Thank you for the background, chevvron, illuminating.
It won't be too much longer before the SBAC show folds and closes. That is not wishful thinking but simply the usual way of things.
SBAC are nearly 100 years old and the show dates from 1932 (I read) and there are not many things that reach 100 years. As has been pointed out above, there are many new shows and they have more money to throw at the customers - which is what this is all about.
An example from my own 27 years experience in telecommunications. There used to be two big trade shows every year in the UK (I don't know how many there are now as I am out of that line). The big show, with all the names and speakers, the very pinnacle of the year was in Brighton. I first attended in 1981 (I think) and by the late 90s it was obvious that the show was dying on it's feet with numbers of visitors and exhibitors dropping.
I discussed this with one of the organisers that I knew across many years and was told that the numbers were holding up and they were optimistic. The very next year, the show was canx.
That is what happens and it's called evolution. It's not nice for those who lose their jobs but that is what humans do - and I'm sure that we could have a dozen examples of old things that die - apparently very suddenly when, actually, they've been dying for years. Woolworths anyone?
chevvron tells us that they already saved money by getting rid of experienced staff and this is indicative of 'death of a thousand cuts'. Mgmt will continue to declare that everything is fine - as the show (effectively) enters CFIT. BMI anyone?