Big News from MAGIC Magazine and Stan Allen

[Richard Kaufman]

He just sent out a link to this video to all subscribers:
http://www.magicmagazine.com/w/

[Ted M]

From that link...

Changes to MAGIC Legacy, MAGIC Magazine, and MAGIC Live!

MAGIC Legacy

Stan Allen announced today that MAGIC Magazine will not be publishing the final 25 issues known as MAGIC Legacy. Unfortunately, the response was not strong enough to produce the magazines at a level befitting the end of an era. Stan thanked all of those who took the leap of faith with him, and assured them that they will receive a 100% refund, as well as their complimentary copy of Square One.

MAGIC Magazine

With Legacy cancelled, does that mean that MAGIC Magazine is over? Not exactly. Stan and his editorial team will produce one more issue — #301. If you are a current print subscriber, you will receive this final issue as part of your subscription, then a pro-rated refund for the balance of your subscription.

MAGIC Live!

It was also announced today that there will be a MAGIC Live next summer — August 13–16, 2017. And yes, that’s a year earlier than originally planned. It will be held once again at The Orleans in Las Vegas, with Alumni Registration opening November 30 and General Registration available on December 6, 2016.


In the video Stan says he needed a lot of new subscribers to make it viable. Seems like he set the bar pretty high, and the whole project depended on it. That's too bad.

Rats.

[CraigMitchell]

All that work and effort in promoting Legacy seemingly all for nought something seems amiss ... They were promoting names just this past week.

What a tragic flip flop for all concerned!

And now IBM SAM + Live + Genii ...

[Herb]

I would be curious to know whether Stan explored options to keep Magic Magazine going, by finding someone else to carry it forward. I think that could have been the best way of maintaining the magazine's legacy. I'm sure finding such a publisher would have been challenging and maybe such options were attempted, but it does seem a shame to see the magazine fold, considering its heritage and its role over the last decades. What would be a great contribution to the magic community and future generations of magicians is if there was some way to digitize and provide access to the complete run of the magazine's back issues - as Genii and many other publications have done. Again - the model for that may be challenging or unclear at this point, but that body of articles and other magic material is a valuable resource that people should have access to.

As a susbscriber to Magic I do find the sudden turnabouts we've been taken through - with the cancellation of Magic, the establishment of Magic Legacy, and now the cancellation of that to be....frustrating.

[Ted M]

And now IBM SAM + Live + Genii ...

...and Abbott's 80th (and possibly final?) Get-Together

[Anthony Vinson]

Well that's too bad. Was really looking forward to Magic Legacy.

[Richard Kaufman]

None of the artists booked to appear at The Genii Convention in October 2017 will be appearing at MAGIC Live. We will present a unique experience and I'm confident that we will have our usual large attendance.

[Evan Shuster]

None of the artists booked to appear at The Genii Convention in October 2017 will be appearing at MAGIC Live. We will present a unique experience and I'm confident that we will have our usual large attendance.

No doubt!
I registered the minute I realized that registration had opened.

I will very likely attend the last Magic LIVE, as well, but I would never pass at the opportunity to attend another Genii Convention. I was certainly looking forward to Stan's farewell Legacy, but I am also thrilled to know that I still have my monthly "fix" of Genii to enjoy for, hopefully, many years to come.

[Richard Kaufman]

It's not the last MAGIC Live! Where did you get that idea? He's going to have another MAGIC Live in 2018.

[erdnasephile]

That is really disappointing. I wish there was some way Stan could have found to keep MAGIC going that would have pleased him and been fiscally feasible.

Although I prefer a printed magazine--I would have gladly kept paying my subscription forward if it were only on-line to save printing costs because the content was definitely worth it to me.

[Joe Mckay]

I was going to subscribe at the end of the month when I got paid. I think it would have been worth waiting until the end of the 'Early Bird' deal period to get an idea on numbers.

That said - I think MAGIC has suffered a little from the fact that it has felt it has been coasting for the past 10-15 years. Don't forget that Stan Allen retired as editor about 15 years ago. Which slightly suggests that it is not just me that felt the magazine was running out of steam.

As such - even though MAGIC Legacy looked fun - the idea of reimagining content from the past issues and adding new stuff maybe didn't appeal as much? Paul Harris was going to be one of the contributors and that was pretty much the main reason I was going to sign up.

Still - the failure of this new magazine is probably just a wider sign of the demographics in magic. As older magicians die and younger ones join the magic community - there are fewer and fewer fans of paper magazines and books. Sadly.

I have a huge amount of affection for MAGIC magazine. It was pretty much the magazine that helped me fall in love with magic. And in recent years I felt Josh Jay did a great job with his Talk About Tricks column. But I am sure that GENII magazine has positioned itself towards those with a higher level of interest in magic than MAGIC magazine which seemed aimed more at those with a slightly more casual interest in magic.

At least in recent years. Even when MAGIC magazine covers a subject you are interested in - the article may only be 2-4 pages long. Whereas with Richard Kaufman - he will explore a topic over 10-25 pages. That makes a big difference to those with a deeper interest in magic.

Maybe I just outgrew MAGIC magazine as I became more knowledgeable in magic?

Anyway - I am sad the magazine has ended in this way. It deserved the grand farewell that Stan Allen had planned. He has done more than just about anyone else to shape magic over the past 30 years.

[PickaCard]

Paul Harris was going to be one of the contributors and that was pretty much the main reason I was going to sign up..

Richard,

Please work some magic and get Paul Harris to contribute to Genii now that Magic Legacy won't workout.

[Scott Wells]

And now IBM SAM + Live + Genii ...

...and Abbott's 80th (and possibly final?) Get-Together

Well, I don't know about that. I find it hard to believe that the Get Together legacy will end. My crystal ball says that it will continue, but perhaps not with the Abbott's name.

[erdnasephile]

All that work and effort in promoting Legacy seemingly all for nought something seems amiss ... They were promoting names just this past week....

In terms of promotion, I saw the ads in the other magazines, and I'm sure they were selling hard at the summer conventions; however, I would have expected a bigger market blitz through current subscribers ("Tell your friends, we need more signups").

Perhaps they should've done what Google Fiber does: when they come into your area, they have a running tally of the number of signups they need to start construction. If your "fiberhood" doesn't reach the required number of signups in a given period, you don't get your installation. You can see the countdown in real time as people sign up. It's a bit obnoxious, but it does build anticipation and serves to get people to tell their friends about the service.

In the past, Stan has been a big pencil and paper guy and if the numbers don't add up, he won't go. Therefore, I'm very confident this was a very reasoned decision on his part.

Wish it would have been otherwise.

[Richard Kaufman]

MAGIC Legacy seems to have been a very ambitious and expensive project. Without sufficient people signing up, it would have been bad business to proceed into a new venture that was going to be a losing proposition. Stan made a good business decision, one I can easily understand.

It's easy to second guess his decision, however I would avoid doing that and suggest you do the same.

[Scott M.]

Even though I wasn't a MAGIC subscriber, I did subscribe to MAGIC Legacy and am sorry it won't be coming to fruition. And I'm not trying to second guess, but it's clear now that this kind of campaign perhaps would have been better on Kickstarter, where you could see the amount needed and there could have been community engagement around reaching that goal.

But, I mean, I get it -- print magazines are hard and expensive these days. I think Stan was trying to make the "no digital, no web" aspect of MAGIC Legacy part of its appeal, but there's a downside to disengaging from the way most people are reading and consuming these days too.

[erdnasephile]

Ugh...I did not mean to come across as second guessing, but after rereading what I wrote, it certainly reads that way. I sincerely apologize for that.

So, to be clear: I really like and respect Stan (he personally gave me my start in magic). I know that no one feels worse about this turn of events than he. I was just thrown for a loop by the quick course alteration. That said, Stan's a good guy, and I wish he, his family, and his business well.

[Brad Henderson]

without second guessing 80 percent of the Internet (and zero sports radio) simply wouldn't exist

[Scott Wells]

As a follow-up to his recent announcement, Stan Allen answers questions and talks about the thinking behind his decision on this week's podcast at: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwel ... mas-part-1

[Jonathan Townsend]

without second guessing 80 percent of the Internet (and zero sports radio) simply wouldn't exist

Porn... tutorials... cute cats... typing practice... rhetorical exercises?