Just when we thought there would finally be a January without conflicting trade shows, changes are underway that has makes that wish just not a reality. As we last reported, conflicting choices between attending Outdoor Retailer or SnowSports Industries of America (SIA) trade show continued to be a question mark for retailers and exhibitors trying to get ahead of manufacturing, buying, and consumer cycles when it comes to winter sports. Many larger, former anchor brands of SIA have said that the show is simply too late, which is one reason for opting for Outdoor Retailer which usually takes place in early January (next year from the 10-12 in Salt Lake City) compared with SIA.
In December, 2015, SIA announced that not only are they changing the dates of their show starting in 2017 to the first Tuesday of December, but they are making changes to their format overall.
Today, May 19, 2016, SIA announced the change of its recently announced plan to shift the SIA Snow Show and On-Snow Demo dates back to January again. This could work except for the fact that once again, they fall on the exact same dates at the Winter X Games in Aspen, CO. For those in winter sports, this meant trekking back and forth from Aspen to Denver is seriously deep snow conditions.
Here’s more: After engaging in comprehensive meetings with stakeholders and listening to members of the SIA community, SIA President Nick Sargent and the Board of Directors came to a unanimous decision that it is in the best interest of the industry to maintain the late January show dates henceforward.
The SIA Snow Show will remain an international event that brings all stakeholders of the snow sports community together.
“The focus of my first four months in the role of president has been to listen to the feedback and opinions of our members and stakeholders. The countless conversations I’ve had made it clear that a reevaluation of the schedule was necessary,” said Nick Sargent, SIA’s president. “SIA’s priority is to do what is best for the future of the snow sports industry and a shift back to the January timeframe was an appropriate decision.”
Today’s decision comes from extensive conversations with entities from all sides of the industry and an in-depth review of all possible scenarios at the SIA board meeting.
According to Bob Gundram, chair of SIA’s Board of Directors, and CEO of C3, “it is our goal to make the Show accessible, accommodating, and financially feasible to everyone involved in the snow sports community. Concerns about the initial date shift, in tandem with an inconsistent snow season, made it necessary for SIA to provide a new solution.”
In his first quarter as president, Sargent has openly prioritized SIA’s mission to further establish itself as a year-round resource for the industry, engaging as an active listener and shaping decisions from conversations had over the past few months. Moving forward, SIA, the Snow Sports industry’s member owned trade association, plans to seek out new opportunities nationally and regionally to further support the industry and its stakeholders in an effort to meet the changing needs of its members.
Dates for the upcoming seasons’ Shows are scheduled as follows:
• 2017 Snow Show: January 26-29, 2017 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver Colorado
• 2017 On-Snow Demo: January 30-31, 2017 at Copper Mountain
• 2018 Snow show: January 25-28, 2018 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado
• 2018 On-Snow Demo: January 29-30, 2018 at Copper Mountain
