The WSA Show has sold out all 225,000 square feet of available space in the athletic and outdoor categories, representing a 10% increase in square footage over the February 2006 show.
“The WSA Show has become the critical forum for athletic and outdoor footwear brands to reach the world’s most important buyers,” said Diane Stone, chief operating officer at WSA. “These brands bring excitement to the exhibit floor at the Sands Expo with their new technologies, booth events and hot styles and colors. The August show provides buyers an outstanding opportunity to see the latest styles and technologies in one place at one time to ensure they stock their stores with the styles and brands their customers want to drive their businesses.”
Participation in athletic and outdoor activities is growing, helping fuel footwear sales in these categories. Exercise walking is up 1.5% and running/jogging is up 9.5% (2005 over 2004), according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Research from the Outdoor Industry Association shows that participation in hiking and trail running is also up, 5% and 4.8% respectively, from 2003 to 2005.
To reinforce the importance of the athletic category in this show, WSA has partnered with Runner’s World magazine to host the Red Rock Ride & Run, a fundraising event to support the footwear industry’s Two Ten Footwear Foundation. Participants will bike the 13-mile loop or run the trails in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, 13 miles outside Las Vegas on Thursday, August 3.
