DragonCon Controversy Update

[lagilman]

A while back, there was (another) move to boycott DragonCon, and drive it to bankruptcy, because of the (not defended by anyone here) actions of one of the founding owners, Ed Kramer.

At the time, several of us discussed why such a boycott would a) not harm Ed and b) do massive harm to many other people, including the city of Atlanta.

We also commented on the fact that the Board of Directors had not been "protecting" Kramer, but had in fact banned him from the convention, and were working to oust him in a legally defensible and legitimate manner (that would not open them to damaging countersuits or bankruptcy).

A statement has been released this week, saying the following:

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Dragon Con / ACE, Inc., producer of Dragon*Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy and sci-fi convention, have agreed to merge the company into Dragon Con, Inc. (Dragon Con) in a cash-out merger. Led by Pat Henry, David Cody and Robert Dennis, ownership of Dragon Con includes five of the six founding owners of Dragon Con / ACE (the old Dragon Con). The effective date of the merger is July 8, 2013.

Edward Kramer, who has not had any role in managing or organizing the convention since 2000, was offered cash for his shares in the old company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “This decision only affects the ownership of the old Dragon Con,” said Pat Henry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Con. “Our members and others who attend Dragon*Con 2013 will experience the same fantastic convention they have come to expect from us.”

(via Bleeding Cool)


Did the threat of a boycott help force Kramer to accept a buyout?  I don't know, and neither do you.  But all the pressure in the world had to be built around a legal solution that Kramer was willing to accept, and that takes time and negotiation, not just outrage.

(this is the world we live in, which is BETTER for our legal agreements and contracts being protected, not worse.)

I am, needless, to say but I will anyway, relieved, and very much looking forward to attending DragonCon this year, and for many years in the future.

Comments

[kradical.livejournal.com]

My guess is that the boycott had nothing to do with it (though a lot to do with why they've publicized the buyout so heavily), I think that Kramer finally accepted the offer of a buyout now, where he didn't before, because he's actually facing a trial for the first time, and his legal fees are about to go through the roof. A quick infusion of large amounts of capital is of more use to him now than a steady stream of lesser monies.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

Considering how quickly the buyout happened after the boycott gained enough steam to cut into the DragonCon party line, it seems more than coincidental.

Note the way that it went from "it's impossible" to "it's very very difficult" as soon as people started canceling their appearances.

And it wasn't until Ed Kramer was caught with an 11 year old boy in his hotel room that he magically became persona non grata among the DragonCon people who were originally defending him as innocent, a victim of circumstances, the subject of anti-Semitism, etc.

[lagilman]

As I have not followed the entire timeline, nor have I really cared to follow the ever-ongoing failure of the Georgia judicial system to make their case, I can neither confirm nor deny your claim, but I will point out that he's been banned from DragonCon for over a decade now.

They have no control over what he does otherwise.
.

[madrobins]

This is good news. I suspected that it was this sort of process (in much the same way that I had faith that the SFWA board was working on the Vox Whosie problem). You want it airtight legal before you move.

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

But if there is nothing external driving it, then nothing ever happens.