Fanbase shrinkage- is there any cause for worry?

[ManaMinori 4,143]

For years, fans worrying whether the g4 fanbase was shrinking was- and is still a thing. And while I can understand the fears- MLP FIM once had a hugs fanbase when the show was just taking off, and  years later, it might not seem that way anymore. Many famous and nonfamous fans have departed from the fandom and moved on to other shows and fanbases, or grown out of the show and its fanbase, some have been turned off by how the fanbase acts, there aren't as many conventions for FiM as there once used to be...so surely it looks bleak for the FiM fanbase. But is the topic of fanbase shrinkage a legitimate concern- even if it was shrinking? True things aren't as they were back in MLP FIM's prime when they show was just starting off- but is that a bad thing? Shows and fanbases change, bu being a fan of each MLP generation has allowed me to see the big picture- that a fandom's strength lies not in numbers, but in longevity and passion. So long as you have that, then the fandom will always be around. Just look at Star Trek fans, or MLP g1 fans. My Little Pony is a 30+ year old franchise, and guess what- g1 fans are still alive and kicking without fresh, official content that caters to their generation. G4 is still ongoing, and its fanbase is still alive and kicking, yet they are worried about dwindling numbers of their fanbase, in spite of this generation constantly receiving new official content- and even in the midst of heavy official promo for a MLP movie, which will surely draw in fresh blood to the fandom. If  g1 fans can make it through 30+ years, with their generation no longer being catered to, then I wonder what it says about g4 fanbase worriers, when g4 is still alive and well.

 

So- are these worries about g4 fanbase shrinkage really a cause for concern?

[Ganondorf8 11,118]

Fans come and go from this fandom all the time as they do within other fandoms until it stabilizes to an extent. I see this as a natural occurrence and shouldn't be any cause for alarm, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to be extra careful.

[Steve Piranha 28,780]

I don't think it's a source for concern, but the fandom activity has decreased notoriously. I miss the high quality merch like the funkos, but I hardly see anything that I'd like to get. Too bad I've joined kinda late  

[GrimGrimoire 4,970]

No it is not a cause for concern. People just like being melodramatic.

Do people really seriously think the fandom will just keep growing forever, and if it does stop growing, just stick a certain size for infinity?

The people who still care about it are still here, the people who don't, left. That is the way it should be.

[碇 シンジン 27,427]

Only cause for concern is the pessimism  and fear that gives birth to these concerns I mean if you look at things as they are you can clearly see that there isn't anything to worry about.

I personally think that being optimistic and hopeful results in a more positive mindset than negativity and pessimism. Just as the show teaches.

[Philosopher Pone 108]

People come and go, but I think that a lot of most devoted fans who contribute to the community will stay for a long time.

[Mirage 24,136]

I'll always be an MLP fan. I don't know if that speaks for others, but maybe.

[cmarston1 5,951]

Not really.

People have been freaking out about this like every year or so, but nothing seems to happen.

[Jeric 46,835]

To answer the question directly, I'm not worried about it, no. In general, I don't let numbers and popularity dictate what I like, outside of the obvious increased chance of exposure. The vociferous nature of fans during the initial surge in late 2010 caught my attention, so there is something to say about a young fandom relying on exposure to grow. At this point Bronies and FiM, while not ubiquitous, don't have that worry. What you are seeing is the natural coming and leaving of people due to shifting interests and time. 

[Luminance 2,181]

People come and leave but the ones who leave often don't care anymore so it's their lost. 

[Kings&Hooves14 616]

Many of us have trouble with fanbase shrinkage--it's nothing to be ashamed about. Just talk to your doctor--

--wait, that's not what we're talking about? Okay. 

Look, as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to worry about. The Friendship is Magic fandom is simply too big to die off entirely.

[Babyyoshi309 1,829]

The fanbase is not shrinking, in fact, it is probably growing. It just that less people talk about it nowadays. 

[ManaMinori 4,143]

2 hours ago, Kings&Hooves14 said:

Many of us have trouble with fanbase shrinkage--it's nothing to be ashamed about. Just talk to your doctor--

--wait, that's not what we're talking about? Okay. 

Look, as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing to worry about. The Friendship is Magic fandom is simply too big to die off entirely.

oh jeez. I lol'ed. XD I love your sense of humor!

 

[FluffyGoat13 375]

Well, firstly, I don't think it is shrinking, I just think that's an understandable misconception. Secondly, if Hasbruh isn't worried we certainly shouldn't be.

Back to why I don't think it's shrinking; look at the welcome plaza, our inbound fan rate is merely stabilising after our rather spectacular explosion onto the internet (I would really love an informational statistics based animation on that). In correlation our fandom has ceased plastering the internet with pony stuff and in the process annoying the ever-loving crap out of the internet's denizens, in part due to the "horsefamous" people who left; less content generated and posted onto non pony designated sites -> less annoyed non-bronies. This decrease in brony hate is also boosted by the migration of many brony creators to more tolerant sites.

On 2017-7-29 at 10:45 PM, Steve Piranha said:

Too bad I've joined kinda late  

It's never too late to join dude!

[Steve Piranha 28,780]

50 minutes ago, FluffyGoat13 said:

 

It's never too late to join dude!

It is if you missed all that

 

[FluffyGoat13 375]

3 minutes ago, Steve Piranha said:

It is if you missed all that

 

Nah, I'm expecting the upcoming movie to kick something off again.

[Steve Piranha 28,780]

16 minutes ago, FluffyGoat13 said:

Nah, I'm expecting the upcoming movie to kick something off again.

So do I my friend, so do I