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Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show Breaks New Ground
Final Numbers Show Record Rise in Attendance

The official numbers are in on the 2010 Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show, and they confirm what all the buzz was about. From January 20–22, 4,250 buyers jammed the aisles at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

That represented a 41% rise, from 3,025 retailers who picked up their badges for the 2009 show. Overall attendance—including buyers, exhibitors, manufacturers reps, industry suppliers, media, and VIPs—rose from about 5,500 to 6,250.

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Two Industries on the Upswing Propel The Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show to Its Finest Hour
Trade Show Fulfills Early Promise Despite Challenging Economy

The final numbers have yet to be tallied, but judging from the tired smiles on exhibitors¹ faces and the weary legs of retailers and buyers‹many of whom were still writing orders as the doors closed‹ the 2010 edition of the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show was a resounding success. With attendance exceeding all pre-show estimates and expectations, and the aisles energized for three solid days, the two sister industries are looking at a very promising year.

"When we merged Sports Licensing and Tailgating into a single trade event four years ago, we expected great things" says Show Director Stanley Schwartz of Showproco LLC, the event's producer.

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Cool Idea
Cooler Coozies Set to Make Industry Debut

Sports fans never turn down an opportunity to show their team spirit. Any manufacturer with a finger on the pulse of the licensed industry knows this to be true. That’s why Cooler Coozies promises to be one of the best product launches of 2010.

“The Cooler Coozie is like a t-shirt for your cooler,” says company owner Greg Sanchez. “It’s the only custom cooler cover in existence. It completes the tailgating experience.”

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Grill Seekers
Jackson Grills Hoping to Make Inroads in the U.S.

Grilling is to tailgating as hockey is to Canada. Nobody knows this better than Roger Ketch, Sales Manager for Jackson Grills, which operates out of British Columbia. The company is celebrating 10 years of making some of the best specialty grills on the market.

“We started with a basic model back in 1999,” says Ketch. “From there, it evolved into a family of products. Our first portable grill debuted in 2003. Today, we offer the Versa 100 and Versa 75. We designed them specifically for tailgating.”

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Good Sports
Q&A with Scott Pederson, President & CEO of The Positive Companies

It’s no secret that recent headlines haven’t been particularly kind to those in the sports world. Is there a way to turn that negative energy around? Scott Pederson thinks so. He’s the mastermind behind International Positive Week, which will be introduced at the Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show. Pederson talked to us about the event and how those in the licensed sports and tailgating industries can get involved.

LOGO: You’re heading up the launch of International Positive Week from September 19th to the 25th later this year. What is the program all about?

Scott Pederson: International Positive Week is dedicated to celebrating the positive contributions made by individuals, businesses and communities throughout the world. One area of our focus is the sports industry, which as we’ve seen with recent events is not immune from negative publicity. The media pays more attention when bad things happen. Through International Positive Week, we hope to reverse this trend. There are many athletes, leagues and corporations that don’t get the credit they deserve for their good deeds.

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Cold, Hard Facts
Duck House the Leader in Licensed Freezer Drinkware

It’s hard sometimes to predict where a business idea is going to take you. For example, when Duck House launched in 1981, the mission was to provide collectible dolls of the finest quality at affordable prices. The company has enjoyed breakout success in this area, but over the years sports licensing has become a vital part of the Duck House story.

“Back in the 1990s,” says Executive Vice President and General Manager Jeff Sherman, “we gained access to a revolutionary freezer mug. There was no market for it yet in the U.S. We went with it, and the freezer mug has exploded since.”

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Tribeca Has Electronics Market Covered
College Licensed Flash Drives, Netbook Covers, Phone Cases Will Star in Vegas

In four short years, Tribeca has become a one-stop shop for sports-oriented consumer electronics. If a fan wants a flash drive, laptop or netbook sleeve, computer bag, iPhone, Droid or Blackberry case—or just about any other electronic accessory emblazoned with a college logs and colors—they know that Tribeca probably makes it.

“Electronics are increasingly mobile and more fashion-oriented than ever,” says founder and CEO Albert Oh. “This is a great opportunity for retailers.”

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Eat, Drink and Be Mobile
The Snack Palette Aims to Make Tailgating Easy

Competition in the tailgating industry can be tough. Good ideas are popping up all the time. Sometimes, it’s execution that separates a product that sells from one that doesn‘t. Duane Ebesu, the Managing Partner of Ebesu Corp., thinks he has a winner in the Snack Palette, a handy plate designed with holes and slots that make it easy to carry.

“The Snack Palette got its start in the catering business,” says Ebesu. He noticed that people often have difficulty mingling because they are juggling a plate full of food in one hand and a drink in the other. The Snack Palette solves this problem, allowing tailgaters to move around and party with ease.

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No Table? No Chairs? No Problem.
Go Plate Gives Tailgaters a (Third) Hand

While many in the industry regard The Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show as “two shows within a show,” companies like Tek Packaging remind us how well these two markets can work together with products like the Go Plate. The Go Plate is a unique plate concept designed for inside and outside social events, which enables the user to hold a beverage and plate of food in one hand.

The Go Plate concept began showing up in stadium parking lots and backyard gatherings a couple of years ago as a simple, clear plastic product. Tek Packgaing purchased the rights to produce the Go Plate with the brilliant colors and team logos of the top colleges. Basically, the company took a great tailgating idea and carried it over the goal line.

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Sounds Like A Winner
Eastern Generators Deliver Clean, Quiet & Affordable Power

American tailgaters power an industry with annual retail sales that have topped the $10 billion mark in recent years. What powers tailgaters? Small-wattage generators—the kind Eastern Tools & Equipment has been manufacturing since 2000. The company specializes in 800– to 4000–watt open-frame generators for emergency power outages, but over the years these models have also become the choice of campers, adventurers and tailgaters, too.

“We dominate the inverter market,” says Paul Adams, National Sales Manager US & Canada. “Our generators are small, compact, easy to carry and easy to use. And being inverter generators, they clean the power an additional step above the alternator.”

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Out with the Old
Rivalry Style Debuts Trendy Collegiate Fashions

Retailers tired of the “same old, same old” in licensed apparel are in for a pleasant surprise from Rivalry Style. Launched last spring, the company has been turning heads with its fresh take on collegiate fashion. “We’ve done a lot of test-marketing on college campuses,” says Rivalry’s president Kevin Raulston. “The response has been excellent.”

Rivalry is capturing the imagination of consumers with on-trend style alternative tops that stay loyal to hardcore fans. “Every design is large format, front and back,” says Raulston. “Our shirts are fitted with a lightweight feel.”

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No Missing Pieces at R and R Imports
Great Photography Distinguishes NASCAR & College Lines

Puzzled by the myriad choices for NASCAR licensed products in 2010? Many a retailer is likely to start the shopping process with R and R Imports, Inc., which has made a name for itself in the industry by incorporating stunning photography into its product lines, which features everything from sun glasses, lighters, air fresheners to coasters, license plates, shot glasses and piggybanks. Oh, yes—R and R is also debuting a line of attention-grabbing NASCAR jigsaw puzzles.

The 550-piece puzzles, which retail for $14.99, are a natural follow-up to the company’s collegiate puzzles, released in 2009.

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