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SIA announces new format for 2017 Snow Show

Summit Daily staff report
Crowds at the2014 SnowSports Industries America Snow Show in Denver, the largest conference and gear show for the stateside winter sports industry.
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SIA Snow Show

What: Annual industry trade show hosted by SnowSports Industries America, with hundreds of brands carrying skis, snowboards, soft-goods, gear and more

When: Jan. 28-31, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

Where: Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street in Denver

Cost: $20 before Jan. 15

The show is open to qualified buyers, retailers, sales reps and winter sports media. Registration is $20 through the SIA website before Jan. 15 or $40 until the start of the show. Pricing varies for SIA members and returning retailers. For more info or to register for a pass, see the show website at http://www.siasnowshow.snowsports.org.

SIA Snow Show demo days

What: Two days of on-snow demos with ski, snowboard and gear manufacturers from the Denver Snow Show

When: Feb. 1-2, beginning 9 a.m. daily

Where: Center Village, Copper Mountain

Cost: $15 to $35

Demos are only available to retailers and the registered media. The $35 demo days package includes two lift tickets, two breakfasts, two lunches and entry to happy hour on Monday. The $15 package includes two tickets and happy hour. Online registration ends Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. For more info or to register, see http://www.siasnowshow.snowsports.org.

The largest ski industry event in the U.S. is about to get a facelift.

This December, SnowSports Industries America, the trade group in charge of organizing and staging its namesake SIA Snow Show, announced that this season’s show from Jan. 28 to Jan. 31 is the penultimate event to be held in late January. Beginning in 2017, the opening day for the show will be shifted to the first Tuesday of December to better align with the industry’s buying season, according to a release from SIA.

This year’s show will remain consistent and is scheduled for Jan. 25 to Jan. 31. The new timing will come into effect at the tail end of 2017, when the show moves to Dec. 5 to Dec. 7. Both events will still be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.



“This decision was made with great care and consideration given to the evolving buy-sell cycle, and an eye on the future growth of the industry,” said Nick Sargent, SIA’s incoming president. “The show’s purpose is to preview product in the best possible way for retailers to make educated and effective buying decisions when they place their orders at the appropriate time. We look forward to the benefits that this shift will provide to the snow sports community, including our retailers, reps, suppliers and the industry as a whole.”

The upcoming Snow Show is scheduled to begin on Jan. 28, with the annual “Industry and Intelligence” education event held a day earlier in Denver on Jan. 27. Passes are available for $20 until Jan. 15, after which they double to $40. All passes must be picked up in person at the show.



Bob Gundram, chairman of SIA’s board of directors and CEO of C3, explains that “this very important decision was made with extensive input from retailers, reps and suppliers, with the 2017 cycle being selected to offer all organizations involved enough time to adjust to the change.”

Along with the large Denver show — more than 10,000 buyers, manufacturers and individual industry insiders are expected to attend — SIA is also holding two days of on-snow demos at Copper Mountain from Feb. 1-2. The demo days are open to buyers, sellers and media, with dozens of brands bringing news skis, snowboards, bindings, outerwear, sunglasses, goggles and more to demo. Last year’s event drew a healthy crowd, thanks in large part to affordable SIA ticket prices, but the organization has not said if Copper will still host an on-snow event in 2017.

The changes will not affect hours for the actual event, SIA said. The organization is currently planning on a three-day format, with show hours spanning 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Tuesday through Thursday.

“This shift is being made to serve the industry better by placing the show in a time frame that allows for suppliers to be closer to their customers when buying decisions are being considered,” said Mike Adams, vice president and commercial director of Amer Sports. “It’s an imperative adjustment, especially in the soft-goods and expanding hard-goods markets, and one that keeps the show relevant to the evolving state of the business’ production, buying and consumer cycles.”

Following the 2016 Snow Show, SIA will organize individual product category task forces — comprised of retailers, reps, rep groups, buying groups and suppliers — to outline the most efficient and effective format for the show’s preview process, On-Snow Demo and the regional order wrap-up events that follow. The resulting discussions and recommendations will guide the future format of the show and SIA’s role in the buy-sell cycle.


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