My son loves autograph signings. The enjoyment for me is dependent on whether the show is run well. That means the signees show up on time and there is a process in place to hold the showgoers in a manageable line.

I can tell you having a process in place and following it, is a big deal for me. I’ve had experiences at shows that were miserable, just because it was not managed properly. When I was at the 2022 Sports Collectors National Convention in Atlantic City, it was no fun even if I saw Reggie Jackson again when it was people on top of people, and I joked that if I didn’t get COVID then, I was never going to get it.

My son and I go to these local shows in Westchester and Hofstra, managed by the same company. Usually, it’s managed well. For the big Westchester shows, they call by number and things run smoothly. Unfortunately, we just attended a show with 5 current New York Rangers and a handful of Rangers legends including Phil Esposito. Let us just say, it was a hot mess. They let the customers storm the stage and the idea of calling numbers was thrown out the window. Didn’t matter how low my numbers were for guys like Adam Fox or Igor Shesterkin, there was a breakdown in the process.

As we say with plan sponsors, it’s all about a process and following it. You can’t let it break down, no matter how overwhelmed you are.