The writing may be on the wall when someone can get a Deluxe room at the Las Vegas Hilton for $39.95 the day before the WSA Show – and thats before the $25 in casino credits that came along with the deal. True story for Sports Executive Weekly editors as the one-time four day show struggled to fill a full day for many in attendance. The same was heard throughout the show.
Vendors in the athletic and outdoor space were few and far between, but retailers were even more scarce and getting scarcer. “Give it back to the reps,” suggested one key footwear exec that remembers the grand old days when the “Western Shoe Associates” show was a must-attend for retailers from Long Beach to Long Island – and beyond.
After drinking copious amounts of their own Kool-aid, show executives seemed convinced that they had indeed become the “World Shoe Association” after spinning off the show from the rep association despite the fact they couldnt – or wouldnt – secure a single consolidated location in Las Vegas. They instead opted to force retailers to travel from one end of the strip to the other to see brands from the same classifications.
Now, the “World of Shoes and Accessories” show has become a regional show once again, but it appears to be in the wrong city to serve the needs of the region. Schedule the show over a weekend at the front end of the back-to-school shopping season and youre just asking for trouble.
Add in the fact that the shows Web site wasnt operational the first day of the show – perhaps all the name changes confused the Internet – and this is a story line that will not end well.
Still, there were the old stalwarts that have supported this show from day one, again making an effort to support the industry. Skechers and K-Swiss-with their roots firmly planted in the West Coast footwear business again-gave it the old college try and supported the event. Keen and Ahnu made an appearance for perhaps one last time. Teva and World Industries secured meeting rooms and sent a few reps to hold down the fort. Sperry Top Sider was there to support the independent shoe retailer business and Aetrex again managed to keep the energy around its product line throughout the first day.
The limited buzz on the floor centered around canvas and wellness. One retail CEO that spoke with Sports Executive Weekly suggested that, while the skate category growth may be slowing, it is just shifting to other canvas styles. “Its really a canvas classification story,” he said. “We have to look at what the younger consumer is buying in its entirety. Sales may shift from DC to Converse, but they are still buying into canvas as a whole.”
The other key component, wellness, has a new driver in the space in Skechers, and they see big things for this new opportunity.
