Comdex, the annual mega-nerd-circus in Vegas, may have to declare bankruptcy.
Why the downturn? Key3Media Chief Fred Rosen blames — oh, you'll never guess — the shrinking IT industry and travelers made wary by Sept. 11. But tech buyers are still attending conferences, a former Key3 executive told the Mercury News, only they're favoring more focused gatherings over Comdex' smorgasbord approach. BusinessWeek Online did the math: "Last year, average attendance at info-tech trade shows sank 14%. At Comdex, attendance was down 41%." As the crowds are drifting away, so are corporate booth-buyers. A few years ago, IBM made headlines for refusing to buy space. This year, Sony's opting out.
(via /.)
