Arlington, VA – The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) will expand into yet another new market when it launches the Sports Tech Marketplace within the International CES, January 6-9, 2015 in Las Vegas.
CEA is partnering with the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) to showcase the newest products, services and trends in sports technology. The Sports Tech Marketplace marks the return of the SFIA to the trade show arena. The organization, formerly known as the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, organized The Super Show for 21 years before pulling the plug in 2006 in the face of flagging attendance and increased competition for specialized events. The Super Show was ranked as one of the 10 largest shows in the nation in its heyday.
The International CES is the largest annual show in the U.S. according to Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 ranking. Exhibit space at this year’s International CES this year grew 7.1% and broke the 2 million net square feet barrier.
Allocating exhibit and meeting space for developing niche markets has been a keystone of CEA’s strategy for keeping the International CES fresh and thriving. Recent CES launches include Brand Matters and Entertainment Matters which offer curated show experiences for professionals from those industries. CES recently announced a new venture, dubbed C Space, targeted to the advertising, creative and digital community, which premieres at the 2015 CES. And debuting earlier this year, the GoElectricDrive TechZone, sponsored by the Electric Drive Transportation Association, was a dynamic showcase of electric vehicles, charging stations and products and services.
Karen Chupka, CEA senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy, told TSE it was too early to project the total exhibit space that Sports Tech Marketplace was expected to cover, but said the SFIA would be marketing the show to its members. In addition, the array of sports-related products involving electronics currently on the market appeared to be significant enough to warrant its own area. “Technology is being used more and more in sports,” said Chupka. “Sensors, wearables and mobile technologies are revolutionizing sports, and CES is at the forefront of this emerging category.”
“We see technology revolutionizing the sports landscape,” said SFIA President and CEO Tom Cove. “The combining of these two storied associations to produce the conference and marketplace ensures that it will be of the highest quality.”
Reach Karen Chupka at (703) 907-7639 or kchupka@ce.org; Tom Cove at (301) 495-6321 or tcove@sfia.org
