In this somewhat spicy episode of the Event Tech Podcast, hosts Brandt Krueger and Will Curran dive into the contentious issue of in-house AV pricing and exclusivity contracts. They discuss the recent trend of significant price hikes, sometimes up to 300-400%, and the increasing prevalence of strict exclusivity clauses in venue contracts. The hosts offer insights into the behind-the-scenes workings of in-house AV company contracts, and provide advice for event planners on how to navigate these challenges.

Discussions Include:

• The recent surge in in-house AV pricing and its impact on event budgets
• The mechanics of revenue-sharing agreements between venues and in-house AV companies
• Strategies for event planners to negotiate better deals and maintain flexibility in vendor choices
• The importance of thoroughly reviewing venue contracts before signing

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):
"There's no incentive for the venues to fix it. There's no incentive for the in-house AV companies to fix it. And we can't fix it. The only people that can are you, the planners." - Brandt Krueger

"Let's be honest, there's a lot of people planning events who are not listening to things like the Event Tech podcast, learning about these tips and tricks. And that's why this is happening." - Will Curran

"I will always be happy to look at your ... venue contracts, because that's where you get nailed. People are looking at '25, '26, '27 for their venues and they're signing now." - Brandt Krueger

"If you are struggling with 100% increases, 200% increases, 300% increases in your AV bill, it doesn't have to be that way, but only you can stop paying too much for AV." - Brandt Krueger

And to whoever "the guy" is that hassled Will for using the phrase about before signing being negotiation and afterward being begging, let's talk. If you can prove you're the source, happy to attribute it to you from now on. Pretty confident that lil' nugget's been around for a while, and advanced metasearching doesn't attribute it to any one person. Happy to be wrong, though!