At this point, as I imagine we are all aware, that "public" is a complete and total abstraction. (I am reminded, here, of a TV show in which contestants have to prove the efficacy and viability of a product and/or service to investors who might want to support them.) There is not one flesh-n-blood member of "the public" who is aware or informed of such a venue, let alone ready to plunk down money, no matter what its form.
Then, there is the geography of it all. Are we talking about that public coming from the immediate York area, or even from a 30 mi radius? How many of us are from that area? I doubt ten. Thousands?!
Even if the TCA utilized several full-sized billboards around that immediate area (oh, yeah, sure), which would require a good sized load on money, for how long would those signs be needed to attract customers? And would they?
TV? Announcements in churches? Hand-outs at food markets? Doubtful and dubious benefits. IMO.
How, then, does the TCA inform and draw from the larger market, as far as, let's say, the East coast, let alone the rest of the USA? Many of us come from far and wide, don't we.
Many of us heard of the York Meet from hobby magazines and/or the word-of-mouth of hobbyists, or interested parties, at, perhaps, clubs or local hobby shops. How many of the public are involved in such conduits of information to our hobby? One wonders.
Attracting a new market to our TCA meet is a daunting proposition, complicated far, far beyond scoring clever points in this conversation here , no matter how sincere.
Just some thoughts.
FrankM.