Skate, Shoes and Junior Growth at Long Beach ASR
Attendees of the Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo can expect to see larger skate and junior sections at the Feb. 3–5 run of the show at the Long Beach Convention Center, according to the show’s director, Court Overin.
Pre-registration numbers are at 18,000-consistent with the numbers last year, according to Overin.
The larger skate section is due in part to the demands of action sports retailers and “an increase of footwear, tech and apparel companies attacking that market,” Overin said.
“The market itself has evolved a bit,” he continued. “Now skate companies are really focusing on having apparel, and they’re diversifying by adding footwear lines to include girls.”
ASR organizers said the skate market has evolved considerably in recent years. Overin said the skate section of this year’s ASR show has increased by 35 booths. Companies that produce hard goods for the skate market are beginning to focus on apparel lines and are diversifying by adding junior footwear lines, he said.
Nike, for example, is launching a new junior footwear line called Savier, and DC Shoes is unveiling its junior shoe line, Suppa.
“I think it’s influenced by music, entertainment and that whole urban club thing,” said Overin. “Skate is a better fit from a product standpoint...so that’s why I think we’re seeing a growth on that side.”
Junior surf apparel and hard goods are also expanding, as traditional surf companies diversify their product lines, Overin said.
“I’ve seen a few new companies really focusing on girls’ products this year,” he said.
A section that will be significantly smaller than it was at ASR’s September show in San Diego is scooter products.
“That’s because 10 or 12 of these manufacturers had cease and desist put on them by Razor [scooters], who actually was the leader in that marketplace and had a lot of the patents,” said Overin.
