The Outdoor Industry Association's Board of Directors announced their endorsement and recommendation of a shift of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market (ORSM) dates from the third week of July to the first week of August in 2010 and beyond. The board also endorsed a new portfolio of tradeshow benefits for the paddlesports community, as well as endorsed the inclusion of the Nielsen Business Media owned Fly Fishing Retailer trade show, subject to American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) acceptance, into the summer market to create a broader water culture.
Date and Open Air Location Change
“Based on recent, specific research and feedback of both 2009 outdoor industry exhibiting and non-exhibiting companies, in addition to specific research and feedback from attending and non-attending outdoor industry retailers, it is the recommendation of Outdoor Retailer and endorsed by OIA to move the show to the first week of August for 2010 and the foreseeable future,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA.
In addition, all possible Open Air Demo locations within 50 miles of the Salt Lake Convention Center were carefully reviewed against 14 specific demo location criteria. Through this review, Jordanelle State Park has been recommended by Outdoor Retailer, the paddlesports working group, and endorsed by OIA as the site of the 2010 Open Air Demo.
Reduced Tradeshow Costs
Nielsen Business Media, the owner and producer of Outdoor Retailer, has been proactively listening to and working with the members of the paddlesports working group since the 2009 ORSM and has created the following assistance to paddlesports companies to address exhibit expenses unique to the paddlesports industry:
� Large boat booth space discount. Due to the nature of shipping and displaying boats and SUP boards at ORSM, canoe, kayak, paddlesports inflatable and SUP companies exhibiting boats or boards will receive a 40% discount to the booth space reserved on the show floor where exclusively boats or boards are displayed. For all paddle companies (boat companies or otherwise) who are also OIA members, an additional 8% booth discount will apply to their total booth fees for 2010 increasing to 10% discount in 2011.
� Boat shipping and exhibiting logistics. GES and Outdoor Retailer will be conducting a thorough study of each 2009 exhibiting paddle company shipping and logistics actual methods and costs and making recommendations to each company towards more cost effective methods in 2010 including caravan and point-to-point shipping as well as discounts to on-site services including logistics, material handling, electrical and furniture rental.
� Trailer parking. Outdoor Retailer has secured overnight boat trailer
parking at no cost for exhibiting paddle companies
“Paddlesports is a critical component of the outdoor industry culture and an important part of the inventory mix of attending outdoor stores,” said David Loechner, senior vice president, retail sports group for Nielsen Business Media. “Outdoor Retailer is committed to meeting the needs of the paddlesports community and will also provide a matching grant to OIA for the working group to continue their efforts at unifying and providing leadership in the paddle community,” Loechner continued.
Category Prominence at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market
In response to industry and survey feedback, the paddle category will be moved to a new, more visible and defined location on the show floor near the front of the exhibit hall and will feature new visual branding and merchandising techniques including unique signage, carpeting and other identifying features. Outdoor Retailer will be defining and executing a specific audience marketing strategy to speak to the paddle retailer.
Outdoor Retailer will be seeking the ongoing input of the paddlesports working group (Sutton Bacon (NOC), Darren Bush (Rutabaga), Sue Rechner (Confluence), Brandon Koger (EMS), Kelly Stone (REI), Sara Knies (Johnson Outdoors), Lili Colby (MTI), Brad Taylor (Hurricane Kayaks), Michael Duffy (Kokatat), Jo Cassin (Idaho River Sports), Vincent Pao (Aquan Sports) and Bill Kueper (Wenonah)) for direction of 2010 paddle industry special events and programs at ORSM that include the following: Boat City (Boat Loft); a paddlesports innovation center; location and format of a paddle tank; a paddlesports networking event; creation of paddlesports industry awards; and paddlesports- specific seminars.
“The paddle working group has enthusiastically endorsed the OIA/Outdoor Retailer recommendation to move the show dates, to hold the demo location at Jordanelle, and relocate paddlesports on the show floor,” said Sutton Bacon, CEO of Nantahala Outdoor Center, paddlesports working group member and OIA board member. “For too many years, the paddlesports community has been fractured which has prevented us from reaching our true potential. Clearly coordinating our feedback to OIA has provided us with the best chance to have our concerns addressed and places us in a position to grow our market in this very challenging time. These are solid first steps to fostering the growth of paddlesports and we are very appreciative of Outdoor Retailer's efforts on our behalf,” Bacon added.
