ESOS show canceled

[gregg dudley]

Originally posted by Mojostick:
Kingsnake,

I was going to add just what you said, but thought it may be too "hot" of a topic.

The anti-gun people are unified. With this past situation, we've got a case where hunters were against hunters and a huge hunting show was cancelled. That's a win in some anti's eyes.

Keep in mind how these people operate. During the "fiscal cliff" talks, their goal wasn't to necessarily raise tax rates, their goal was to cause a civil war in the GOP between the RINO's and the Tea Party, and they were successful.

We have to be very careful on how we proceed from here. I'm not saying shutting down the show wasn't a good thing, I'm just warning that it may be a much ado about nothing, in the real grand scheme. If the national media doesn't cover it in a major way, it's relatively meaningless, other than to illustrate to ourselves that we're all of the same mind and fairly unified.

The real fight is not closing hunting shows, but sending anti-gun liberals packing from any position of power.

The hunting industry won against a professional marketing/promotion firm from the UK, but you are right about the way it will be percieved and spun.

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by Steve O:
 

Originally posted by pdk25:
Really need someone to put on a show to replace ESOS so they can actually see the money they lost.

BIG Traditional Expo East is in Kalamazoo Micigan this weekend...all the cool guys will be there anyway, everybody that was planning on PA, head on over! [/b]

We also have the Hunting Time Expo going in Grand Rapids this weekend so you could do both.  The hunting Time expo has clearly stated that they support all legal guns and will have them there.  Just saw that on the news. I would love to go to that one also, but can’t see not spending all my time at the trad bow hunting expo.

[Mojostick]

Gregg,
I'm aware of that. I just want us all to realize that this was an exhibition baseball game. The November 2014 midterm elections is the World Series. We cannot lose focus on that.

[Kingsnake]

Although I'm a big believer in Mark Twain's quote the the three types of lies are: "Lies, damned lies, and statistics."  That said, here's a little quantifiable info for those who wonder about the financial impact of this decision.  Again, it can be manipulated to support whichever side of the argument you're on . .

"Roughly 600,000 to 700,000 of those attendees come for the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January and the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in February. The first is the largest indoor agricultural event in the country, generating annual economic impact of $89.2 million.
 
The latter is the largest sportsmen show in North America and the biggest commercial event at the complex. It boasts $74 million in economic activity, according to the bureau."

Kingsnake

[Kingsnake]

dang typos...

[Kingsnake]

@extrema312...one of the vendors has set up a website that is FREE to the vendors to try to do what you mention, but not sure it can really replace the live attendance and "impulse" buys...

Kingsnake

[wapitirod]

I posted the statement earlier on the Wensel post on page 13 if you'd like to read what they had to say.  They are still trying to make those that pulled out look like the bad guys though.

[GregD]

This is a tough situation, Reed will absorb the loss,my first thoughts went to all the vendors and the literally hundrds of guides and outfitters who rely on this show for the majority of their bookings for the year.The people who are going to suffer the most by far are all the small businesses who lost a lot of money due to Reed's actions. All of these people are in the hunting industry so this is by no means a clear cut victory. I wish there had been a way to punish Reed without hurting so many people who are on our side. By the way Reed just finished up running the SHOT show, I hope someone is making sure that doesn't happen again.

[Mike VanBuren]

Freedom isn't free. I'm proud of the vendors who took a stand and pulled out.
 

[pcappy08]

A great deal of hard work by many individuals and sticking together made this possible...nice to see our outdoor community stand together and a special thanks to all the vendors that put a greater cause ahead of their own financial gain!        

[John146]

I understand the reality about the locals missing out on some money but the money the locals get are from the sportsman in the first place and it is these sportsmen who are the customers of these locals so it is the customers view that matters when someone offers a service and someone else agrees to pay for that service with their hard earned money. The locals have access to the location this was being held at. Why do they need a UK company to throw a show in their own backyard. Chamber of Commerce of the city could sponsor the show next year and have the inside track on dates and bookings of the venue location. If you don't stand up for this then how long is it till a show has no guns at all. JMHO.

[Mojostick]

Puttin on and promoting a huge show isn't as simple as some may think. Professional outfits that only do such things are who would be capable of pulling off and coordinating the PR and ad buys, along with vendor needs of such a big show.
Granted, a US company would be better, but no chamber of commerce could coordinate the logistics of such a show, without major glitches.

[Mike Theis]

Thanks to Terry and Rob for allowing this thread. Call it a special event if you will. I think most understand that.

They say that they want to let the air clear before the go forward with the ESOS. They say we are raising a stink over this. But I don't think that they realize exactly where that smell is coming from. Most everyone else connected with this show did!

How much you want to bet this Reed Exhibitions organizes a corporation by another name before they try to sponsor another sports show? How can any sportsmans oriented vendor trust this group going forward?    

[Roadkill]

Safari Club is here in Reno now.  The UAE jet crew tipped theramp guys a $grand.  You want to see money, gold guns and exotic hunts, drop on by.  Not my cup of tea.  The natl news did cover the "postponement" back east

[Mike Vines]

Fantastic of the American People to STAND UNITED.  Anybody looking for a traditional bowhunting expo, head to Kalamazoo, MI just a FEW hours east of the ESOS that was cancelled.  It takes place staring tomorrow and runs thru Sunday.

[S.C. Hunter]

[snakebite]

[Gator1]

That STatement is a bunch of CRA_P. If they were concerend with making this a family event, why all of a sudden they change there censorship of displayed products?

They are more concerned with there "Salaries" than anything else, and missing the point that was clearly stated by the vendors that stood up.

It is unfortunate that all the families that enjoy outdoors shows will be denied all of the great displays and events these shows bring.

[Terry Green]

I hope the vendors do get their money back.  If the show was represented in a way....then they took money...and then they changed the rules just before the show, that is miss representation or 'bait and switch'.  Take your pick or both.    

[Gator1]

Terry,

Good point, I know that 50% booth deposit is not all that uncommon for a trade show.

I agree that the "bait and switch" should result in deposits for these vendors that made a statement.