Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Don't sit so close to me

Last week at the MOPS conference, I was standing on stage as a good host always does, waiting for Dr. Wess Stafford's wireless mike and soundcheck to be set up. As always, I pondering the logistic layout of the Opryland Hotel Delta ballroom, thinking to myself how the room is laid out with the projection screens, will it sound good, how having a personal video crane would be cool, seating arrangements, etc.



One thing I did notice... why aren't the seats on the outer rows angled in towards the stage. Nothing worse than having a crimp in the old neck and while I'm at it - spread the chairs at least two inches apart. Cheek to cheek is too intimate for me. If you notice, 360 guys can fill up a 5000 seat ballroom, as we like to spread out with our stuff; one chair on either side to prop our arms on, and the other to put our stuff on (like a pencil). Also it's a distance equals safety thing.

Since this was a Mothers Of Preschoolers Conference with 5000 ladies, I didn't say anything. But I was sure thinking it.

2 comments:

Sam Davidson said...

As someone who spent a few years in the hotel convention biz, placing the chairs at an angle DECREASES the number of chairs in a given space. While better for the neck, you fit fewer bodies due to aisle and spacing requirements. Just an FYI.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Sam - I'm tempted to do the math, but perhaps the hotel convention biz is stuck in the "we've always done it this way" mentality. Hey, that might preach.