Nielsen Sports Group confirmed its was suspending the Action Sports Retailer (ASR) show due to difficult conditions in the industry in a letter VP Andy Tompkins sent to ASR customers Wednesday morning.

 

“We are indefinitely suspending these events,” wrote Tompkins, adding that Nielsen would increase its “efforts to expand the retail and brand base as well as the culture of the Outdoor Retailer Trade Shows in
Salt Lake City to better serve the growth needs of the action sports communities.”
 
Below is the full text of Tompkins letter:
 
Dear Valued ASR Customer:
As you well know, the action sports industry has been undergoing profound change over the past several years. Recent consolidation among major brands and even meaningful changes in the retail environment has significantly altered the landscape.
 

As a direct reflection of the marketplace, the ASR shows have experienced the cause and effect of these market shifts. We have worked diligently to evolve the format of each show to keep ASR, the industries largest west coast trade shows, ahead of the changing economic environment while also meeting the evolving needs of this industry.
 

Although this has been a particularly challenging period of adjustment for the market, we are confident the industry will thrive and continue to evolve for years to come. The action sports lifestyle has huge consumer appeal and favorable youth demographics along with leading, reative and successful brands and retailers. However, given the competition among key brands and the consolidation among retail shops, it appears for now, to be mostly a market share battle or floor space. This dynamic, combined with tight credit markets, has been hard on the new, smaller or up-and-coming brands as well as many independent surf, skate and boutique retailers.
We expect this consolidated and competitive situation to continue to characterize the action sports industry in California for some time to come. Given these fundamental changes, it has proven to be increasingly difficult for the ASR shows in San Diego to serve the new needs of the action sports marketplace. Therefore, we are indefinitely suspending these events.
We recognize, however, the continued need for brands in the market to not only maintain strong relationships and partnerships with current retailers but also to seek prospective new domestic and international retailers with which to grow. To this end, we will be increasing our efforts to expand the retail and brand base as well as the culture of the Outdoor Retailer Trade Shows in Salt Lake City to better serve the growth needs of the action sports communities.
 
The two semi-annual Outdoor Retailer Trade Shows are authentic and have their own unique emotional connection and cultural experience for attending retailers, brands and media. These shows are proven international specialty trade shows attended by buyers from 50 states and over 40 countries.
 
Each OR show is seasonally timed for Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer product previews. OR Winter Market 2011 will be held January 20-23 at the Salt Lake Convention Center with an all mountain demo held on the snow January 19 at the Solitude Mountain Resort. OR ummer Market will be August 4-7 also held at the Salt Lake Convention Center with an open air demo held on the lake�€�s edge at Jordanelle State Park August 3.
 
The OR Shows have been successfully serving the specialty outdoor industry since 1983 with participation from leading outdoor brands such as Patagonia, The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, Columbia, Marmot, Sierra Designs, Timberland, Salomon, Jansport, Merrell, Woolrich, Helly Hansen and over 850 other exhibiting companies.

Frank Hugelmeyer, President of the Outdoor Industry association (OIA), states �€�Over the past several years, more and more action sports and water sports companies have leveraged the unique strength of Outdoor Retailer to grow their business. For example, emerging activities like stand-up paddling have found specialty outdoor retailers to be very receptive to the new energy and ideas that the surf culture embodies. Outdoor Industry Association and its Board of Directors strongly believe that action sports companies and their youth driven culture play a vital role in growing and sustaining the active outdoor lifestyle.�€�