Apprise Buys, Primedia Sells Shows

Niche media firm Apprise Media, via its Apprise Enthusiast Media division, has scooped up a company with several consumer shows, while Primedia sold its Crafts Group, including the MemoryTrends Conference & Expo.

On Sept. 26, the Orange, Calif.-based Action Pursuit Group, an operating company of Apprise Enthusiast Media, announced its acquisition from Great Hill Partners of Irvine, Calif.-based Action Media Operating, a producer of consumer shows and online media properties serving the tuner and sports compact performance market.

On Sept. 27, Primedia announced that Enthusiast Media, an entity formed by affiliates of Sandler Capital Management, acquired substantially all of the assets of Primedia's Crafts Group for approximately $132 million in cash.

Action Media's shows are Hot Import Nights, Nightshift and VIP Auto Fashion. The company also produces RCX Radio Control Expo, Natl. Houseboat Expo and the Sacramento and Bay Area Ski & Snowboard Shows through joint ventures with Air Age Media, Houseboat Magazine and show management firm Ski Dazzle, respectively.

The Jordan Edmiston Group Inc. represented Action Media in the transaction, whose terms were not disclosed.

Although Apprise's Action Pursuit Group currently doesn't organize shows, it produces publications in the automotive segment, including Drag Racer, Drifting, Diesel World, Drive! and StreetTrucks, and several others in the outdoor sports, homes and action enthusiast segments.

Apprise Media Chairman and CEO Charles G. McCurdy, co-founder and former president of Primedia, said the enthusiast division "was in need of digital development and had no event activity either. This opportunity came to our attention to extend their capabilities into the consumer event categories."

McCurdy said his firm may expand the auto enthusiast shows "at a couple of levels. There's opportunities to expand those shows and to some extent expand the number of shows by location throughout the course of the year."

Hot Import Nights and NightShift shows take place in more than 20 cities a year and attract upwards of 250,000 auto enthusiasts. NightShift will next occur Oct. 14 at the Firebird Intl. Raceway in Phoenix; Hot Import Nights is coming up Nov. 18 (with VIP Auto Fashion) at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

McCurdy said Apprise would continue to invest in Action Pursuit Group's growth, "with regard to both organic opportunities as well as acquisitions like Action Media."

Apprise also operates Apprise Business Media, which includes Canon Communications (of which McCurdy is chairman and CEO).

The Apprise Enthusiast Media division includes Beckett Media, a publisher of more than a dozen sports collectibles magazines.

Apprise's last show purchase was Canon's May acquisition of several tradeshows from Reed Exhibitions, including Assembly Technology Expo and Natl. Manufacturing Week.

Action Media Holdings CEO Glenn Rogers said he would leave the firm, but three of the group's original founders (Mike Munar, John Russell and Todd Wallin) will stay on.

Rogers called Apprise "perfect buyers" for the company. He added, "It's going to be a happy transaction."

Action Media "will fit into Apprise Media's consumer platform and allow for excellent cross marketing and growth opportunities," said JEGI Managing Director Scott Peters.

In addition to MemoryTrends, Enthusiast Media's purchase included nine consumer magazines and the Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Conventions, which will travel to more than a dozen U.S. cities next year. MemoryTrends, a 2005 and 2006 Tradeshow Week Fastest 50 show, takes place this week at Las Vegas' Sands Expo & Convention Center. Universal Event Management will continue to produce MemoryTrends, according to UEM.

Dave O'Neil, the former vice president and group publisher for Primedia Crafts Group, will serve as CEO of Enthusiast Media. Lisa Bearnson, founding editor of Creating Keepsakes magazine, will serve as the firm's creative director.