday and Saturday. I've been to lots (maybe most) conventions in the past 15 years, and attendance this year didn't feel like a record breaker to me. Things were actually pretty quiet on Saturday (unless you were following Tucker Carlson who was getting measured for a shotgun at the Fausti booth!), and in conversations with exhibitors, feelings were mixed.

I have no doubt some records were set, but to me, the issue should come down not so much to money, but to attendance. Relying on a smaller group of well-heeled people to support your organization rather than a large group of the "middle" isn't, I would suggest, a long term strategy for success.

Next year is Nashville, which should be interesting . . .

 

[sierraone]

Relying on a smaller group of well-heeled people to support your organization rather than a large group of the "middle" isn't, I would suggest, a long term strategy for success.

I believe that is a great way of looking at it since you were there and observed first hand. I have to qualify my opinion though. I have never been to SCI, but haven't missed DSC in many years (except for Covid). Having the show in Nashville next year may just make your point in that I would think the location could just bring in a lot more of the "middle" than Las Vegas. Time will tell.

 

[BnC 04]

Excited to have SCI in Nashville next year...30 min drive.

 

[Hank2211]

Excited to have SCI in Nashville next year...30 min drive.

Since you're so close . . . it might be nice to have an AH dinner at SCI like they have at DSC!

 

[sierraone]

@BnC 04 You may have spoken too soon!!!!!!

 

[BnC 04]

Since you're so close . . . it might be nice to have an AH dinner at SCI like they have at DSC!

I'm game to do the leg work if we want to plan on one.

 

[TheGrayRider]

What are the SCI Nashville dates in 2023? Thanks, TheGrayRider.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Hmm. I was there last Friday and Saturday. I've been to lots (maybe most) conventions in the past 15 years, and attendance this year didn't feel like a record breaker to me. Things were actually pretty quiet on Saturday (unless you were following Tucker Carlson who was getting measured for a shotgun at the Fausti booth!), and in conversations with exhibitors, feelings were mixed.

I have no doubt some records were set, but to me, the issue should come down not so much to money, but to attendance. Relying on a smaller group of well-heeled people to support your organization rather than a large group of the "middle" isn't, I would suggest, a long term strategy for success.

Next year is Nashville, which should be interesting . . .

I can't say I disagree with you in the least.

Attendance at SCI was most certainly not a record, nor was it at DSC. I think we have Covid to blame for this. But in the case of SCI, Covid may be screening a bigger issue that you have touched on. I enjoy the SCI show as much as I do DSC, but SCI is different in how it operates. DSC has the word club in its name, but operates like an open organization, SCI acts more like a club. A bit exclusive.

DSC is quite inexpensive to attend in comparison to SCI. SCI therefore is more likely to attract those who are ready to buy and buy now, that tends to attract a somewhat older crowd who have had the time to reach a financial point that they can afford a trip to Africa or some other exotic place.

DSC easily has many more tire kickers who are just there to enjoy the show and nothing else. One can see this easily in the number of families who attend with kids in tow. You see lots of kids in Dallas, not so much at SCI. But today's tire kickers may be tomorrow's booking for a PG trip to South Africa or Namibia, where the first timer gets his feet wet in Africa. And the day after that, those guys are looking at DG hunts. Both PG outfitter and the DG outfitters in Zim, Moz, Tanzania, Zambia, etc. need these folks at some point. Dallas does a better job because of cost and location in attracting the newcomers to hunting abroad.

With SCI moving to Nashville, there may be more who attend in this demographic. But that membership requirement and the high cost of the tickets to get into the show will continue to dissuade many I think.

 

[outwestidaho]

It was defanatley a smaller show with less people to me.
Normally it takes us 2 solid days to just cover it. We were done with our first walk through in half a day.
The outfitters and venders that I know personally there, said they booked more and sold more this year than ever. Leading reason they all thought was that with covid if you were there , your more serious about buying or booking. Where as the people just there for the show and to look around stayed home. I dont know but does make some sense to me. We did have fun but , Vegas is getting damn expensive now days.

 

[Hank2211]

A few points, some repetitions of those others have made:

1. SCI is a 'club' and is in fact becoming somewhat 'clique-y', or so it seems to me. There are those on the inside, and everyone else. I have been to Africa more than 15 times, so hardly a tire kicker, but many exhibitors don't seem to pay any attention to you unless they already know you, or you have the right 'credentials' around your neck. Those who have a name in the hunting world seem to walk around with entourages and don't have time to speak to the average guy (Boddington seems to be a bit of an exception to this). I wouldn't say it's a 'friendly' convention. This is my biggest knock on SCI.

2. The convention used to take up two floors at Mandalay Bay, but has been on one floor the last few years. It is definitely smaller, and many exhibitors are no longer there. You can get through it in a day if you're so minded. I also found there aren't as many (or maybe just not as many interesting to me?) seminars as in the past, and those which they did have, were often only held once, whereas in the past, they seemed to have repeated on different days and times.

3. It seems - and this is just my perception - that every time you see anything to do with SCI at the convention, there is a financial ask associated with it. I know this organization needs member support in order to exist, let along succeed, but it can be more than a bit annoying to get hit up all the time. As soon as you walk in, you see some very lovely young ladies in, shall we say less than their Sunday go-to-church attire, and they are looking to sell you something. And it doesn't change.

3. Las Vegas has become very expensive in the last few years. Even if hotel rooms are (relatively) reasonable, they ding you every time you move. "Resort" fees. A bottle of water in the minibar? $9 at the Delano ($1.99 at the ABC on the Strip). A muffin and a bottle of water in the hotel C-store - $10. A hot dog at New York New York bar - $10. The days of cheap food and drink in Vegas are over.

I think the bottom line is that SCI needs to become a lot more down-to-earth, more welcoming, and a little less about looking for your money every time you turn around.

I'm looking forward to Nashville. Las Vegas, it was nice knowin' ya, but . . .

 

[Bearbait1]

Unfortunately I lived in Vegas a few years around 1990 and the food and drink was cheap. They seemed to use the low prices to draw you in, and get drunk so you would gamble more. Not anymore. How about $24 for a double Jim Beam. $30 for 2 hot dogs, 1 bottle of water, and small fries.

 

[Speedster]

I can't say I disagree with you in the least.

Attendance at SCI was most certainly not a record, nor was it at DSC. I think we have Covid to blame for this. But in the case of SCI, Covid may be screening a bigger issue that you have touched on. I enjoy the SCI show as much as I do DSC, but SCI is different in how it operates. DSC has the word club in its name, but operates like an open organization, SCI acts more like a club. A bit exclusive.

DSC is quite inexpensive to attend in comparison to SCI. SCI therefore is more likely to attract those who are ready to buy and buy now, that tends to attract a somewhat older crowd who have had the time to reach a financial point that they can afford a trip to Africa or some other exotic place.

DSC easily has many more tire kickers who are just there to enjoy the show and nothing else. One can see this easily in the number of families who attend with kids in tow. You see lots of kids in Dallas, not so much at SCI. But today's tire kickers may be tomorrow's booking for a PG trip to South Africa or Namibia, where the first timer gets his feet wet in Africa. And the day after that, those guys are looking at DG hunts. Both PG outfitter and the DG outfitters in Zim, Moz, Tanzania, Zambia, etc. need these folks at some point. Dallas does a better job because of cost and location in attracting the newcomers to hunting abroad.

With SCI moving to Nashville, there may be more who attend in this demographic. But that membership requirement and the high cost of the tickets to get into the show will continue to dissuade many I think.

Just curious, how much is the membership fee and how much are tickets to the convention?

 

[Hank2211]

Just curious, how much is the membership fee and how much are tickets to the convention?

To being to SCI costs $65 or so a year (more outside of the US) and the convention runs about $120 per day, although it's cheaper (per day) if you buy the whole week.

 

[Speedster]

Wow. I get the membership fee but $120 to go to a show?

 

[jpr9954]

Excited to have SCI in Nashville next year...30 min drive.

And here I was excited about only a 5 hour drive!

 

[jpr9954]

I can't say I disagree with you in the least.

Attendance at SCI was most certainly not a record, nor was it at DSC. I think we have Covid to blame for this. But in the case of SCI, Covid may be screening a bigger issue that you have touched on. I enjoy the SCI show as much as I do DSC, but SCI is different in how it operates. DSC has the word club in its name, but operates like an open organization, SCI acts more like a club. A bit exclusive.

DSC is quite inexpensive to attend in comparison to SCI. SCI therefore is more likely to attract those who are ready to buy and buy now, that tends to attract a somewhat older crowd who have had the time to reach a financial point that they can afford a trip to Africa or some other exotic place.

DSC easily has many more tire kickers who are just there to enjoy the show and nothing else. One can see this easily in the number of families who attend with kids in tow. You see lots of kids in Dallas, not so much at SCI. But today's tire kickers may be tomorrow's booking for a PG trip to South Africa or Namibia, where the first timer gets his feet wet in Africa. And the day after that, those guys are looking at DG hunts. Both PG outfitter and the DG outfitters in Zim, Moz, Tanzania, Zambia, etc. need these folks at some point. Dallas does a better job because of cost and location in attracting the newcomers to hunting abroad.

With SCI moving to Nashville, there may be more who attend in this demographic. But that membership requirement and the high cost of the tickets to get into the show will continue to dissuade many I think.

Seeing all the kids in Dallas was a treat. We need them if we want to continue to hunt. One day they will be voters. If they get this early grounding in conservation, they will be on our side and not swayed by the likes of HSUS or PETA.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

I might go 2023. When are the dates?

 

[cpr0312]

@justin wiles

Just did a search and found this, maybe someone here can confirm

 

[Deleted member 40394]

@justin wiles

Just did a search and found this, maybe someone here can confirm

View attachment 449370

I was hoping it would be in duck season. Plan a hunt then stop by Nashville on the way back.