When Tom Cove took the reins of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association early last year he knew that job number one was developing a solution for the waning attendance of the Super Show. The Super Show, which is owned by SGMA and managed by Communications and Show Management, will shutter its doors after the next event this month. In its place, SGMA will establish a seasonal show strategy that they hope will better address the needs of the market and its membership.
In an exclusive interview with Sports Executive Weekly, Mr. Cove said that both he and the SGMA Board of Directors spent a lot of time working on the show.
“Since the day I started (as SGMA CEO) everybody wanted to know what we were going to do with the show,” said Cove. “The Super Show is still a good show, but we are moving in a new direction based on our research.” Cove said they spent the year researching the needs of the market and determined that the industry needed something different than what the Super Show provided. He cited the success of the smaller specialty format shows, but reiterated the position that many still feel the need for a central show to better nurture a sense of community.
“We still need a place to gather and do business,” said Cove. “We have to understand who the target is for the show,” he continued. “The shows are not about the top five to ten big guys meeting with each other.” Cove said that SGMA member companies still see the other 20% to 40% of the business done with smaller retailers and vendors as critically important to the industry.
The result is a newly formatted show strategy that will debut in June 2007 with the SGMA Spring Market in Las Vegas, Nev. That show will be followed by the east coast SGMA Fall Market in October 2007. Cove said they havent locked down the Fall Market yet and the dates could move to align with critical product release dates.
Cove told SEW that CSM would not manage the new shows. He said they will be managed by a very experienced show management company that produces trade shows in other industries. SGMA expects to announce their new partner prior to this years Super Show so they can work on booth sales for next years event.
For its part, SCM isnt sitting on is laurels either. The company moved quickly to announce their own show that will debut in November this year. The new Sports Licensing & Entertainment Marketplace will operate in cooperation with the new Tailgate and Picnic Marketplace. The show will take place in Las Vegas, November 9-11, 2006.
“The October/November time period is a happening time for the Sports Licensing and Sports Entertainment industry worldwide,” said Hardy Katz, CSMs VP.
>>> No word on the deal struck that enabled SGMA to extract itself from the 25-year deal it had with CSM…
>>> At first glance, CSM got the good dates for the fall format and will certainly try to steal the licensed product thunder
>>> The spring/summer dates look right on for footwear, but will those guys support the show???
