I read the news today, oh no... · 2:46am Aug 2nd, 2018
First and foremost, I'm still around... sometimes. I pop on to read a fic or two once in a while, but that's about it. There's a fic I was working on back in January and February which I revised a little here and there, but it isn't done... and who knows, it may never be done. Writing has been on the back burner for the last three years. I keep telling myself I'll get back to writing once things calm down in my life... but in reality, I just haven't made the time for it. I think I may have burned out on it. Looking back I was participating in the WriteOffs, running Nonpareil, writing reviews for Nonpareil and another group, doing my own stories, and editing. When I come back to this, I'm going to take it slower. 
But more importantly, I saw an article on EqD (I decided to open the app to see what was going on in the community) and discovered that next summer will be the last Bronycon. 
I can't say I'm surprised; however, I'm still sad to see it go. I went once in 2016, planned on 2017, but other things got in the way, same with 2018... and if I'm still in Maryland in summer of 2019 (should be) I'll plan to go. Everfree Northwest and Bronycon were tons of fun, and I'd hate to miss the last one.
Is the fandom shrinking? Has the excitement of pony worn off? From what little I've observed, it seems to be that way. Or maybe the core fans are still going strong. Either way, it's got me longing for the time when I first joined the fandom. What do you all think?
I know that some fans will move on to other things as time goes on and other fans will continue to stay forever and even if nobody seems to be around, I apart of the second group since when I join fandoms I stay in them forever even if it seems like I'm never there.
The smaller cons are increasing in popularity, there seems to just be an issue with traveling and the hype of one con diminishing I think. With the show ending and getting another reboot, it isn't unlikely it's dying. OR the fans or more relaxed, as in the fandom is still big it's just slowed, maybe. Either way I hope you do go to 2019, it'd be cool to meet you again. I met you once in 2016, to say hi and tell you how much I liked your stories, be great to meet you one more time.
I have strong feels on this one. Con attendance for BronyCon has been drifting downwards. This year, it was 5465. This is a steady drop from the peak in 2015 of 10011. I wouldn't say the fandom is dying. I think there is some evaporation as the show ages and folks gain new interests. But when you sit and think abut it... nearly 5500 people going to Baltimore for one show.. for one party... that's still pretty impressive.
The logic behind the BronyCon leadership is that they don't want to downscale with the times. They don't want to rollback to the "Meadowland" days of ~4000 people. They want it to go out with a big bang. I understand this line of thought. I just think it's wrong. I've watched a lot of people spend their time trying to build a legacy for the future. They poke and prod, trying to etch their names in a way that lasts. It generally doesn't work. For example, I know nothing about my great-grandparents. I know next to nothing about my grandparents. My dad was a world-renowned microbiologist, but he passed away in 2016. When I have kids, they'll know very little about him aside from the lessons I pass along. What I'm getting at is that relationships are built in the present. The far more dramatic impact comes from the ties we have right now... in our friendships, through love, and so on.
Ending the Con in 2019 isn't creating a lasting legacy. It's severing the threads of the present. The core that wants to remain will simply find other cons to attend, while the sting of losing BronyCon will pretty much just fester. There's already an example of this. Nightmare Nights Dallas was a very popular convention. I heard people talk about it in high regard year after year. It ended, and folks immediately flocked to creating a new con in Dallas.
Just to be clear, I'm not knocking con organizers here. I know it takes a lot of work to build something like BronyCon--or any other convention for that matter. I just think this move misses the mark. It's not about keeping numbers that allow you to occupy the Baltimore Convention Center. You can always adjust for economy... but you can't adjust for being the spiritual center of a scene. That is what BronyCon has been, and that's what we're about to lose.
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I stay in them too; even if I'm not very active in them at times. I'm even less active in the Doctor Who one at the moment.
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It'll be cool to see you again. The last big hoorah of Bronycon. I'm glad the show is getting another reboot. Will gen 5 have all new characters? Or will it kind of continue on from wherever gen 4 leaves off?
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I couldn't agree more. I get why they're doing it, but at the same time they Bronycon, the big one. I had a blast in 2016. The panels, meeting people from this site, the concert, meeting BlackGryf0n, the WriteOff after party... oh it was so much fun.
I can only hope that 2019 jut hits it out of the part and they reconsider. Or maybe we'll BaltimareCon or something for 2020.