Perhaps it is only locally (Houston area) but conventions here do not focus on FFG products. I'm certain FFG shares some of this blame but the convention organizers seem more concerned with Pathfinder and Steve Jackson than X-Wing and the ever growing library of FFG. I love me some Munchkin and Pathfinder is a wonderful system but so are many of the products FFG offers. With X-wing's huge player base you'd think conventions would offer a better incentive to draw these players or advertise their desire to bring the community in. Is FFG becoming the next WoC and considered to mainstream or trendy? I am honestly baffled by this and thought I'd share should any others share my pain trying to run tournaments at conventions. Perhaps you can offer ideas to help?

Find out who's organizing the conventions and talk to them. Never underestimate the power of an email or phone call. If you're not sure how to get in touch with convention organizers, talk to local game shop managers and see if they know anything about it. Normally, conventions rent out booth space so you can probably contact them that way.

Unless FFG is actively sponsoring events or has a booth of their own, you might have to take the initiative and set up events to run at conventions. There could be a lot of time and money involved in doing that, but start with the cheap options and just call around and see what you can find out.

The cons around the Carolinas seem to work more on a premise that the interested players and/or company-related organizers (e.g., Privateer Press' PressGangers, Infinity's Warcors) approach the con organizers, not the other way around. So if there is a lack of something, it is because nobody has offered to the con orgs to organize/run event(s). Outside of company sponsored organizers (again, things like PGs and Warcors), how would a con organizer know who to contact to get something on the agenda? A con org might think "hey, we want some X-wing and/or EotE/AoR..." but then what? Who do they contact? I guess they could troll through a thousand blogs/forums/etc. in hopes of stumbling onto someone. But I suspect they already have their hands full as it is.

So my advice is, if you want something at the con(s) in your region, take the initiative to set it up.

(FYI - I'm a PP PG and that tactic has worked like gangbusters at the MACE and SCARAB conventions)