I'd eagerly pay to see them.
They've only played together live twice (BotCon 1997 and 2009), and even though they aren't hit rockers in the music world, they are still amazing to this old timer fan, and I never thought I'd ever get the chance to see them on stage together again... so I think this probably will be the last time for them, as there aren't a lot of us left who grew up on their music to go and fill a room when they are playing.

I just hope that this Friday Night concert isn't on at the same time as any of the events scheduled for the Convention Center, like the Golden Ticket dinner or MSTF, as I really don't want to have to sacrifice something that I will regret missing later.

Same here.

 

Source?

 

There is no official source confirming this at present, but it's widely assumed due to an array of convincing, if still circumstantial, evidence.

 

Thats what I thought. I've read all the rumors and allegations, and some of it is tinged heavily with the butt-hurt of some folks that seem to hate FP and has that "Good Riddance" ring. I'm not one of those people. I love Transformers enough to not want the convention and the club to just end, and I went thru all that Botcon --> OTFCC crap back almost 15 years ago, so I surely don't want to go thru it all over again. Although I'm grateful and happy that Hasbro has stayed true to the brand all these years, but I don't trust their decision making and I never will.

Absolutely no disrespect meant to all the other folks that run fan-cons, but Transformers without Botcon to me falls into that old, and sometimes overused, sentiment of "Hasbro doesn't give a squat about its long time fans". Yes, they'll throw us a bone with certain toylines and some exclusives, but as far as any official recognition and focus, its the big middle finger. I know this to be true, they've done it on the girls side of things with MLP for decades.

A couple of scenarios play out here, not many of them are good. The worst is they give up on Botcon altogether. Close behind is management grows a wild hair and gives it to someone that wants to "take it in a new direction" - corporate speak for screwing over the fans. Maybe they give up on FP and give it to someone else, who once again has the "Vision" but neither the means or the creativity to pull it off. Maybe they stoop to their horse-manure "unofficial support" routine of conventions run by people with the most "pull" amongst the community (as they do with at least one other toyline). The only good scenario that could possibly play out, IMO, is they continue to involve themselves in the fandom, continue to support an "official" con, and although they'll never get us all to agree, continue to work at changes in the club and con that reflect positively on the fan community.

 

If it indeed is the final Botcon or even the final FP one, I would hope they would let fans know. For some fans it'll be "I'll catch the next one" and that may influence their decision of going this year.

 

I really think that if this was "the last Botcon", there wouldn't be such a business-as-usual thing going on with the Botcon and Club announcements. I really think this is a case of things that have been said being blown out of proportion, largely by FP haters, and because of the concept of "It was posted on <insert website or blog here> so it must be true" nature of the internet, the rumors caught fire and spread out of control.

 

Seems like they're going pretty heavy on guests this year with the Beast Wars VA's, Derrick J. Wyatt and now a concert with Stan Bush and Vince DiCola. Glad I'm going though I'm probably not going to attend the concert, just not into concerts that much.

Agreed. I can't imagine any reason they'd keep something like that a secret. Just seems like they have more to gain from revealing a detail like that with more people attending before the Botcon/FP doors shut for good.

Though for all I know there's some legal mumbo jumbo between the Botcon folks and Hasbro keeping them from saying anything until at/after the show is over.

 

 


Maybe it was supposed to be a then and now pic but someone dropped the ball.

 

I hope they're not losing the license, I've really enjoyed all the Botcons I attended. Certainly not the smoothest running show, but despite all the issues, I still have a great time.

If it isn't true, I don't know why they wouldn't just say it's not true.

 

Well, I don't dispute the anti-FP attitudes around here, but I meant it when I said the circumstantial evidence was nonetheless convincing.

 

It seems pretty clear at this point that any delay on informing the fans is at Hasbro's discretion, rather than FPs. FP gives the impression (through a number of subtle nods) that they want to give us all the information related to their departure that they're allowed to.

There's a distinct lack of any "catch the next one" language coming from FP itself. Quite the opposite, really.

 

The FP "haters" really are justified, they can point to very specific things that led them to their frustration. We all have different tolerances for screw ups.

 

I don't dispute any of that. I'm just saying that this hardly constitutes reason to be suspicious that this really will be FunPub's last year doing BotCon. There's plenty of evidence (if admittedly circumstantial) that I feel even less hostile observers are well convinced at this point.

As to any delay on informing the fans... There are statements from both FunPub and Hasbro at this point that point to Hasbro being the reason for less-than-full disclosure about FunPub's departure.

 

Whatever the outcome is, there will be some who are happy and some who aren't. I wish I could go this year. I agree it's most likely Hasbro who isn't allowing FP to say anything. No matter what happens, I've had a blast at each BC I've gone to, made some really good friends, had some one of a kind experiences, bought some great toys.