Can we change the date of the AvatarMeet?

[weka]

NEXT TIME. You have the avatarmeet at July 9th - Sunday July 13th on the 2014.

You know what takes place between those dates? Only the world's most famous (sporting) event: the FIFA world Cup. Hundreds of MILLIONS watch this event every four years so I am NOT missing out on this.

I wish next time you people pick a better date ...

[Moco Loco]

I wish there were more date/location polls for Avatar Meets, and I'm probably not the only one.

[mikkowilson]

Anyone is welcome to provide their input at any stage, and volunteer to be on the planning team.

We didn't know about the World Cup, not on anyone's on the planning team's radar, sorry.

We did spend a lot of time - months - discussing possible dates. Both internally and with our friends at Lightstorm Entertainment. A lot went into the chosen dates, the key elements are these: Summer vacation varies a lot by country, July is most consistently in Summer vacation (for the northern hemisphere). June and August not so much. This is also the case for the planning team; we're not going to pick dates that half of us can't make. Within July there is the 4th of July US Independence Day holiday which is to be avoided, and then later in the month Comic-Con which Lightstorm asked us to avoid, and we've always avoided due to the potential conflict as a similar event with a similar target audience. This year, those factors pretty much dictated the dates. The destination also plays a role in the math. We check for other major events in the area that could conflict. The chosen weekend has no major other events in LA that would drive up hotel room prices for example.

In 2012 the summer Olympics were mentioned during our date discussions, however they never really played a major role in the planning. We didn't conflict anyway.

There will never be a perfect location and dates for everyone, so we have to plan from the point of view of the event and maximizing attendance possibilities for as many as possible. Conflicts with other events at the meetup location totally play a role in this, conflicts with events taking place elsewhere can't. The world is too full of awesome things to schedule around everything.

We have run location & date polls in the past, and intend to again in the future; but this year the opportunity to visit Lightstorm was something that we felt we had to convey to the community, and that pretty much dictated the dates in terms of practicality for everyone.

And why Lighstorm this year? They have their new facility up and running to a point where they can host the visit from us (wasn't possible last year, we checked), but they aren't - yet - into the production of Avatar 2 (which would also make it hard/impossible to visit).

- Mikko

[weka]

I guess the AvatarMeet team is American because EVERYONE who is not in America knows about World Cup. But yeah, that's fine. I guess I can come to the next one. Not missing this event that happens every 4 years!

[mikkowilson]

Let me revise my earlier statement, It's not that we don't know about the World Cup, it's just that it didn't ever come up in planning conversation as something of importance to consider as a conflict given that it's in Brazil, and watchable on TV worldwide for those interested.

Originally Posted by weka

I guess the AvatarMeet team is American because EVERYONE who is not in America knows about World Cup. But yeah, that's fine. I guess I can come to the next one. Not missing this event that happens every 4 years!

Not sure what's wrong with being American, as you imply. I'm a little disheartened at your use of stereotypes to drive your point.

Fun fact:
The planning team's hardest working member is English (the country credited with the development of modern Football). He's working tirelessly to get this event pulled together and stops at nothing to make the event as open and accessible to all. We're sorry that you're unable to appreciate his and the rest of the planning team's (representing multiple nationalities by the way) volunteer efforts to continue to make this open invitation community event a success.

Perhaps some day your schedule will allow you the opportunity to make use of these volunteer efforts. However I'm of the opinion that Lightstorm Entertainment's offer to host a visit is not exactly an annual event either.


Now the Quiddich World Cup? That I'd totally go to. Though honestly the FIS World Cup is the only one of real interest to myself; but you don't get to travel to it via Portkey.

- Mikko

[Clarke]

Originally Posted by mikkowilson

Now the Quiddich World Cup? That I'd totally go to. Though honestly the FIS World Cup is the only one of real interest to myself; but you don't get to travel to it via Portkey.

- Mikko

If portkeys were involved, the logistics of any meetup would be much easier.

[Empty Glass]

Another word about stereotypes - the flip side about people living in the US who truly care about football is that there are also people from other places like Europe who really aren't into the sport at all. I've met quite a few of them in Madrid, where I am currently living. There are people everywhere who will stand out from those around them, defying generalizations.

My chances of attending the meetup are slim to none, so I don't have much of a say in the dates. However, I don't think that changing the dates to accommodate something that has not boded well for Brazil's indigenous peoples would be in line with the spirit of the movie that this meetup is about.

[Raiden]

Lol, no.

Nobody on the planning team is really into sports. We are not all from the United States (American, technically, could mean Central America, North America, or South America) and using that as the reason makes you look quite petty.

You are also ignoring the large number of people in the US who are immigrants from South America, or first generation U.S. citizens from immigrated parents, who are usually more aware of sporting events in their country of origin.

Also, news flash; not everybody cares about sports. This is a community that is actually made up of quite a few people who don't give a **** about any kind of sport, whether you're kicking balls, throwing balls, or hitting balls with clubs.

So don't start accusing us of being ignorant just because we planned the meetup over your worship-of-ball-kicking event. We plan these events in accordance with what will get the most people to attend, not in accordance with whiners who want everything their way. Maybe if you really wanted to come you would be alright with missing the chance to see your football idols run around like idiots after an inflated piece of rubber.

Next time be a little more polite and act like an adult about it, or you'll wind up making yourself very unpopular with me.

[weka]

<sigh> This thread was done. mikkowilson helped me and I said fine. But you just had to come in here and try to make me look like a fool. Alright, let's get this out of the way.

First of all, I will say that I was brash and my use of stereotypes was un-needed. I apologize for that and that is true. I guess I was a bit hot-headed because I was finally get to be able to go to AvatarMeet and then relealize the ending is at the same date of the WC2014 that its hard to look at both.

So, I'll break down your little post.

Originally Posted by Raiden

Lol, no.

Nobody on the planning team is really into sports. We are not all from the United States (American, technically, could mean Central America, North America, or South America) and using that as the reason makes you look quite petty.

Alright, cool, you're not into sports. That's fine. Technically, when people say Americans, in general context, they mean actual Americans from United States. If people wanted to say Central americans of South Americans, they would add the prefix of South or Central. It's common usage -- really.

Originally Posted by Raiden

Also, news flash; not everybody cares about sports. This is a community that is actually made up of quite a few people who don't give a **** about any kind of sport, whether you're kicking balls, throwing balls, or hitting balls with clubs.

Yes, I understand not everyone cares about sports. In fact, some people hate it. The fact that you're now belitting sports makes me realize you're not as professional and nice as I thought.

Originally Posted by Raiden

So don't start accusing us of being ignorant just because we planned the meetup over your worship-of-ball-kicking event. We plan these events in accordance with what will get the most people to attend, not in accordance with whiners who want everything their way. Maybe if you really wanted to come you would be alright with missing the chance to see your football idols run around like idiots after an inflated piece of rubber.

Next time be a little more polite and act like an adult about it, or you'll wind up making yourself very unpopular with me.

First of all, I never used the word ignorant. And secondly, alright, now you're really insulting the sport/my reason. And you have the gall to tell me that I am not polite and don't act like an adult when you yourself try to think you're "holier-than-thou" above a sport and describe it in such a pathetic way.

Please, this topic ended. You try to come in here making me look silly is not working. You trying to insult football and tell ME I am not polite and don't act like an adult -- when you yourself....

Just stop while you're ahead. Thanks.

Originally Posted by mikkowilson

Not sure what's wrong with being American, as you imply. I'm a little disheartened at your use of stereotypes to drive your point.

I know. I was steroetyping and I aplogize. Nothing is wrong with being an American. I am one myself.

I will however look into how I can take advantage of Lightstorm Entertainment's offer and see what it hads to behold for us Avatar fans.

Thanks mikko.

@Empty Glass: Having been to Spain myself, I have indeed run into people who don't care about football or sports at all. Yep. Hopefully, I can attend the AvatarMeet 2015!

[Sarah Noel]

Ya'll joke, but it looks like the Quidditch world cup will be a real thing in the next few years.

International Quidditch Association

No portkeys though. I was on my school's quidditch team for about a day, before deciding muggle quidditch has too much running an not enough magic for my personal preference. Also the brooms seemed extra cumbersome.

[Raiden]

You get back what you dish out, fella.

I'm not interested in being professional when someone decides to start insulting us because we planned the meetup over their precious sporting event. You attacked us, and I struck back. What were you expecting, groveling?

If you and like ten other people told us about this months ago, we probably would have reconsidered; it would be ridiculous for us to move the meetup date for one person, even months in advance. It's got nothing to do with you, it's just not how one plans group events.

As for the thread, you should have thought twice about it before you made it. Once it's out there, anyone can reply, and if you piss people off, it's not over 'till it's over. It would have been a better idea to just PM Mikkowilson. The other thing is that we've been holding meetups in July since I started the first thread; you could have looked at that and realized that we could plan one over the World Cup and said something about it.

No hard feelings, really, but try to think it over next time before you make a thread that could make people angry.

[weka]

Originally Posted by Raiden

You get back what you dish out, fella.

I'm not interested in being professional when someone decides to start insulting us because we planned the meetup over their precious sporting event. You attacked us, and I struck back. What were you expecting, groveling?

Nope, I just think you're bit of a hypocrite when you call me unpolite and not an adult when you act like it yourself.

Originally Posted by Raiden

If you and like ten other people told us about this months ago, we probably would have reconsidered; it would be ridiculous for us to move the meetup date for one person, even months in advance. It's got nothing to do with you, it's just not how one plans group events.

1. 10 people? Football is the most popular sport in the world. I'm willing to bet my life there's lots of people who enjoy both Avatar and the sport. But, you're probably one of the those people who looks down upon those who like sports in general.

2. You're right. That's why I said next time the event is planned, to think about other events in accordance.

Originally Posted by Raiden

As for the thread, you should have thought twice about it before you made it. Once it's out there, anyone can reply, and if you piss people off, it's not over 'till it's over. It would have been a better idea to just PM Mikkowilson. The other thing is that we've been holding meetups in July since I started the first thread; you could have looked at that and realized that we could plan one over the World Cup and said something about it.

Like I said, I got my answer from mikko but you just had to reply thinking you're so smug. Oh, man. This guy wants to move the event so he can watch his stupid little event! Let's talk trash about it, too!

I have no regrets making this thread. As for the topic, I could have worded it better. It went from "can we move it" to "right, next time, we can better analyze the options for the next meet-up" and I had said thanks but guess you had to get your two cents.

Moving the event, I guess it was a farfetched idea and of course I realize that what I was really trying to go for. But now we got that out of the way.

Have a good day, Raiden!!

[ahoragi]

The events, the dates, blah blah. It didn't work out so be it. Plan for the next one.......geez.

All this back and forth crap over a simple thing like this..........

[Human No More]

Please, don't make this personal.

Sometimes people can't make it for any number of reasons. I won't be there this year.

I wasn't particularly aware of the exact date of the world cup myself, but to me, the meetup would have taken precedence. For some people it won't. Both are understandable. It can never be scheduled perfectly, some people will always be disappointed as a simple fact of its size and global audience. Start thinking about next year instead