FAN EXPO Chicago 2023 Recap

The interviews above were all conducted during the show, at the show.

Between and around them, I was able to experience and explore the show, not just as an interviewer, but also as a fan.

If you read my pre-show coverage (it can be found here, if you haven’t), you’ll know I was looking forward to seeing what changes, if any, FAN EXPO made since first taking the reins of this show last year.

The first noticeable change was that the security bag check was moved inside this year.

Last year, the security screening was outside the convention center doors, on the sidewalk. I never understood why, as that area simply wasn’t large enough to get lanes of people through.

Having the security checkpoint outside the building last year also created the opportunity for miscommunication between the security guards outside and the convention management and staff inside about who was allowed to be inside and when. I even witnessed something to that effect myself, and, talking to a staff member later, was told they were wondering why no fans were inside at the time, but were too busy and didn’t think to check if they were being held outside the convention center with everyone else.

Moving the security check inside, where there’s a lot more space for lines and the guards are within sight (and shout) of other convention staff and management seemed to really help things flow smoother this year.

The other big change I noticed was a positive one. In fact, it was probably the most positive thing they could have done.

There were tables and chairs this year!

That’s right. No longer was sitting down a privilege limited to special badge holders and those who could find a spot on the floor.

I’m not sure why they didn’t do that last year, but this year, they seemed to have more space, and I liked what they did with it. Hopefully, it continues.

While I’m certainly more excited to see how they continue to evolve in coming years, as they seem to be headed in a positive direction, that’s not to say there are things they could still stand to improve on.

Communication is a huge one.

Obviously, on an event of this scale, with a mix of employed staff and volunteers, communication will be difficult. But they need to try harder than they did.

I was standing in the line of people waiting to go in when the show opened for the “Special Preview” on Thursday. That was supposed to be at 2pm.

2pm came.

2pm went.

There were convention staff members walking through, as well as permanently stationed to monitor the queue to help direct people and ensure we weren’t blocking access areas. Not one of them said a word to the line about why we were still standing there after 2pm.

Eventually, I waved over one of the staff members stationed there and asked if I had misread or misremembered the time. They responded that the show was, indeed, supposed to open at 2pm, but there was a piece of equipment still on the floor that they were trying to move off, and they’d open the doors as soon as it was safe and secure.

I get that delays happen and people running long really can’t be helped. And, yeah, if they’re trying to get a scissor lift or something off the floor, that’d be made a lot harder if the floor is filled with fans.

But I really don’t understand why I had to ask for that update. They should’ve said something as soon as they knew it, again when it was time for the doors to open, and then again after that, depending on how many people joined the line since.

Even after I asked the question, the individual answered it to me, then returned to his post…and said nothing. It didn’t seem to occur to them that other people in line might have the same question I had but not have been within earshot of our conversation, so maybe an announcement to the entire line might have been warranted.

It just doesn’t make sense to me. Delays can be inevitable, but that doesn’t mean that a lack of communication has to be.

This show also made a weird choice when it came to the positioning of the Creator Stage and the content creator guests. That is to say, they put the 2 directly adjacent to each other.

Now, you’re probably thinking “that makes sense. Creator Stage, creator guests, one stop hop for all things content creator!”

Yeah, no.

What you’re failing to take into account is that the Creator Stage is a stage. For a live audience. Which meant that it had microphones for the people on stage, which were into a mixing board, which was fed into speakers adjacent to the stage.

And those speakers were at a volume that allowed the audience to hear, clearly, what was being said over the general “roar” of the convention floor. They were probably even turned up louder than they needed to be, so they could entice people to come see what’s going on.

Needless to say, that meant that any conversation that a fan or follower or even general curious passerby (such as myself) wanted to have with a creator guest was a major hassle that was best not attempted.

Of course, these are really small gripes that are easily rectified with some thought in future years. Especially in light of all the positive changes (did I mention there were tables and chairs?!), it was a great show, and, as I mentioned, I’m really looking forward to next year (even though it is only 3 days instead of 4).