Saturday, July 31, 2010 as of 1:55:12 pm ET
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The first day of the PGA Merchandise Show brought a number of visible changes in the apparel section. Right off, the area isn’t separated from the rest of the show by a large wall — in fact that wall is now the last stop. That is a clear indication of the show's consolidated look.
The positive repercussion is that there is no longer a meandering maze of aisles to navigate. Instead, the aisles are open with rows that flow and booths that can be found more easily.
We’ve heard a few people ask where are the big companies with the big booths — Nike and Adidas, for example. Are they missed? Sure, they are the anchors of a trade show like this, but we understand the reasons why they aren’t on the show floor this year.
On the up side for those of us covering the show, it does free up our schedule to spend more time with everyone else, and get a look a better look at new exhibitors.
To be honest, the apparel section of the PGA Merchandise Show feels a bit homier. Is that good for the companies who are here if the foot traffic is down? There seems to be a yes and no answer to just about every question in our industry these days, but one person we talked to summed it up nicely: "It seems the 'fluff’ days are over."
That means buyers are being more careful with their dollars and the function of golf clothing has become more prevalent. After all, people are still playing golf, and they are still purchasing golf related goods.
For that reason, it’s a good show.
The positive repercussion is that there is no longer a meandering maze of aisles to navigate. Instead, the aisles are open with rows that flow and booths that can be found more easily.
We’ve heard a few people ask where are the big companies with the big booths — Nike and Adidas, for example. Are they missed? Sure, they are the anchors of a trade show like this, but we understand the reasons why they aren’t on the show floor this year.
On the up side for those of us covering the show, it does free up our schedule to spend more time with everyone else, and get a look a better look at new exhibitors.
To be honest, the apparel section of the PGA Merchandise Show feels a bit homier. Is that good for the companies who are here if the foot traffic is down? There seems to be a yes and no answer to just about every question in our industry these days, but one person we talked to summed it up nicely: "It seems the 'fluff’ days are over."
That means buyers are being more careful with their dollars and the function of golf clothing has become more prevalent. After all, people are still playing golf, and they are still purchasing golf related goods.
For that reason, it’s a good show.
— Janice Ferguson