PGA Joins Vegas Lineup
The PGA Fall Expo, held Aug. 25–27 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, convened in Las Vegas for the first time during the MAGIC Marketplace and concurrent apparel, sourcing and accessories shows. While the show did not appear to lure large crowds from the apparel shows, it did give some vendors an opportunity to see accounts they otherwise would have waited for.
“It was a plus,” said Jan Beemer, rep for women’s sportswear maker Sport-Haley Inc. Beemer said she saw three important accounts from Hawaii whose main objective was to visit the MAGIC show.
Larry Lyda, account executive for Bobby Jones sportswear, said the same thing.
The PGA show caters mainly to “green grass” retailers, namely golf pro shops and golf specialty shops. About 400 exhibitors, including 120 apparel lines, and 4,000 buyers were on hand.
In general, growth within the golf industry is struggling. Participation during the past year has been flat or down. That has led more resorts and country clubs to bring in more lifestyle clothing from crossover brands that cater to golfers on and off the course, said Jared Henzlik of the House of Carrington, which showed high-end Italian woven shirts.
“The timing with the MAGIC show has been critical,” he said. —Robert McAllister
