If a tree falls in the woods…
Yup, it’s that time for Outdoor Retailer. Most in the outdoor industry already expected the news that came today from OR’s parent company: the November show has been cancelled, and the venerable and iconic Outdoor Retailer Winter Market is no more.
“As a result of a highly successful Outdoor Retailer and Outdoor Design + Innovation event in June 2024 and, following careful consideration and evaluation of industry trends and feedback from clients, Outdoor Retailer and Outdoor Design + Innovation has strategically decided to concentrate its efforts on delivering a larger, more comprehensive show and enhanced experience in June of 2025,” show management said on a website post.
“Consequently, the Outdoor Retailer and Outdoor Design +Innovation November 2024 show, originally scheduled for November 6-8 in Salt Lake City, will now be hosted at this expanded event,” the post continued.
Show management said that by directing its resources towards creating a more expansive event in June, “Outdoor Retailer and Outdoor Design + Innovation aims to better serve both retailers and brands and the community across the evolving outdoor retail ecosystem.”
Show Director Sean Smith told the show’s editorial arm, OR Daily, that the company was not canceling the November show but instead position the Outdoor Retailer Winter and Summer Shows into a larger, more comprehensive show to be held in June 2025.
“Our decision comes after taking in a ton of feedback from exhibitors and attendees along with data on just how important the June sell-in time is for the industry,” Smith told OR Daily*. “Having one show will enable Outdoor Retailer to deliver a larger, more comprehensive show and an enhanced experience which will better serve both retailers and brands.”
In its website announcement, show management said it believes this strategic focus will provide an optimal platform for engagement and business growth, “effectively aligning with the evolving buying patterns in the market and addressing the diverse needs of the outdoor industry.”
However, some feel that the show management was on the wrong track as they attempted to hang on to a withering event, especially when others had already filled the space in November, once coveted by Outdoor Retailer since their ill-fated move in late January. Grassroots Connect already owns the November timing and is accompanied by many well-attended rep shows in the U.S. It isn’t the timing; it’s the event itself.
Severing ties with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) does not boost the show’s credibility or importance either. The two organizations agreed to conclude their exclusive partnership following the 2024 Outdoor Retailer Winter Show, which is now canceled. Whether the discount deal for OIA members will be extended to June 2025 has not been announced.
See the link at the bottom for more SGB Media coverage on the OIA/OR break-up and its potential financial implications.
Can we all finally admit that buying the SIA Snow Show for $16.5 million and then ignoring the needs of ski specialty retailers was not the best way to support the outdoor industry.
But the outdoor industry can’t lay blame for the death of the Winter Market at the feet of Emerald or OR show management alone. The industry, driven by the apparel and footwear brands, many of whom controlled the OIA Board at the time as the story has been told, actively pushed for the move to better align with their product development and sourcing calendars. First, it was a Softgoods show in November and a Hardgoods/Snow-focused show in late January. Then came COVID and forced show cancellations, attempts at virtual events, no travel, and all that went with that period. Then, most of the brands that pushed for the change to November quit supporting the show, which was a tragedy in the making for Outdoor Retailer.
Like many events that, at their core, no longer served the needs of the market where they focused, they were not missed. And those things have a funny way of disappearing from company budgets. It was as if that proverbial tree in the woods fell, and no one was there to hear it. You know how the rest goes.
Unfortunately, the June timeframe will not be any more friendly to OR’s efforts. In addition to Grassroots Connect and the aforementioned plethora of rep shows, Diversified Communications, owners of The Running Event (TRE) and the nascent Switchback outdoor industry-focused show, has claimed any additional space at the national level as it adds a mid-June 2025 Switchback Summer event in Nashville, TN.
Diversified has already run a test case for the Switchback, which co-located with its December TRE show last year and will move its sophomore effort to San Antonio before Thanksgiving this year.
“A key driver of Switchback’s growth has been from the encouragement of our cornerstone exhibitors, retailers and industry partners, as they’re eager to see the energy and engagement around this style of event continue,” said TRE and Switchback Show Director Christina Henderson on the Outdoor Show’s website. “We’re also inspired by the opportunity to build a bridge between the known need for discovery—of new brands, new relationships, and new ways to grow—and the large number of outdoor industry members who are openly searching for an event that delivers on it all.”
That show is getting buy-in from brands that stopped working with OR when the company moved from Salt Lake City to Denver years ago or haven’t been to OR since COVID.
Still, Outdoor Retailer is going to make a go of it. As business people, we all have to respect that effort.
“As Outdoor Retailer and Outdoor Design + Innovation has consistently done, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting the industry and delivering an event that aligns with evolving needs and expectations. This reimagined format will elevate the overall experience, cultivate deeper connections, and spark innovation within the outdoor retail community.”
*To read OR Show Director Sean Smith’s interview with the OR Daily, click here.
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Go here for additional SGB Media coverage of the financials associated with the OIA/OR break-up.
EXEC: Assessing the Financial Impact of the OIA and Outdoor Retailer Break Up
Image courtesy Outdoor Retailer
