Just look at all those sweaty balls and stinking trade show feet!
The SIA Snow Show kicked off in Denver, Colorado yesterday with snowy streets, a warm convention center, and the omnipresent smells of weed (Okay, we’re guessing on that last part. We thought we’d be able to smell it from here, but we can’t.) The Western states may not know it, but according to the SIA’s RetailTrak report for the August through December 2013 period, the industry set a new sales record of $2.2 billion at retail. So we’ve got that going for us. We’re also guessing that local marijuana merchants will experience similar sales spikes this weekend. What other news did you miss if you weren’t there? A little Olympic fever, it seems:
The Show kicked off with a special “Sendoff to Sochi” Opening Ceremony led by Doug Lewis, 1984 &1988 Olympian and Alpine Analyst for Universal Sports. Lewis named team members and revealed the official uniforms for the U.S. Alpine, Freestyle, Freeski and Snowboarding teams developed by Spyder, Columbia, The North Face and Burton. . . “The relationship between SIA and USSA is really pivotal to the success of our athletes,” said Tom Kelly, Vice President Communications, USSA. “USSA athletes could not accomplishment their goals without the support we get from the industry and the companies that supply us with ski, snowboards, outerwear and uniforms,” . . The Opening Ceremony also included video messages from athletes to the industry, thanking them for their support and encouragement. Officials from the city of Denver, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA), SIA Board Members and industry leaders took to the stage to officially ring in the Snow Show with cowbells. To wrap things up, Klaus Obermeyer added his signature yodel, which he’s done at the end of the Snow Show for over 30 years.
Sounds to inviting. Doesn’t it? While we continue to man the controls, click the links below for up-to-the minute coverage from all the poor saps who had to make the dreary trudge to Denver from one more year from the SIA fun zone:
Yobeat’s Justin Leveille Buys Weed And Hits The Show
Snowboard Magazine’s Day 1
Transworld Snowboarding’s Day 1
Snowboarder’s Day 1
Transworld Business’s Day 1
And, you’re correct. GrindMedia is paying not one, not two, but three separate editorial crews to follow each other around talking to the same people, shooting the same photos, and drinking the same beer in Denver. Occasionally we do pine for the days of big media redundancy! For the official word from the SIA, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
New York Times writer John Brauch had just completed a profile on Kevin Pearce when he got news of the snowboarder’s injury. Here’s how he tells it in the NYT.
