AHA Membership

[AmandaK]

It was brought up 6 years ago.

And a few other times...

Dang. I get an F! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B6LEx6VnY0"]You get an F![/ame]

 

[AnOldUR]

Use the discount at Iron Hill - Lancaster, which is 20% off the entire bill.

Not as close to Iron Hill as you (west NJ), but I use Keystone as my LHBS and try to coordinate hitting both into the trip. The 20% at Iron Hill pays for my membership, but I'd join anyway. It only makes sense to back the organization that supports our passion.

 

[BeerCutter]

My biggest gripe with AHA is that the annual conference can never accommodate nearly as many members as would like to go. I think that's a real disservice to the membership and I hope it changes.

Yeah, that's what I don't understand as well, I know the event grows every year, but, they have a great idea about how many will show up, it seems simple enough to rent a bigger space to accommodate all who want to attend.

 

[Pilgarlic]

Yeah, that's what I don't understand as well, I know the event grows every year, but, they have a great idea about how many will show up, it seems simple enough to rent a bigger space to accommodate all who want to attend.

I think it's a big failure on their part, a disservice to membership and very bad pr. I've let them know that, and, If you're a member, you might do the same.

 

[Piratwolf]

Joined this spring, largely for philosophical reasons as there are no discount participants within 2-3 hours. The mag is good, too, and I appreciate the AHA's role in promoting & organizing our hob-session.

If I can't get tickets to Philly next year, though, we're gonna box!

 

[BeerCutter]

I think it's a big failure on their part, a disservice to membership and very bad pr. I've let them know that, and, If you're a member, you might do the same.

I will do just that!

 

[bob1852]

Yeah, that's what I don't understand as well, I know the event grows every year, but, they have a great idea about how many will show up, it seems simple enough to rent a bigger space to accommodate all who want to attend.

If you've ever tried to plan a conference attended by 1900+ people, and everything associated with it; it's not quite that simple.

The bigger issue, in my opinion, is how they handle ticket sales. They "sold" out in a few days this year for Seattle, yet I don't know of anyone that wanted a ticket wasn't able to get one through the waiting list process as many people bought tickets during the "rush" that wound up not being able to go. In fact, several days before the conference there were folks hawking tickets here on HBT.

 

[Pilgarlic]

If you've ever tried to plan a conference attended by 1900+ people, and everything associated with it; it's not quite that simple.

The bigger issue, in my opinion, is how they handle ticket sales. They "sold" out in a few days this year for Seattle, yet I don't know of anyone that wanted a ticket wasn't able to get one through the waiting list process as many people bought tickets during the "rush" that wound up not being able to go. In fact, several days before the conference there were folks hawking tickets here on HBT.

I have. I was a sales director for a major national hotel corporation, working with conventions of up to 10,000 people. It's an enormously complex job, but it goes with the job of Association Management. Meeting planners pull off much larger and more complex conferences, for example, the keys to the Tampa Convention Center were handed over to the Republican National Committee 41 days in advance of the convention. As associations grow, revenues grow and organizational demands grow.

I agree with you about the way they sell tickets. I dont know how to deal with that, but it's not my job, either. Being able to get a place via wait list isn't good enough, though. People do need to plan. They should find a solution, and the size of venue may well not be the problem, but the allocation of tickets, as you suggest.

 

[bob1852]

I have. I was a sales director for a major national hotel corporation, working with conventions of up to 10,000 people. It's an enormously complex job, but it goes with the job of Association Management. Meeting planners pull off much larger and more complex conferences, for example, the keys to the Tampa Convention Center were handed over to the Republican National Committee 41 days in advance of the convention. As associations grow, revenues grow and organizational demands grow.

Hence the problem. The AHA is a pretty small-staffed organization. I protested trying to attend this year's conference, as rushing to spend a couple hundred on a ticket before it sells out without having time for me to properly plan a several thousand trip (airfare, hotel, etc.) isn't the way to organize something. I think we agree on that.

I agree with you about the way they sell tickets. I dont know how to deal with that, but it's not my job, either. Being able to get a place via wait list isn't good enough, though. People do need to plan. They should find a solution, and the size of venue may well not be the problem, but the allocation of tickets, as you suggest.

The "It's almost sold out after 48 hours!!!! You better hurry or you'll never be able to attend" didn't help, as I'm sure it led to many people buying tickets who weren't sure they were going to attend.

I don't have the answer either, though maybe if they put more of an emphasis on a closing date for tickets (i.e. registration closes on March 31st) rather than "tickets on sale now - better get 'em now!!!!" it may alleviate some of the issues.

Hell, look at the fiasco that happened with GABF tickets just this week.

My bigger fear is that homebrewing is becoming too hipster, which just feeds into that type of "get it now before it's too late!" histeria. Hopefully it will correct itself in due time, with progress made by the AHA folks.

 

[Golddiggie]

Something I didn't expect from AHA is the additional events. Things like a free tour of a meadery in NH this weekend. This was also available via a groupon, that you would have to pay for. I like free better. There are other free tours and events, it seems, that would quickly negate the membership fee.

 

[BeerCutter]

I protested trying to attend this year's conference, as rushing to spend a couple hundred on a ticket before it sells out without having time for me to properly plan a several thousand trip (airfare, hotel, etc.) isn't the way to organize something. I think we agree on that.

This!
When you live over a thousand miles away, you can't just pick up a couple of tickets off the classifieds a few days before the conference.

 

[Slowfro]

My wife bought me a membership for my birthday which I thought was pretty cool. I like the magazine a lot, and you can get discounts at pubs which is great. I'd like to hit up the GABF but it's far away and I've actually heard it's not that great compared to a local/state fest.

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

My wife bought me a membership for my birthday which I thought was pretty cool. I like the magazine a lot, and you can get discounts at pubs which is great. I'd like to hit up the GABF but it's far away and I've actually heard it's not that great compared to a local/state fest.

You've heard wrong

 

[edmanster]

I joined just for the fact that I'm a homebrewer and then fell in love with the magazine and recently started lusting over the 40% off the check monday nights at the bohemian brewery here in slc... I think it's that specific brewery's way for us beer drinkers so we don't feel left out on family home evening like the mormons do..lol..

 

[Bigscience]

I've been a member for a few years just to support the cause but as of late I don't feel like it's worth while. I wasn't going to re-up last year but with NHC in my back yard I had to. The pub discount doesn't exist in WA so that doesn't buy me anything. I thought it was really lame that they kept flashing it up on the screens at NHC, in a state where it gets you dickfor. In fact the one time I tried to use in in CA at a place that is listed as a participant, they didn't take it. It was busy and I tried to show them on my phone but still nothing.

I was just about to renew again and it looks like the family plan that was $43 has gone to +$19/ person (unless I'm missing something). No thanks.