# Cleveland Sport Show, RIP...



## snagless-1 (Oct 26, 2014)

It is either good news or bad news that the so called Sportshow at the I-X center has ended. I applaud the folks who tried to make it work but they unfortunately missed the mark.

The last few years at the I-X center was abysmal! There was next to nothing to buy for the fisherman let alone at bargain prices. When the Cleveland Show first left downtown Cleveland and it's inaugural year at the I-X center it was magical, a 10 day show that had everything an outdoorsman could want AND deals could be had.I remember Joe Kulis had a "mountain" when you first entered showcasing his talents along with the Boy Scouts handing out baby pine trees, remember how much fun that was?
The whole staff just about from In-Fisherman and other national outdoor and hunting shows were there. Just about every state in the U.S. and Canada, and Africa were represented.

Please don't mention the parking costs as being a deterrent, have you been to Chicago or New York City or Cleveland lately during a sporting event or "special event", Chicago last year was advertising $65.00 parking specials, Cleveland is around $20.00 to $40.00 depending on location. And let's not mention looking over your shoulder when taking your family back to your car. It's like " hurry honey, hurry kids and don't make eye contact with anyone."
Perhaps one day again the right people will make a Cleveland Show viable again. 

Or perhaps I-Phones and computer games have taken over today's youth more than we are lead to believe???
Anyhow I know the Columbus show is real good for fisherman because I've been there since the start and it is growing. But I'd rather go to my own backyard and have fun.

Just my 2 cents worth, what about you out there???


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

snagless-1 said:


> Just my 2 cents worth, what about you out there???


Paying for parking just added to the insult when the show inside was crappy.But like you said enough of that.....

Ok if I was running the show, I would not have it at the IX center. I would instead look at probably the Great Lakes Mall or Richmond Mall. While the Richmond Mall has more vacant space, You could put on a pretty decent show within the old Sears store at the GLM. I would bet you could rent that space super cheap therefore you could charge much less for booth rental. I would also have the boats and maybe campers on display throughout the mall similar to the way they display new cars at certain times during the year.

What I have done:
Free Parking
Cheap Booth space = more vendors
More Vendors = More traffic
More traffic = Higher Vendor Sales

Mall Landlord =WINS
Vendor = WINS
Sportsman = WINS

One problem that would have to worked out would be bathroom, food service setup and utilities but don't think its unworkable... Make have the various "Food Trucks" set up in the parking lot for cooking and then bring the food into the store in a mini food court. What do you think?


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## LipRipper79 (Mar 26, 2011)

It's for the best. The show hasnt been worth the price of admission for years now. The show in Columbus every Feb is way better. We need one like that up here. We have one of the best fishing lakes in the world here in Cleveland and we can't even get a decent fishing expo


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## DBV (Jan 8, 2011)

That is sad that Columbus has a better fishing show than us. When I lived in the Columbus, there show was a joke and Cleveland's was good. Can't believe that Cleveland could not make it. So sad....


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

This is essentially the economic analysis I did this past year in making my decision to no longer participate at outdoor shows as a vendor.

Why has the traditional BIG shows gone away? Because there are now too many shows and they have split the attendees and vendors. It is no longer cost effective (as a vendor) as I have to go to 5 or more regional shows to see the same number of potential clients that I once could see at a single show. This is the symptom.

What is the cause? The numerous venues throwing themselves at the show producer folks. All those empty buildings in the area are potential show venues... The conversation from venue goes something like this - "You had a great wedding show, why don't you take this other unbooked weekend at a deal price and do something else - maybe an outdoor show." It is then a simple business decision for the show producer of - can I at least cover my costs for the weekend, including my operating expenses (salaries).

As a result of this diminished exposure and value as a show exhibitor, I then stop doing all shows as my advertising $ is more effective elsewhere. Now the shows go away...

This simple economic model then causes the ebb and flow of the outdoor shows today and has made it such that it will be nearly impossible for that big show to ever come back. Unless they can get a major show sponsor to underwrite the show costs. (Think Great American Outdoor show in Harrisburg - sponsored by NRA)

As for vendors selling product at shows. Do you know how many $5 (discount) fishing lures you have to sell in order to cover your booth cost, time away from your store, travel, setup, staffing, etc... It is very cost prohibitive for a local dealer to go to a show. If you look at even the GAO Harrisburg show - largest outdoor show in country... The sales (other than show souvenirs - shirts,etc ) are typically from the large firms (online) or even factory direct. They gain from the exposure even if they don't sell product that week. The local shop does not gain much at a local show as the local attendees already know about them and if they give show deals, you will wait all year to make your big purchases at the show (killing their business the other 51-weeks of year). Another issue - do you know how many of the BIG show vendors (National companies) get comped (free) booth space as they are a draw. The little guys have to cover their cost too.


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## icingdeath (Jun 2, 2010)

Snagless... I sure remember the mountain and those pine trees!! We have 4 at the camp in Pa and 8 here at the house that are all around 15 ft now! Joe Kulis ran his charters out of Anchors Away Marina where out boat was. Real swell guy! I miss the show when it was good and sad my daughter wont get to enjoy it. The trout pond, the Hog Trough. And those awesome deals!!


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## JM1 (Jul 5, 2014)

I was considering going to the Columbus show, sounds like it's worth it.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

First off, I wonder where the water skiing squirrel has gone.

But I do have to ask this question, as the boat show is at the IX Center as I write this: 

Why do the Boat Show, RV Show, CLE Auto show, Motorcycle Show, and Piston & Power Show still draw at the IX Center?

There's more to this story than parking at the IX Center, me thinks......


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## SemperFi (Mar 10, 2014)

Northeast Ohio Sportman Show being in Mt. Hope, Ohio

*January 18-20, 2018*
*Thursday, January 18 – 2pm – 9pm*
*Friday, January 19 – 9am – 9pm*
*Saturday, January 20 – 9am – 5pm*


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

berkshirepresident said:


> First off, I wonder where the water skiing squirrel has gone.
> 
> But I do have to ask this question, as the boat show is at the IX Center as I write this:
> 
> ...


Auto show has FREE parking plus I usually can score free tickets from a dealer.


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

The last time I went to the IX show,we wanted some thing to eat! Well... The Seagulls, they called Chicken was the icing on the cake for me. What they called deals, were a joke!! More like 4 year old inventory. Might as well had the tub surround vendors.


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## ignantmike (Apr 30, 2005)

used to go years ago......good deals on bass lures and rod and reel combo's.....last time I went....info-mercial crap everywhere.....sucked.....best thing then....was the girl's and the golf cart booth


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## ohihunter2014 (Feb 19, 2017)

Are you guys talking about the sportsman show that has Byron ferguson and the 3D shoots? Yeah I'll never waste my money on that show ever again. Columbus deer n turkey was okay way too many guide things for me I want seminar and gear.


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## TheShoreman (Sep 17, 2015)

snagless-1 said:


> It is either good news or bad news that the so called Sportshow at the I-X center has ended. I applaud the folks who tried to make it work but they unfortunately missed the mark.
> 
> The last few years at the I-X center was abysmal! There was next to nothing to buy for the fisherman let alone at bargain prices. When the Cleveland Show first left downtown Cleveland and it's inaugural year at the I-X center it was magical, a 10 day show that had everything an outdoorsman could want AND deals could be had.I remember Joe Kulis had a "mountain" when you first entered showcasing his talents along with the Boy Scouts handing out baby pine trees, remember how much fun that was?
> The whole staff just about from In-Fisherman and other national outdoor and hunting shows were there. Just about every state in the U.S. and Canada, and Africa were represented.
> ...


I remember as a kid looking forward to going to the outdoor show. Fishing the trout pool and watching that squirrel.
Your right it’s horrible what has happened to it. You’d think an outdoor show on Lake Erie would be killer. 
Someone needs to get in their backyard and look again because Cleveland IS not like the Cleveland you just described anymore. It’s pretty offensive that you think of Cleveland that way and SAD as a man that your not secure enough with yourself to bring your family downtown and not treat it as a trip to Baghdad. Just my 2 cents.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I remember the wresting bear when the show was in downtown Cleveland. I'll never forget the guy who pinned the bear. I was awestruck. I don't remember whether it was Ceasar or one of the bears Sam Mazzola exhibited at the IX center. I was too young.

As for downtown Cleveland, I was never one to worry about the riff raff. We saw Leon Bibb walking back to the car after the show in the early '80's.

In August of '15 the wife and I were downtown at Public Square during the first republican debate. The was a guy sitting on the corner sidewalk about 1/2 a block from the casino and the Ritz smoking away on a big ole joint. People were all around There was a Cleveland policeman a few hundred feet away doing nothing. She couldn't believe it.


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## brettmansdorf (Apr 5, 2013)

IX Center show (and those organizing it) became fully commercialized and was simply about the money - and they could care less about the sport. Thereby - I stopped going. MOST of the big shows are similar - pulling in big music acts or wresters - CAUSE that will make my chances at a prize catch all the better. Get me an ole guy carving a new rapala - cool... But seeing some rock star play - WHY?

Making money has ruined many sports (Nascar, bull riding, football/baseball/basketball) - I was kinda hoping fishing might not sell its soul to make a buck. Like nascar we can no longer allow tourney fisherman to boat a bass that doesn't break water on camera... Its coming - as our greed tends to blur our vision and we loose sight of the ball... Just me $.02


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## catchmeafeesh (Apr 22, 2014)

SemperFi said:


> Northeast Ohio Sportman Show being in Mt. Hope, Ohio
> 
> *January 18-20, 2018*
> *Thursday, January 18 – 2pm – 9pm*
> ...


I went to the Mount Hope sportsman show this year. As far as a fisherman's standpoint....it was of NO value to me. The slant of the show was towards hunting. If I had to rate it as far as a fishing standpoint on a scale of 1 to 10 it would be a 2. If you are a serious fisherman...look elsewhere. It was packed with people though but that may of been a function of great expectation of lots of fishing stuff there or mostly interested hunters there. Fishing wise it was bleak. Just my 2 cents.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

To the guys mentioning the columbus show. Make sure its the columbus fishing expo your going to,not the columbus vacation/rv/outdoors show. The expo is great. The others all suck!!


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## Blackdawg (Dec 31, 2007)

I also believe when the City of Cleveland swapped the Lewis Research facility with the City of Brookpark for the IX Center, their liberal anti-gun bias had a lot to do with driving some of the major exhibitors away, especially the firearm manufacturers. Pheasant Fest, a major much sought after hunting show produced by Pheasants Forever, which travels between Kansas, the Dakotas, and the big pheasant states was actively pursued to be brought to Ohio by its then regional biologist. The city of Columbus balked. "You want to bring guns?!!!?" Same with the NWTF national convention-they pulled out of Columbus because of liberal anti gun bias. They would rather have a Southern Baptist convention in their city with people frying chicken on hot plates in their motel rooms than gun lovers with expendable income coming to their towns.


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## Longhorn (Oct 26, 2014)

Seems to be shows are hurting all over the country. It's my understanding that the show up in Houston is in its final year. Our fly club has had a booth there for some time. Seems like anglers could find better deals on-line than at the shows and it just isn't worth the effort. I went to a gun show by the Astrodome this past Sunday. Same thing. There was little to buy and what was there was much more expensive than on-line.


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## brettmansdorf (Apr 5, 2013)

My personal draw to a show has always been...

1) get the blood pumping
2) education - new to me
3) new products - touch and see
4) perhaps drop a few bucks on something - but realistically - doubt you can beat amazon and the rest of the internet at that game. Perhaps if they had a huge swap meet - but deals are limited in my experience.
5) speakers/entertainers... Do I want to see a legend give a speech (like Roland Martin or bill dance) - not really - do I want to the leader on the tour give a speech - no... I also golf - and listening to a pro in front of hundreds - sucks. 
6) rock/country band - COME ONE
7) giveaway - come to the show and we'll give away a boat... You know what - perhaps you should either discount a normal item the same amount as you would have spent on the boat (taking donation into consideration - swap for booth space) and regulate it to one or two per ticket holder... If I knew I was going to get good line for the price of admission plus X amount - then the value of paying to get in goes up - and quite frankly - Berkeley then gets a free booth but you get a crapload more attendees (and more $ at the door)...

Just a few thoughts...


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