The floor has been opened, and Skip has asked how many at the table will NOT participate in the show and over 50% raised their hands. ScubaBoard still remains neutral on the show. Apparently, the decisions have been made: the show will go on. While some input will be accepted, the main decisions have been made. A few have voiced their concerns about why they even came.
Paul is now telling us about Cross Marketing and how it will work.
Sorry Pete, but I only saw about 3 sets of hands raised when Skip asked his question.
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While there were several people whose voices were filled with obvious disdain... Here's what I heard...
The name of the show will be, "The Water Sports & Travel Festival" - To elaborate on the general points that Tom and Paul from MSE Management made are as follows:
- The dive industry can't expand unless diving is marketed to a different audience. (Ok - that makes perfect sense)
- Dive shows only attract divers - by having a watersports expo, in a watersport community (Ft Lauderdale) it throws diving in the face of thousands of attendees who are non-divers. (this also in theory makes sense to me)
- The event (also called a festival) will include a weekend full of activities and contest, music, food, demos, in water activities, etc. They are trying to build a real "happening" (also - makes sense)
MSE Management has (according to DEMA) produced 750 events. Here's their website -
Conference Management - MSE I see a few events listed, but that's neither here nor there. What I see is that DEMA recruited outside assistance in producing a consumer expo, since they're only familiar with producing their industry only trade show. (also not a bad plan)
So... It sounds like the city of Ft Lauderdale is going to promote the expo... but the rest of their marketing plan is fuzzy, and I don't think even they know what it is yet. It sounds like their plan is to recruit other trade organizations to share the burden of promotion for the expo, and cross promote the event to the masses.
As Pete said, they are expecting 50% of the exhibitors to be dive show type exhibitors, so diving will be strongly represented, but by making it a watersports expo, where Joe Consumer can look at jetskis or paddleboards too, it might actually bring in a broader audience??
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My take on the evening as a whole:
1) The show IS happening. Like it or not. So If you're a potential exhibitor, perhaps it should be considered as a place to expand your business and acquire new customers and grow the sport.
2) No LIFE SUPPORT equipment will be sold at the show. That doesn't mean life support can't be exhibited.
3) It's a watersports expo (festival), where diving will be featured, but not called the actual theme.
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While people (DEMA Members) may have a bad taste in their mouth about the fact that there IS an event and how the event came to existence, on the other hand, look... They're trying SOMETHING to expand the sport. Isn't that what everyone wants? Personally, I think it's better to get on board and support this thing, and make it fly, rather than bad mouthing it, and trying to make it crash.
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What's in this for me? Nothing. As many of you know. For me to attend a show, is the same as an exhibitor or as an attendee. I see my friends, and industry people, chat and walk around, make contacts, etc. I think by the end of the night, more people saw that there certainly is potential for a large event, and there definitely is risk involved by buying a booth at this show which is unproven. If we as business people don't take any risk, then how can we expect any reward??
