Hello. I have never run an event at GenCon before but I'm interested in doing so since many of the games I would be interested in playing are already booked with very few spots to begin with. Also while I don't have experience running at GenCon I do have almost 20 years of experience running games at other smaller local conventions. What are the main thing to know before signing up to run an event? I've noticed that some events charge a fee above what GenCon does what is the general perception of this? While I realize I may not be able to get my events approved due to the tardiness of my post I am still interested in peoples responses as I may use it as a basis for next year. Thanks for reading.

The idea of "darn it, there's nothing open" is the reason I started running. My thoughts:

• About charging: I think that's personal preference. I saw someone charge $14 for a four hour RPG, and the price was one of the reasons we didn't sign up for it. But, I wouldn't bat an eye at a $6 ticket. And a lot of people don't charge at all. You do you. 
  
• Signing up is pretty easy, and the support staff are super helpful. Don't panic if your game stays in "review" for a while and doesn't get accepted. That being said, if you can get your game in the queue before registration, you'll be much in a better position to get your games noticed. 
  
• 8:00 AM games tend to have a lot of no-shows. And while you can choose any time, try to stick with the majority of start times if your game is a typical four hour length. 
  
• Plan ahead so you know where to go. 
  
• Get there 5 minutes early for setup, try to start on time, get people involved quickly (a.k.a. avoid the "thirty minute monologue about the rules and setting and RPG culture and how your previous game went"), and try to end on time. People may have a session right after yours, or they may only have an hour for a lunch/dinner/sleep break. You can accept generics if someone doesn't show, but warn them that people with assigned tickets take precedence, even if they show up a few minutes late. 
  
• Collect tickets, put them in the envelope, and turn them in. You may want to double-check where the ticket station is -- there's usually one per hotel/area. I think? You don't have to do this immediately, but I do so or I'll forget. 
  
• Take a five minute break in the middle if you or other players need it. My wife has to remind me of this all the time. 
  
• Think about joining an established gaming group. 
  

At the top of the page click on "Host" & then "Event Host Policy" - that'll tell you most of what you need to know.