Let’s hope this works
Thursday, May 7, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Wordslinger has been calling for this approach for years…
The new manager for the Illinois State Fair [Patrick Buchen] on Wednesday announced his plans to strengthen the event’s finances and agricultural roots. […]
As the new manager settled into his role managing both the Illinois State Fair and Du Quoin State Fair this week, he announced his intention to tap into the state’s vibrant agriculture industry to boost the fairs’ self-sufficiency. Both fairs have lost money in recent years, and Buchen believes calling on industry giants could help stabilize the struggling tradition. […]
Buchen, who most recently served as president and CEO of Adjuvant Expos Inc. in Texas, said he intends to use his experience from the expos in fostering sponsorships to bolster the fair’s revenue. He said he’d like to see a greater presence from companies like Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, John Deere and Pioneer on the fairgrounds. That methodology, he said, also fits with the 2015 fair theme, “Growing Illinois,” which was announced during the news conference.
“It’s going to be a big ship to turn around, but ultimately it’s going to be one of our goals to be more self-sufficient, and that’s going to take a lot of hard work and some time to do that,” Buchen said.
It is most definitely time for these ag companies to step up here. I’d expand that to CME as well, which made out like a bandit with bigtime state tax breaks not long ago.
- OneMan - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:26 am:
Well it seems it would be a chance for those companies to help the public (non-farming in particular) understand what they do and the CME would help everyone understand the value they add to food price stability
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:27 am:
I think they should allow betting on the livestock and other judging. That would make for a really interesting fair.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:28 am:
This is a no brainer, past managers have been ignorant not to at least try it.
- Get a Job! - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:33 am:
I was under the impression that during the previous administration that the Springfeld finally began to break even, maybe even Du Quoin……am I mistaken?
- relocated - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:33 am:
Any additional sponsorship opportunities would be welcomed. Fair management has pretty much maxed out what they can extract in the way of admission and parking fees.
- Rayne of Terror - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:44 am:
I’d take a close look at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur to see what companies to approach. Lots of brands I’ve never heard of on their site with farm products and technology.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:44 am:
Good on you and good luck, sir.
Get yourself a Crains yearbook and run down those lists. Lean on the guv to be a closer on big deals.
With such a broad and diverse economy, and so many Fortune 500 HQs here, the sponsorship possibilities are endless.
Ag companies and CME for sure, but think Walgreens, McDonalds, Mondelez, Kraft, Groupon, State Farm, All State, media, banks….
And get a soft drink sponsor, for crying out loud.
- HL - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:45 am:
Sell the naming rights to everything that walks, talks and moves on the fairgrounds and everything that doesn’t. Charge anybody who rides in a golf cart and is not employed by ISP. Impose a tax on any fried food item.
- IPI Rawks - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:46 am:
State has no business being in the fair business. Turn it over to a 501(c)(3), as many other states have done, and be done with it. I like the fair as much as anyone, but it can be done, and succeed, without public subsidies. In fact, it might even improve.
- RUGurmpy? - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 10:51 am:
I heard on the radio that the Springfield fair lost about 6.5 million last year and DuQ lost 1.5
- VanillaMan - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:04 am:
As a kid from Chicago, I couldn’t wait to go to the Fair because it was the only place where I ever saw perfectly clean domesticated animals. Sure, I went often to Brookfield or Lincoln Park Zoos and saw exotic animals. They might have had a petting farm in them, I don’t remember.
But the State Fair is where kids like me saw edible and productive domesticated farm animals raised by other kids. The agricultural angle of the Illinois State Fair is incredible. Illinois is an amazing agricultural state - tops among other states.
Bringing the farm back to the Illinois State Fair is a great idea. As we walk around with our iPhones, we can discover an entirely different world which pairs technology, with yesterday’s rural setting. When I am at the Fair, I am spellbound watching little kids convince livestock they raised to impress a panel of judges I could never be a part of. I love it.
More farm - less freak show, please!
- Team Sleep - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:05 am:
The phrase “Welcome to the ADM Illinois State Fair” has a ring to it.
- A guy - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:06 am:
===Lean on the guv to be a closer on big deals.===
Pleased you found an area for him to be helpful. I’m sure he can and would be. Heck, he could even be a sponsor. Why not?
It’s a good idea. If this thing can’t sustain itself, it begs the question “Why even have 1, let alone 2 of these events?”
We’re an ag state. We should act like one.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:17 am:
Words can’t explain how the state’s procurement laws impede the ability of the fair’s administration to sell things like naming rights and corporate sponsorships. Not saying it can’t be done, but it is not as simple as it seems.
About four years ago the fair did a sponsorship with Coke to be the only cola on the fairgrounds. The fall out and threats of legal action from that are still remembered.
Remember, you are talking about a State fair, not local or county fair. The State part of the title means the process of selling the product gets complicated, real fast.
- And it's in the hole!! - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:20 am:
I always thought that CME should have stepped in and sponsored the LPGA tournament that State Farm used to sponsor in Springfield. CME started sponsoring a LPGA event in Florida four years ago…
- A realistic citizen - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:24 am:
But, but, but……
This sounds an awful lot like running the state fair like a a a a….gasp…..”fiscally responsible business”.
We can’t do that.
- Juvenal - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:25 am:
No one has done more to promote Carhartt than Rauner.
There ought to be a Carhartt store on the fairgrounds.
- A guy - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:30 am:
Juv, even tongue in cheek, that’s a good idea.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:47 am:
- A realistic citizen -,
This is a fair. Not a state agency, especially a state agency providing services, not at a profit. Please learn.
Dope.
- Anonin' - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:54 am:
NewFair honcho seems sharp. Naming rights deals can be done under existing procurement, don’t buy the jive. Easiest funding stream is slots if a gaming deal is put together. Passed once.
- Sir Reel - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 11:57 am:
I believe the annual losses are operating losses and don’t include the periodic capital spending on the fairgrounds. For example, the $3 million in emergency electrical work (because Blago cut the routine maintenance).
Any infusion of outside money into the fair would be welcome. If the Illinois Purchasing Code is a problem then change it as it applies to the fairs.
- nixit71 - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
For those in the Chicago area who may attend only one state fair in a year, the Wisconsin State Fair is a more compelling choice for what is an overall similar experience. It’s about 100 miles/90 minutes less each way. Being situated north and relatively close to Lake Michigan is an easier sell in mid-August than the middle of IL. And those cream puffs sell themselves.
- DuPage - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 12:27 pm:
Good idea to carve out an exception to the purchasing codes for the state fair. Get rid of a lot of red tape.
- Newsclown - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
Well, you guys sound like you think getting sponsorships and re-focusing on agriculture at the fair is a new idea. Coke and Pepsi fight over the distribution rights to the fair annually. Gate Two has a huge exhibit called “farmer’s Helpers” for the kids that is completely about farm-to-table food production, and that’s heavily underwritten too. Most venues are sponsored and named already, and every concert is named and subsidized, heavily. These are not new ideas. But since the Farm Progress Show decoupled from the fair, it took a massive hit in farmer attendance and so they have had to cater more to a non-ag tourist crowd, and all on a substantially shrunken budget. So, these are nice ideas, but to make money you need to spend some first.
Can’t wait to see Bruce at the Governor’s auction of Champions. I bet he interrupts Orion Samuelson to say:
“I WOULD bid thirty grand for that steer… except, I need you all to sign this union-busting Turn-around Agenda petition for me, first.” Otherwise, no bids.”
- Wordslinger - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 12:49 pm:
Give Me a Break, give us a break on the “words can’t explain” stuff on how state procurement law makes it tough to get sponsors.
There already are brand-name sponsors at the state fair. Just very few of them.
The state fair solicits brand-name sponsors. They’re just not landing them.
If there are impediments, find the words to explain them rather than using them as a crutch for doing a lousy job.
- Keyser Soze - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 1:12 pm:
The new director’s fresh ideas are welcome. As with Vman, my Chicago based sister can’t wait to visit the State Fair, year after year.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
Word, I’m not trying to be evasive, but having working with the state fair management from time-to-time over the last 10 years, their ability to pursue corp. sponsors has been limited by procurement procedures and ethics legislation that more than a few sponsors view as not worth the trouble. Not saying they could not have landed more, but like booking Grandstand Acts for the State Fair, it is just not as easy as one would think.
Hope the new state fair team lands some new sponsors because the infrastructure of the grounds is terrible.
- Fairmonger - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 2:26 pm:
When you add up the sales tax revenues that the state fair generates, the state actually does come out ahead. Not to mention the ripple effect.
Regarding state fair funding, last year, the Dept. of Ag pushed legislation to create a foundation for capital and grounds improvements for the fairs. This is to ensure that capital dollars end up supporting capital improvements like repairing roofs, parking lots and building additions.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, passed the Senate but died in the House.
- John A Logan - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 2:34 pm:
More Horse races…
- dr. reason a, goodwin - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
The Thompson administration had a fairly successful Agriland Expo for a few years at the DuQuoin fair. Ag department flak Mark Randal put it together. It fell by the wayside when the administration changed.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 4:15 pm:
I agree with the sage Anonin’ that there is sufficient flexibility under the current Procurement Code and Rules to allow any reasonable naming rights deal. Exhibit A: The State Farm Center in Champaign. (Fka Assembly Hall)
The Coke/Pepsi war will be fought as long as both of them are being sold. We may be better off getting a water company as the beverage vendor.
Good luck to the new Fair Manager. He sounds well suited to the task.
- Fairmonger - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 4:53 pm:
Art Anderson -
Usually a non-government foundation is involved if corporate dollars are to be accepted and used toward state expenditures. The donors would require it to ensure their donations are used appropriately.
- Aldermanic Panic - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 5:35 pm:
IPI Rawks might have the right idea, if taking it out of government’s grip makes it bigger, better and more popular.
- Dr X - Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 7:15 pm:
I wish him well. But since it costs around 40+ bucks just to get a 4 member family through the door, I’ll pass on any future fairs.
- downstate commissioner - Friday, May 8, 15 @ 8:35 am:
Dr X, have you attended any big-name concerts or ball games, lately? Six Flags or other amusement park? How about church? If you’re not dropping $20 bucks in the plate, you are a cheapskate> Even high school sporting events are running near $20 for a family of four, and that is only for two hours or so.
If you don’t want to attend the fair, okay, but don’t use the admission price as a reason…