Here are my thoughts and experience, for what there're worth. I argee with Virginia regarding the timing. I had to hold back because I'm also planning to attend the Arkansas show. These are very close together and many of the same makers. It has to be tough on makers as well because they need knives for LR. However, it was still a good experience. I don't go just to buy knives off tables but to meet new makers and see new knives from ones I already know. I had never met Adam DesRosier and I got to not only see his knives but talk to him and Haley. Great people, BTW. I bought one of his keyhole hunters. I also picked up some mammoth scales and gave to Johnny Stout for another folder to be delivered at Blade Show. Lastly, I bought a very cool mammoth fighter/small bowie (not really sure which and he doesn't know what to call it either) from Mike Williams with a condition that he make me a mammoth hunter to match. He kept the knife and will bring it to Little Rock so we can find the matching scales together so he can complete the set. This is the type of collaborative projects I enjoy the most.
Regarding collector attendance. I obviously don't know how many attended and/or actually bought knives. Don't know from maker's perspective if it was a productive show. I didn't feel it was very crowded: no lines, no wait, seemingly no "competition" for knives. Perhaps that is what would make it better from a makers perspective and thus the comments about it being a "buyer's show". I guess then I would agree with that.
Why not more collectors? Others like Virginia hit the nail on the head (post Xmas, too soon before LR show). Perhaps there is also some truth about San Antonio from a travel perspective. I live near Houston so easy drive for me. I'd be all for the ABS moving to Houston. In fact, why not have it here in The Woodlands, TX just for me
. The Safari Club holds their big banquet here and its well attended.
I also don't know what type of promotion is done but will relay one story that led me to believe it could have been better. I stopped by Nagle's Gun shop in San Antonio. Nagles has the largest knife selection of any shop in the area by far. Thousands of knives (mostly production but also WH, CRK, Randall, and some customs, which are all in the price range of many ABS customs) The knife guy at Nagles wasn't even aware of the ABS show being in town. I told him about it. Seems to me ABS could have attracted numerous knife buyers just by putting flyers at Nagles. Knife guys go there to buy knives and I'm sure would be pleasantly surprise to learn that some of the best knives in the country would soon be downtown.
None of this is to criticize ABS organizers. I was well taken care of by Harvey Dean and his wife when I called about VIP pass. Everything I saw was run smoothly and efficiently.
One last comment directly to your points. Daniel O'Malley had a seminar on topic of secondary markets for knives. It turned into a discussion about how to get collectors of custom forged knives more excited and engaged. Les George was there and we had good discussion on why traditional custom collectors don't have the same passion as collectors of tacticals: bidding wars, lotteries, etc. Les was genuinely interested in helping to develop similar enthusiasm among traditional customs as he sees for his knives. None of us were sure it was possible as much of the excitment in the tactical market seems to be over how much money buyers can make by immediately flipping the knife to others behind them in line. We all agreed it was a different demographic but felt that some of the excitement in marketing might be useful to build a larger (perhaps younger) customer base.
Sorry for the rambling response but I had time to kill during our Houston ice storm. Some ice MIGHT even stick on the ground!!! Schools closed.
Again, centrally located major transportation hubs are better (IMO). Chicago. Dallas. Houston. St. Louis. Even SLC or Denver. 
, you really have to know the market, the knives and knife pricing. 
