Dema show???

[The Chairman]

I agree Phil. I don't think that DEMA is purely evil either. In fact, I don't see a nefarious intent there at all. However, they do need to listen to the rank and file member. This kind of feedback, while harsh and sometimes hard to accept, is invaluable if they wish to re-invent themselves for this century. Please let us know when you are running for the BOD so we can support you as much as possible.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

They also need to focus more on the benefits to new divers of doing local dives. Traveling to exotic places is nice but to many, especially now, out of reach of many. And local divers will buy more gear than someone who plans to dive once or twice a year on vacation. I have not been in the game long enough to know about the beginnings of DEMA but I've been around long enough to know that putting so much time and money onto promoting the travel aspect is certainly giving the travel people a lot of power in the organization. The people who should be benefiting- manufacturers, shops, and dive pros are more and more taking a back seat to the resorts who have less to lose by attending since they don;t need to ship entire lines of gear and equipment. And by not having term limits on BOD's and allowing them to buy votes (Damn they should hold it in Chicago), the smaller companies get screwed big time. It is, to my eyes, not a manufacturers association but an association of a few insiders who let the little guys in for appearance's sake. In all reality why are the travel people there at all? For that matter why is any agency on the board? Allowed in yes, on the board- Hell No!

It;s why I've been trying to encourage Tobin, Chris, and others to have a hard look at some of the smaller local shows where the primary attendees are local divers and the shops that support them. If you display, at many times significantly less cost, to those who are the ones buying gear and the local shops see a genuine interest, they will pick up your lines. If I had my own shop between DSS, HOG, and some other smaller lines I could outfit divers in quality gear for much less than they are paying now in many cases. Of course I also recommend the types of gear they make as opposed to poodle jackets and $800 regs to my OW students.

DEMA will go on as long as the big guys don;t have the balls to tell them to get back to basics. Restrict the travel ops to one or two days and focus on gear. Give the same percentage discounts to the guy making a new type of dive flag holder that you do to SP, AL, Oceanic, Sherwood, etc. And get the hell away from venues that tack on fees and charges that would make Al Capone proud and have Carlo Gambino taking notes!

 

[PhilEllis]

Please let us know when you are running for the BOD so we can support you as much as possible.

Pete, give me a break! I can barely run my own little business. The DEMA BOD is a job for people far beyond my skill level.

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

 

[The Chairman]

Pete, give me a break! I can barely run my own little business. The DEMA BOD is a job for people far beyond my skill level.

I would rather have the people on the BOD give a damn rather than have some mythical skill set. YOU are DEMA and we need your kind of representation on the Board. Really.

The overall theme that I am reading from many in this thread is that DEMA has lost sight of it's roots. The LDS is the front line for almost all things Scuba. Sure, the internet has dramatically changed the role of the LDS as being the sole arbiter of knowledge for most divers, but their new role is still important! They should be the final liaison between the manufacturer and the diver and that's in person or on line. Too many are abdicating that role and rendering themselves obsolete. That just doesn't need to happen!

Give it a real thought Phil. You could make a difference!

 

[cool_hardware52]

I agree Phil. I don't think that DEMA is purely evil either.

Some kinda dilute evil perhaps?

In fact, I don't see a nefarious intent there at all. However, they do need to listen to the rank and file member. This kind of feedback, while harsh and sometimes hard to accept, is invaluable if they wish to re-invent themselves for this century. Please let us know when you are running for the BOD so we can support you as much as possible

The problem IMO is the structure, you have members that are "more equal" than others. That's always going to present a potential problem.

With "benevolent dictators" the benefits can outweigh the risks. With incompetent or unethical hands on the tiller the "less equal" get abused.


Besides organizing the annual show What, specifically, has DEMA even done to further Scuba Diving?

Tobin

 

[The Chairman]

That would be the beleaguered "Be A Diver" initiative, Tobin.

 

[cool_hardware52]

That would be the beleaguered "Be A Diver" initiative, Tobin.

If that's the best they ever done it's clearly time to move on.

Tobin

 

[The Chairman]

"Ever done"? I can't answer that. I remained effectively outside of the business of diving until 2002 or 2003 when I made my first DEMA in Houston. I do know that if you ask any particular dive shop what DEMA does, about the only answer they will give you is the DEMA Show. Perhaps that's all they need or want, but in today's economy, discretionary travel is hard to justify. A Factory rep is now simply a call, a click, an e-mail or a PM away. Many manufacturers are seeing that their time with their target audience is simply diluted at DEMA and so they have traveling Gear events (think DUI and Whites) or in house training from dive shop to dive shop.

It's easy to look at these non-flattering observations as being "anti-DEMA", but I just don't buy that. Manufacturers, Dive Shops, Instructors and the like are looking for solutions. Either give them the viable solutions that they want or be prepared to be replaced. The latter will be the result of indecision or inaction.

 

[cool_hardware52]

"Ever done"? I can't answer that. I remained effectively outside of the business of diving until 2002 or 2003 when I made my first DEMA in Houston. I do know that if you ask any particular dive shop what DEMA does, about the only answer they will give you is the DEMA Show.

Yup, the Show, that's about it.

I asked about the same question yesterday here

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/shows-events/308053-post-dema-dive-industry.html

So far nobody has offered any opinions as to what DEMA's done well or poorly.

Tobin

 

[Wookie]

Isn't it interesting, however, that a lot of the local shows (which should be supported by local divers) are no longer around, either. Seaspace in Houston was a great show the first year I went. Boston Sea Rovers in the Mid-80's, and the Denver show were all strong shows. BTS, Long Beach, and OWU still are, and Brad Nolan and Dive Chronicles are trying to fill that gap, with limited success.

The industry is changing, and I don't think anyone knows what it's gonna look like in 5 years, or even next year for that matter. Pretty scary for this liveaboard operator.

Frank