Re: PonyExpo (Poniverse Directors' Statement)

[PiratePony 8,473]

Statement from Poniverse's directors:

 

We at Poniverse would like to address some confusion regarding PonyExpo. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding has arisen from the result of repeated use of Poniverse branding by PonyExpo in press releases and on their website. Several statements assert that PonyExpo is a Poniverse convention – implying that it is owned and controlled by the Poniverse organization. This misrepresentation was in large part a consequence of Poniverse staffers being brought into the planning stages of the convention and the use of Poniverse resources in getting PonyExpo off the ground.

 

In order to set the record straight, two main points need to be emphasized:

• Poniverse has not and does not currently own PonyExpo. The two groups have always operated independently of one another. PonyExpo LLC is owned by Simon and Stitch.

• Poniverse is not organizing or overseeing the convention. All planning has been done by a team that is currently led by Simeon. Any Poniverse staff members who also happen to serve on PonyExpo's staff do so on PonyExpo's behalf, not Poniverse's.

We’re working on a formal partnership with PonyExpo. We obviously want to see PonyExpo succeed – but it can and should do so on its own merits. As has been said, this is a PonyExpo convention, not a Poniverse convention. Credit for this convention should go to PonyExpo’s awesome staff. It would be unfair to do otherwise. We therefore wish all those at PonyExpo the best of luck in putting together their first convention, and we hope that everyone planning on attending PonyExpo will have a great time.

 

If you have any further questions regarding PonyExpo, please contact their staff by visiting ponyexpo.com. Questions about Poniverse can be sent to us on Poniverse's board at board@poniverse.net.

• AppleDash (Director-Elect)

• Feld0

• Fhaolan

• Jax

• PiratePony

• Spoon

[FlitterFlutter 1,568]

This is probably a good idea from the side of poniverse. Distance yourself from this convention, so all trouble it causes are not on you.

[Silver Letter 1,830]

Well, that was disappointing. I thought poniverse had decided to create their own little con. Oh well.

[Jeric 46,834]

Sigh

 

It was never in the Poniverse name. It was a registered Domestic LLC in NV with Stitch and Simon listed as Managers of the LLC. It's all public record.

 

I expected them to divest it to Poniverse after their resignation, or cancel it offering a refund, but considering that the venue deposit may not be refundable a refund may be impossible now. I did not expect Poniverse to reach an agreement for a formal partnership.

 

You should expect some negativity over this. There are some people who are going to feel as if they were duped, and the name of Poniverse was a reasuring element considering the notorious history of Pony Cons in Vegas. As that reassuring brand now has a public statement claiming 'oops bad branding', along with the co-chair publicly stating that the refund policy is 'case by case' ... so if this con goes south this isn't going to go well for the image of Poniverse or PonyExpo LLC.

 

It also may be a good idea to be as frank about the errors in branding as possible. The Director's statement comes across as a miscommunication, and there have been way too many conversations disseminated about PonyExpo LLC at this point for that to be the appropriate stance. I mean, we all know I was not a quiet man about this issue.

 

Do I want it to fail? No. Mainly because good people have invested time and money into this. People I care about are on that con's staff. I do recommend against an official partnership though. Let them sink or swim on their own as you said.

 

Poniverse may want to release something to EqD to get ahead of some of the rumblings I'm seeing. Just so you guys can distance yourself in the eyes of more people.

 

This is a mess no matter how you look at it.

[Yellow Diamond 7,561]

This is probably a good idea from the side of poniverse. Distance yourself from this convention, so all trouble it causes are not on you.

 

Well, that's sort of the issue: we never were in charge of PonyExpo. Whether or not the convention is a success (which I obviously hope it is) is mostly irrelevant: calling it a "Poniverse convention" is simply factually wrong. When Simon and Stitch talked about PonyExpo being a Poniverse project, they were working under the assumption that any distinction was a temporary formality; that was a mistake. Frankly speaking, it took too long for us to correct the record -- but it's better late than never. I'd rather we take it on the chin now before things got completely out of whack.

 

I obviously can't comment or speculate on any further negotiations regarding the relationship between Poniverse and PonyExpo. If there's any announcement on that front, it'll definitely be made public.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,520]

There's a detail worth adding to all of the above: a plan existed to bring PonyExpo under the Poniverse umbrella and everyone involved rolled with an assumption that it was going to happen, which is part of why the convention was pre-emptively branded as a Poniverse project. The use of the Poniverse brand is something we'll be more careful about in the future.

 

That plan changed (with the consent of both organizations, importantly), and this announcement was made to be clear to the community that PonyExpo and Poniverse are going to be independent of each other for the foreseeable future.