The 2017 ATA Trade Show drew 9,599 attendees for three fast-paced days of business, networking and new-product excitement at the Indiana Convention Center.
The Jan. 10-12 event drew the Show’s second highest attendance in its history, and filled 531,600 square feet of exhibit space, the largest amount since its start in 1997.
The 2017 ATA Trade Show featured:
- 1,057 retail and distribution buying companies;
- 9,599 total attendees;
- 653 exhibiting companies;
- 239,378 square feet of brands, products and innovations.
“The Show’s overriding mission is to bring our entire archery and bowhunting industry together under one roof to network, write orders, talk about the market, strengthen friendships and build new relationships,” said Jay McAninch, president/CEO of the Archery Trade Association. “On all those fronts and more, our Show has always accomplished that mission, especially this year.”
Rick Valdez from Rick V Hunt Adventures in Payson, Utah, has attended the Show for 20 years. He said he returns each year for many reasons.
“It’s nice to come here and see old friends, new products and what the market has out there,” Valdez said. “The Show has been great this year. It’s huge, but easy to navigate. I’ve seen a lot of new, interesting stuff that I think will advance the sport of archery.”
Valdez said the Show gives him new ideas for his shop, lets him see what his competitors are doing, and gives insight on manufacturers’ new products. He said a previous Show prompted him to add indoor and outdoor ranges to his store. Those additions “definitely enhanced our business,” he said.
That’s music to the ATA’s ears.
“When I hear a retailer’s business is thriving because of the Show, I’m thrilled,” McAninch said. “Retailers are the front end of our business where archery and bowhunting meet the public. That simple expression is really rewarding for us to hear, especially given the last couple of years.”
Eric Michel of Ozark Feather LLC in Carthage, Missouri, said the Show has been great for business. The company’s booth on the main aisle gave Michel access to heavy foot traffic and helped flag down many customers.
“The Show gives us lots of opportunities to interface with our customers,” Michel said. “It also provides a platform and a forum to present new products in the feather world like new cuts, new colors and new-product packaging like our Swag Bags. We love talking with shop owners and distributors because they’re the people who can ultimately convince the shooter to try our products.”
In addition to hundreds of manufacturers exhibiting at the Show, the ATA showcased its important business, archery and bowhunting programs for retailers in the Show’s Member Services Area.
“Visits to that area were by far the highest we’ve ever seen,” McAninch said. “That tells me retailers are responding positively to our efforts to help them make their businesses competitive in today’s world, where most things start socially and digitally online or on smartphones.”
McAninch sensed much optimism at the Show and believes 2017 will be a good year.
“Whether it’s from a new administration or from retailers saying they’re going to be positive and bring archery and bowhunting back to their community, I saw positive attitudes, especially among retailers,” McAninch said. “That’s going to bode well for 2017.”
Statistics for the 2017 Trade Show’s main member categories are listed below. To see how this year’s Show stacks up to previous shows, download the comparison table here.
