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Home » Press Releases » AFIRM Endorses IHRSA Trade Show Improvements
News Release AFIRM Endorses IHRSA Trade Show ImprovementsSILVER SPRING, MD – June 7, 2010 – AFIRM has endorsed the trade show structural changes recently announced by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Those changes include reducing the IHRSA Show from three days to two, fewer show hours with competing seminars, and longer hours on the Day One, the busiest day of the show. “AFIRM applauds IHRSA for being more receptive to the needs of the exhibitors,” said AFIRM Executive Director Chuck Leve, who founded the IHRSA Show in 1981. “As representatives of the manufacturers in the fitness industry, we view the changes IHRSA has announced as most definitely a step in the right direction. “The changes announced are meaningful and AFIRM members would like to see as many show hours as possible be non-competitive with seminars. We’ve heard from our members that too many seminars take critical customers off the show floor. Almost every industry show has competing seminars, so it will be important to AFIRM members to see a significant shift away from overlapping programming,” Leve added. IHRSA now becomes the second major industry show to reduce the number of show days from three to two, following the lead of the Athletic Business Conference, which implemented such a change at its annual event last December in Orlando. The IHRSA Show changes were communicated on May 18 in an email from IHRSA Chairman of the Board David Patchell-Evans to IHRSA’s associate members (suppliers). Patchell-Evans also announced that exhibitors will now receive two complimentary registrations for its employees to attend seminars – reversing a nearly 10-year-old policy that prohibited exhibitors from attending seminars without buying convention registrations. “This is a symbolic as well as practical enhancement that AFIRM strongly favors,” said Leve. “Exhibitors want to learn what’s on the minds of their customers through attending seminars, and this reversal removes a longstanding policy that bothered many exhibitors.” AFIRM encourages all industry trade shows to follow the leads of Athletic Business and IHRSA in re-examining policies that potentially hinder exhibitor’s ability to conduct business. AFIRM believes – especially in these economic times – that all shows should be implementing strategies to make it easier to conduct business. “IHRSA’s changes are a good first step, and we encourage all industry shows to go even further and address lingering problems,” said Leve. “For example, we believe email addresses voluntarily provided by attendees should be made available to all exhibitors, and badge swiping data should be consistent from show to show.”AFIRM further believes that IHRSA’s changes also serve to draw attention to even larger issues that need to be addressed. “IHRSA has done a good thing,” added Leve, “AFIRM members look forward to working with IHRSA and all show organizers to address two additional challenges with industry shows: declining attendance and escalating costs for labor. It’s clear that these are top of mind issues for show management and exhibitors alike and the better job we do of working together to solve these issues – the more productive industry trade shows will be”.
Fitness Anywhere Joins AFIRM
“We took a look at AFIRM on the recommendation of one of their current members,” said Charlie Robb, VP Marketing & Finance for Fitness Anywhere. “We studied AFIRM’s mission, talked through the value with them, and decided AFIRM’s objectives deserve our support.” For further information on AFIRM, please contact:
Chuck Leve, Executive Director
847-480-1818 x5599 (office) <http://www.afirmfitness.org/> About AFIRM The Association of Fitness Industry Retailers & Manufacturers (AFIRM) is dedicated to developing benefits, products, and services specifically for fitness industry manufacturers and retailers. AFIRM will address fitness industry issues, help raise revenue and reduce expenses on behalf of its members, lobby Congress for pro-fitness legislation, and develop appropriate research. AFIRM will disseminate information through educational events, publish a bi-weekly newsletter for its constituents, and develop money-saving programs for its members. For more information, please visit www.afirmfitness.org. About SGMA The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. SGMA helps lead the sports and fitness industries by fostering participation through research, thought leadership, product promotion, and public policy. More information about SGMA membership and SGMA's National Health Through Fitness Day can be found at www.SGMA.com.
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