Sport Expo: Can This Show Survive and Thrive?
Probably, but it sure could stand better sales and promotion.
Since I'm not the guy for writing apologias for anything, I have to be honest about this: Every year I walk through the main gate at Sebring's Sport Aviation Expo, I wonder if this show has enough economic momentum to survive for another year. For those accustomed to the size and energy of Oshkosh or Aero, Sport Expo can be a little underwhelming.
I shared a lunch table with three attendees from Florida-locals by any measure-and the consensus was there wasn't much to see and they'd be in and out of the event in a half day. If I were really dawdling, I could probably make a full day of it. Oddly, even though there wasn't any significant news coming out of the show, I still spent two and a half days on the site and I was busy, mostly shooting video, which is time-consuming.
As do all trade and consumer shows, Sport Aviation Expo reflects the industry it promotes. And while the industry did a bit better in 2014-and I'm talking about general aviation, not just light sport-the reality is that GA is still an industry with too many high-priced products chasing too few customers. For the moment, there is no compelling evidence that all the marketing and promotional schemes we can dream up are creating substantial numbers of new customers. So I'll spare you further argument about what GA and light sport have to do to somehow magically attract droves of new buyers. Not gonna happen for now.
So let's focus on the narrow idea of pumping up this show a little bit. Despite its anemic size, I think it has potential and it's a good idea. To begin with, I don't think the show is particularly well-promoted. I don't see a lot space ads, social media campaigns or mail marketing for Expo. And even if would-be attendees know about it, they may not know enough about what's at the show to pull the trigger and actually go. Of course, it's easy for journalists to blather on about such things because we're paid to do that. We don't have to come up with the ideas or the money to support such things in a market where the uptake remains persistently weak. I see this all the time in my own business, which I know well. Subscribers often say we would have better marketing results if we sent only one renewal notice instead of the four or five we actually do send. But we know what actually works while they're just the irritated recipients of too much junk mail. Same thing with me pontificating about marketing aviation products and services.
Still, there's potential. Our outside sales person, Ivy Ericksen, had a booth at Expo and told me it was worth the effort of being there. But other vendors I spoke to didn't share the view and I think some are wondering if they'll be back next year. The traffic was so light as to be invisible at times. A cold and blustery Friday didn't help.
Ivy also told me that AOPA's regional shows-of which there are four, plus the Frederick headquarters show-have been terrific performers for her and I've heard the same from others. The reason appears to be that the regional shows are just big enough to attract regional attendees who won't bother with AirVenture or Sun 'n Fun, but will attend a more intimate show. My idea is to cut a deal with AOPA and make Sebring the site of one of the regional shows, combined with the Sport Aviation Expo and the Affordable Aircraft initiative launched this year at Sebring.
Try it for a year and see if it works. I think the facilities and infrastructure are in place to do this. I suspect it might double or triple attendance and make the show more attractive to more vendors, building the critical mass. I'd also try to work out a deal with the neighboring racetrack to give pilots who are interested an opportunity for some track time. I think the facility has open weekends during January. This is a unique draw at Sebring and it could be leveraged. I say bring everything ya got to the table.
The Sebring show has some other things going for it. It's far more intimate and friendly than Sun 'n Fun, for instance, where there seem to be ever more rules and restrictions that make covering it-at least for us-a chore. At Expo, the reverse it true. I was offered more golf cart rides by volunteers than I'd expect in a full year of covering the other major shows. Furthermore, if you want to demo an airplane, Sebring is the place to be. The flight line is a short walk and it's well-organized. They were using a taxiway for a runway so in and out was quick. The temporary tower was accommodating and friendly. Lake Jackson is nearby for seaplane demos and there were plenty of them. On Saturday morning, when I flew a couple of demos, the ramp was hopping. (Watch rule creep, however. I had to sign a waiver to fly an airplane. Must have a lawyer on the show executive board.)
Florida in winter is always a good tourist draw. Sun 'n Fun doesn't benefit from this because it's later in the season. In the decade it's been running, Sport Expo has had mixed luck on weather. Central Florida can be sunny and warm or rainy and cool, if not cold. But it's still better than New England or the Midwest. Some people don't need much of an excuse to leave winter for a week and this show could be it.
One thing Sebring has done is to put itself on the map as the go-to place for light sport aviation. In this video, I reported on the significant investmentTecnam has made in a facility at Sebring and others have done likewise or are planning to. I think that was part of the city's reason for sponsoring this show in the first place and if so, it's reason enough.
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