Interbike Discusses Next Move
By Rachel Wimberly -- Tradeshow Week, 2/26/2007
Interbike, Nielsen Business Media's massive bicycle-oriented tradeshow, got a jolt last November when Messe Friedrichshafen said it was bringing its Eurobike to American soil this year.
Suddenly, Interbike faced possible competition with its 25-year-old event — but only briefly. Shortly after its announcement, Messe Friedrichshafen did an about-face and said that, instead of launching its own U.S. event, for now at least, it was going to partner with the Sea Otter Classic, a four-day bicycling festival in Monterey, Calif., April 12–15.
Lance Camisasca, Nielsen group show director of Interbike, breathed a sigh of relief, but also took note that Eurobike was postponing — not canceling — its launch. Then he decided to do something he'd never done: He went to the Natl. Bicycle Leadership Conference, Feb. 4–6 in San Diego, which Interbike has sponsored for a number of years, and got busy talking with his attendees, mainly retailers and suppliers.
Moving Interbike's location has been a subject of debate for years. In fact, attendees surveyed at the most recent show, Sept. 27–29, were split almost 50-50 on whether the show should stay in Las Vegas or move to Salt Lake City.
Interbike is booked in Las Vegas through 2008, but Camisasca said he wanted to start a discussion about what to do next right away.
"During the Eurobike situation that shot across our bow, I went to see the board of directors of the Natl. Bicycle Dealers Assn., sat down with them, went over our show profile and explained why it's in Vegas," Camisasca said. "They were appreciative, because they didn't know why we do what we do. I got on an airplane afterward and thought, 'Shame on me and my team for not saying why we were in Vegas before.' When you're dealing with the public day to day, you think people have the info, and they don't."
Camisasca decided to reach out even further to the bicycling community. That led to Interbike management organizing a roundtable discussion earlier this month at the San Diego conference, which is co-hosted by the NBDA and Bicycle Products Suppliers Assn.
Fred Clements, NBDA's executive director, welcomed the request with open arms.
"They are our partner at Interbike, and I like to see it when they reach out and listen to people and better the show based on that feedback," Clements said.
On Feb. 6 Camisasca faced a room of approximately 100 suppliers and retailers, and put Interbike and himself in the hot seat. He asked a couple of simple questions: Were they happy with the show's timeframe and location?
Scott Montgomery, owner of bicycle supplier Scott USA and an Interbike attendee since it started, said, "It's really the industry's tradeshow, but it's managed by VNU (now Nielsen). It was polite to give us a say and make us a part of the discussion, instead of just getting an e-mail one day saying the show has moved."
Montgomery said the sentiments of the people he spoke to at the meeting were split. If he had to choose, he said he would stay put in Las Vegas, even though he has a warehouse in Salt Lake.
"Tradeshows are like a great restaurant," he said. "Once you really like it, you don't want to move it."
Some complained that Las Vegas is not a particularly bike-friendly city. Others did not care for its Sin City image and would rather have it somewhere more family-friendly.
But even more than these factors, Camisasca said, economics played a role in people's preferences.
"Their perception is, things are getting pretty expensive," he said. So, he explained to the room that one reason Interbike is in Las Vegas is because hotels, restaurants and other services they use are more accessible and affordable than in other cities.
Clements said Las Vegas and Salt Lake each had their advantages and disadvantages, but, "the consensus was, a show that size at that time of year is still best in Las Vegas, even though it may not be as green and outdoorsy."
Pat Sorensen, owner of Minnesota-based bicycle and fitness retailer Penn Cycle & Fitness, agreed Las Vegas was the better option. "Las Vegas is geared up for bigger crowds," he said.
Sorensen also appreciated having the opportunity to take part in a discussion with Interbike, but said, "If I was Interbike, I would have done it a long time ago to find out what the customer wants."
By the end of the roundtable, the results were conclusive, Camisasca said, "Everyone wanted to stay in Vegas in September."
Even so, management hasn't made a definitive decision, he added.
But if the show does stay, he said, he will take into account people's concerns about the city and look for family-friendly hotels without casinos that are closer to places where people can ride their bikes.
