Tag Archives: Angling Trade

AFFTA Goes It Alone On Trade Show: Hires Industry Veteran to Lead Effort

December 21, 2009

Though our previous post heaped truckloads of snark had bit of fun at the fly fishing industry trade group’s expense (AFFTA), it’s clear AFFTA’s serious about going it alone with a new, independent trade show for retailers, manufacturers and other fly fishing industry insiders (pretty much everyone except for the folks who actually buy the stuff).

From their press release:

(Louisville, CO. December 18, 2009) After evaluating every available option and in response to input received from fly fishing industry retailers, manufacturers, sales reps and media, the AFFTA board of directors unanimously voted Tuesday December 15, 2009 to endorse the formation of a new independent fly fishing trade show. The International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) show will debut at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado during the 3rd quarter of 2010.

AFFTA Chairman Alan Gnann stated, “Throughout our careful and deliberate evaluation it became abundantly clear that a general fishing tackle show (ICAST) or a general outdoor show (Outdoor Retailer) would not serve the best interests of the of the fly fishing trade. It was also very apparent that the new found interest in fly fishing by these organizations was not aligned with AFFTA’s mission, making the decision very clear.” Gnann continues, “The entire AFFTA board is incredibly energized and motivated to make this the best show the industry has ever seen. The support of key exhibitors and retailers for AFFTA to sponsor an independent fly fishing industry trade show has been nothing short of overwhelming. We look forward to hosting the most dynamic and exciting trade show in years; and importantly – the only show focused exclusively on the sport of fly fishing.”

You can power your way through the entire release here (a cup of coffee might help).

AFFTA’s claiming the support of the fly fishing industry insiders and heavy hitters on this one (Scott Fly Rods, Sage, Redington, Rio, Orvis, Umpqua, Ross Reels USA/Ross Worldwide, Scientific Anglers, R.L. Winston, Solitude Flies, Cloudveil, Lamson/Waterworks, REC, Nautilus Reels, Smith Optics, Yellow Dog Fly Fishing, Frontiers International, Fly Fishing in Saltwaters magazine, The Drake magazine, and Fly Fisherman), though the Underground’s Crack Investigative Reporting Team (whose advanced techniques include calling and asking) knows at least two of the names mentioned are supporting the show more from a sense of duty than any real hope of a return on investment.

Regardless, unenthusiastic support is still support, and on the surface, it appears AFFTA has stolen a march on Outdoor Retailer, Furimsky’s planned Florida show, ICAST and a everyone else with a spare room.

To make sure it happens, AFFTA’s hired fly fishing industry insider (as if they’d hire anyone else) Randi Swisher, who was involved in running ISE’s trade shows.

Kirk Deeter at Angling Trade magazine suggests AFFTA’s wagering the future of the organization on getting this one right, and there’s a grain of truth to that, though given the tiny budget and occasional need for capital infusion to keep the operation running, the risks aren’t exactly titanic in nature.

Sadly, AFFTA’s prior attempts to turn their own fly fishing show crashed and burned, and to a certain extent, we wonder why AFFTA – who is clearly hungry for a revenue stream – doesn’t combine a two-day dealer show with a three-day consumer show. That gets them in the consumer show industry, yet keeps them out of everyone else’s hair.

It makes a certain sense, yet one industry veteran simply made clucking noises (that phone thing again) and suggested the industry’s insiders would never endanger their “exclusive little three-day industry party” by allowing the public entry.

Ouch.

What’s true about the fly fishing industry is that it’s tiny compared to most others, and while AFFTA’s releases suggest a duck serenely gliding over the water, we remind you that the real action takes place under the water, where our outwardly serene duck is paddling like mad.

(This kind of stuff is why the industry loves the Underground.)

See you anywhere but at a trade show, Tom Chandler.

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With Fly Fishing Retailer Show in Decline, AFFTA Board Makes Bold Move, Then Tells No One About It

October 23, 2009

It’s Day 47 of the Underground Home Hostage Crisis, and while sleep patterns are slowly returning, Trout Underground/Man Cave World Headquarters remain under siege – the target of insurgent contractors who have seized part of Trout Underground/Man Cave headquarters, demanding ransom (or the baby’s room gets it).

Oddly, the Underground’s newest tax deduction isn’t the only thing kicking, whining and soiling itself; it appears the AFFTA Board – when faced by the grim reality of a Fly Fishing Retailer show in steep decline – made An Important Decision.

They just don’t want to tell us what it is yet.

Oh.

The Seamy Background

Despite a great deal of industry cheerleading leading up to this year’s Fly Fishing Retailer Show (and a fair amount of post-event gushing by a few), it seems the FFR show is indeed struggling.

Wicked Outdoorsy posted this somewhat damming article on their blog, suggesting that something needs to change.

With the vendor list shrinking from almost 200 to 150 since 2008, it’s clear that things aren’t all peachy in FFR land, and in fact, industry 800 pound gorilla Orvis didn’t even appear at FFR until the last minute, apparently reversing a decision to skip the show.

The owner of one of fly fishing’s major retail sites told the Underground he rarely attends FFR since manufacturers and reps bring everything to his buyers, often long before the public sees them, so FFR offers little value beyond the networking.

Then there’s the elephant in the room; are anglers increasingly turning to online sources for gear, and if so, what affect is that having on traditionally fly fishing retailers – the FFR show’s primary target group?

What’s Going to Happen Next?

With FFR facing the double whammy of a recession and what appears to be a general decline in interest, what’s a fly fishing trade organization to do?

One possibility is a show that hits different regions every year, and another obvious idea is to fold the fading FFR show into the sizable Outdoor Retailers show in Salt Lake City.

Indeed, that’s the course favored by Moldy Chum (one of the Chum team works for Patagonia, and attends both shows), and Moldy didn’t seem all that happy when he learned the AFFTA Board had met and ruled out folding FFR into the Outdoor Retailer show.

The discussion in the comments section beneath the Wicked Outdoorsy post covers this possibility, and in fact, the director of both shows weighs in with good information.

The AFFTA Board apparently didn’t agree (as per this post from Angling Trade), though it seems as if they’re not going to tell us why until the end of the month.

One hopes they’ve got a plan, but then again, this is the same group that thought it was a good idea to go head-to-head with Chuck Furimsky’s Fly Fishing Show in the consumer show arena, and got their fingers burned.

Furimsky – who still hasn’t forgotten what AFFTA tried to do – is pitching an idea for a dealer show of his own, though this one would be held in Orlando (taking advantage of cheap airfares, lodging, etc).

Given the enmity between Furimsky and AFFTA, we can safely assume Furimsky would have to go it alone with a dealer show, and that he’d be fighting AFFTA for their own members.

Outdoor Retailer Plan a Boon, or a Bust?

While we already know the AFFTA Board voted against joining the Outdoor Retailer show (we just don’t know why, or what’s going to happen instead), I doubt this idea is going away anytime soon.

After all, a little cross-pollination with the outdoorsy set wouldn’t do fly fishing any harm; it’s a sport that’s in danger of erecting a wall around itself (witness the 8% increase in fishing license sales, yet the slow decline in the number of fly fishermen).

Still, would fly fishing simply get lost in the OR show (as some suggest), or is it about time the sport lost its isolationist tendencies (don’t pretend they don’t exist) and joined the rest of the outdoor world?

The Undergrounders Weigh In

This is what’s cool about the Underground – I let my readers do all the heavy lifting. Sure, I’m a brilliant writer who occasionally posts bikini pictures, but in truth, I actually ask my drunken barely conscious slacker readers what they think, and then ignore you when you answer.

It’s crowdsourcing at its finest, so I put the question to the the Undergrounders:

Should FFR try to go it alone? Should it stay Denver? Or should it fold itself under the massive wing of Outdoor Retailer, and hope all the outdoor jocks decide to give the sport a try?

We ask, you answer…

See you in the comments section, Tom Chandler.

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