The Other Side of the Story

Earlier we posted about AFFTA announcing plans to announce plans for a new non-nielsen manged fly fishing retailer show and discussing the fact that part of the reason was due to not getting enough booth space at Outdoor Retailer for a successful combination. Now Kenji Haroutunian, group show director for the FlyFishing Retailer and Outdoor Retailer shows sends out an open letter around the same time that gives more background and breaks the news that the show will go on, as a part of Outdoor retailer.

Letter to the Industry,

First I want to thank you, the fly fishing industry for your support and participation with the FlyFishing Retailer World Trade Expo. During the past 11 years, this show has attracted almost every major stakeholder in the fly fishing industry from all 50 states and more than 50 countries worldwide. Even in this challenging global economy, the positive energy that emanated from the show floor in 2009 is proof that even as the fly fishing business landscape shifts, the brands, shops and advocates of fly fishing see a good future when prosperity returns to the economy and the market.

Marketplace Evolves to include 'Outdoor Lifestyle

'Research indicates that active participants in specialty outdoor activities, and fly fishing in particular, crossover to several outdoor 'lifestyle' experiences. As consumers change how they play in the outdoors, businesses are changing their distribution and inventory strategies to both keep pace and stay ahead of this changing consumer behavior. As a result, FlyFishing Retailer is also changing.

Fly Fishing Industry and Outdoor Retailer to Join Forces in 2010

From our 30 years of experience producing scores of specialty-sports tradeshows including 11 years producing FlyFishing Retailer, it is clear that the fly fishing marketplace will be better served now and in the future by expanding its reach to include the overall outdoor specialty marketplace. We are convinced that the best opportunity to grow as a market, and build on the core strength inherent in the fly fishing market, is to be connected to a larger collection of relevant businesses at Outdoor Retailer. Therefore, the entire fly fishing industry is invited to join Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Trade Show in 2010 as the FlyFishing Retailer Trade Expo will no longer be held in Denver.

A Winning Opportunity

More than 25 percent of FlyFishing Retailer companies already exhibit at Outdoor Retailer, and those that haven't are now invited to participate in the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010 Trade Show. For more than 27 years Outdoor Retailer has provided a specialty wholesale watersports culture that thrives on a national and international level. At OR, consistently more than 20,000 professional participants advance the sales process not only in their own category but across multiple lifestyle segments within the overall specialty outdoor market. Please visit www.outdoorretailer.com now for more information about participating in Outdoor Retailer Summer Market.

Product Testing Outdoors at Outdoor Retailer

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market has a thriving and long tradition of providing a watersports focused product demo day in the environment in which the products are used. More than 1,200 specialty retailers have consistently attended this demo day each year to test canoes, kayaks, paddles, PFD's, waders, rods and reels and other specialty equipment and apparel intended for use in the outdoors. We invite the entire fly fishing industry to join this widely popular retail demo day next summer.

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market takes place August 3-6, 2010 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, preceded by our Open Air Demo August 2 at the Jordanelle Reservoir, Utah.

If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Kenji Haroutunian
Group Show Director
FlyFishing Retailer/Outdoor Retailer

While we believe the success or failure of any gathering of fly fishing types rests squarely on the quality of libations offered to members of the media, ultimately it will be the participants that decide which of these events becomes the flagship for the fly fishing industry. Everyone will no doubt agree that at any rate, things they are a'changing.