Toronto Sportsmen Show March 14th -18th

[dsn]

Who's going to be there?

 

I know I will I'm looking forward to it. I went for the 5 days pass

 

I'm going to take advantage of it and hunt down the pros with my new digital this year!! Gotta get them in my fishing album this year!!

 

 

dsn

[bigfish1965]

I'll go if I can get a day off work!

[BFSC Kevin]

since i missed the fishing show, i'll be heading out

[salpro]

Hey Guys!! I'll be at the show! Working at the "West Wind Tugboat Adventures" booth. Come check it out! BC's finest fishing. Have a great one guys! Kepp fishing! Salpro

[dsn]

Hey Guys!! I'll be at the show! Working at the "West Wind Tugboat Adventures" booth. Come check it out! BC's finest fishing. Have a great one guys! Kepp fishing! Salpro

 

 

Kool I'll try to remember that when time comes.

 

dsn

[Victor]

i'm not really into hunting ... u guys think it's worth it to go for the fishing stuff after what i saw at the fishing show? ... or am i just going to find similar things ... still debating

[GNODDY]

I'm still debating I wasnt that impressed with the Fishing show and have a feeling that the Sportsmen show will be the same

[silveradosheriff]

Darn work getting in the way of life.

[Garyv]

We used to go every year, but for the past few have not made the trip. Unless we can get 4 to 6 going in a mini van probably won't go again this year. Figure by the time 2 of us go in my truck it will cost $40 ea for gas ( 2 1/2 to 3 hours each way ) $10 for parking, another $12 or so for admission, $10 to $20 for lunch and dinner so I would have spent at least $70 before making any purchase at the show. No savings there plus the last time we went there was so many superfluous junk booths it was ridiculous. For the $10 dollar admission. free parking and 1 hour ride the London show last weekend was good enough for me.

 

I guess I'm also lucky in that from where we live I can go to Gander Mountain in Port Huron in less then 45 Min, Bass Pro in Utica Mich in about an hour and 15 min or Cabela's in Dundee Mich in about 2 hours or less so driving longer distances to pay more doesn't turn my crank anymore.

[Hooked]

Still waiting to hear back from the boss. If all goes to plan, will be heading up there on Friday with the family. Gonna be picking up my new Diawa Teirra then too, hopefully another rod as well.

[taper]

Just in case any one is in the market. I talked to a shop today that said they will be there bringing a bunch of used 05 & 06 Yamaha 4 stroke 15 HP motors some electric start some manual. They are returns to Yamaha of Canada from some Northern fishing camp.

[SIMCOEBOB]

They can KEEP THERE SPORTMENS SHOW---the show should be called sliced and diced.I'm sick and tired of paying there parking prices and outrages admission and now you have to buy food..Is there anything left to buy something for yourself...Now you have to realize that for there vendors they pay extremely high sq foot prices --so hopefully the product can carry the costs..NOT TOO MANY DEALS THERE. The deal is if you want to by some dicers,cheeze cloth can soak up the ocean and wax that you can see your pretty face in..oh yea--deals on rent a couch.IT USE TO BE SO MUCH FUN TO GO ..and see the shows..see fishing equipment..the dogs trials. I told them years ago--don't forget your roots. hell we even use to line up to get in--not any more--I think I will hit the bass pro--listen to some of the vendors and maybe catch a deal or so. AND HEY...It's free...

at least when you do go--gas should be available and under a dollar

 

cheers simcoebob

[Fish Farmer]

I think I'd sooner go fishin . We have flea markets here in Hamilton.

[lew]

I've been going to the Sportsman Show for so many years I've lost count, but I doubt if I'll be going to anymore, at least not until we start getting our $$$$ worth again.

 

$10 to park, plust $15 to get in is getting a little bit outta hand when the quality of the show has been in a nose dive the last few years. Used to be, you could always park in Ontario Place for free and walk an extra 5 minutes, but now their even charging $5 for that.

 

Nope, I'll save my $$$$ for the Musky Odysee in April, at least there were not getting ripped off for the parking, plus we don't have to wade thru all the vendors selling T-shirts, cheap earrings, chamois or toy cars trying to find the "sporting" stuff.

 

The only good thing about the show these days is the fact that so few people go to it anymore, it's not nearly as crowded as it used to be.

[Fisherman]

Like Gary, SimcoeBob and Lew said, it's not worth the coin. It's a good thing that the larger tackle stores don't charge an entrance fee to browse. For me it would be roughly $30 fuel, $10 to park, $12 to get in, a couple cups of coffee and maybe a dusty donut, so we'll say $60 and likely feel like it's shopping on the 24th of December.

[dsn]

Like Gary, SimcoeBob and Lew said, it's not worth the coin. It's a good thing that the larger tackle stores don't charge an entrance fee to browse. For me it would be roughly $30 fuel, $10 to park, $12 to get in, a couple cups of coffee and maybe a dusty donut, so we'll say $60 and likely feel like it's shopping on the 24th of December.

 

 

Oh By the way if I'm correct its not $12 bucks to get in anymore those were the good days. Its now $15 bucks!!

 

dsn

[lloyd]

Hi,

Our group of fishermen used to go to the Sportmans's Show faithfully each year. We noticed that the prices for

everything was getting out of control.

Parking cost was too high--they want you to pay to park your car so you can spend your cash at the show!!!

Food and beverages were too expensive--they got you by the *alls and you are going to pay for it.

No savings when purchasing fishing items. its all used up in just getting to the show, have you noticed the

cost of fuel these days.

We stopped going and will use the internet to get what ever information and products we need.

 

Sportsman Show just priced itself out of reach.

Just our thoughts on the issue.

We will not return there.

Sarmoti...

[Nanook]

When we lived in Mississauga I would go every year, but even then I noticed a downward trend. Was intending to go down this year for a looksee,but I think you 've talked me out of it.Thankyou People

[Hooked]

Well, I no longer look for deals there, cuz the only deal you will get is no tax. But my son loves it there, I give $40 to him and let him buy lures....he has more plastics than I! Its an enjoyable experience for him. Thats pretty much the only reason I go. On top of that, the wife is finally gonna come along. I'll have fun cuz they'll have fun there, its all good for me. But if you're looking for deals, definately not what it use to be, no denying that. But its a good outing to get out and look around with the family. And I got the Friday off, so thats when I'll be going.

[John Bacon]

I will be there a few days working at the Metro East Anglers / Ringwood Hatchery booth. I hope a few OFNR's drop by to see the work that Metro East is doing at the hatchery.

[lilkynan]

No - done with this one - drive - park - enter - food - kids - $200

 

Cant do it anymore - $200 pays my Salmon ticket - some new spoons and A BUCH OF GAS!!!

 

Tite lines on Lake O

[DT10Sam]

Hi Everyone,

 

I can give you the perspective from the vendors point of view. As a past vendor we had to pay for the booth as soon as possible and usually by a date in December. The booth space was expensive and you were nickled and dimed for every little thing that you required. For example if you needed a phone line to run your credit card and debit machine that was a set price and extra to the booth rate. If you required chairs and tables you had to rent them from the show as well you were not allowed to bring in your own. If you required to place a banner up it had to be done by their union employees which was an extra charge, and if you required electical services again that was an extra fee and there was more. Everytime you needed something for your booth it would cost extra.

 

I was at the Show last year and I was also informed that their security would watch over our products during the night and not to worry. The next day we were short 14 pairs of Irish Setter boots and we were told that we must have made a mistake and not brought them since there was security at the show.

 

Then it came time to have product at the show all of our distributors mentioned that we needed to have all of the new and upcoming products available for the public to purchase. All in all we brought 28,000.00 worth of products to the show, made sure that our employees and prostaff were kept in a motel for the nights we were there and also fed for the hours they worked. The price of the booth was over 10,000.00. We had an expense of over 40,000.00 and we sold just over 7,000.00 for the days we were there.

 

While we were setup it became a flea market where most of the people that came to the show wanted bargains at much reduced prices so that they were successful in getting a great deal. Some of the vendors dropped prices to below cost as we did as well to match some of the prices and the public was still not pleased and would want to negotiate a lower price which was not a smart move at all. We did give alot of product away and worried as to how on earth does anyone ever make money at these shows.

 

The math in this venture is very simple to figure that we lost a large amount of money. It is not feasible to set up shop at the Sportsman Show whatsoever for any vendors at all and that is why you see a decline in the amount of vendors that show up at the show. This year there are fewer vendors as well and the only companies that benefit from it are the manufacturers.

 

Now into the equation you add Bass Pro Shop which was denied the opportunity to be at the Sportsman Show because Sylvia LeBaron of LeBaron store is on the board or extremely powerful on the Sportsman Show board and she was instrumental in keeping Bass Pro out of the Sportsman Show. So Bass Pro decides they will have their own show at the same time and their marketing campaign is extremely simple. They advertise that we do not charge admission and parking is free. What more can you ask for you save a minimum of 25.00 and you can have your wife walk the mall while you enjoy the toy shop at Bass Pro.

 

I predict that you will hear this year that the crowds at the Sportsman Show will be much less and fewer vendors were present. The only winners of the Sportsman Show is the Sportsman Show themselves where they get paid in advance from all of the vendors that take part. This is the reason why I will not be there this year or any other year, I just can't take another beating as I did last year.

 

I just thought I would let everyone know how bad the vendors have it as opposed to the people that want to attend. I just lost over 14,000.00 last year in total over the 5 days that I was there. That kind of loss in profits will mean that we will have to sell 160,000 worth of products to break even on that venture after all said and done. This may sound like an easy solution however it is not since we have to sell that much over and above our regular sales to achieve the end result. Keep in mind the amount of products you purchase at a tackle shop a lure may be 7.00 or 8.00 and the profit may be $ .35 - $ .53 for that lure, now ask for a better deal and you have what is left a long time to reach that sales figure of losses. Taking lumps in business is not an easy thing, that is why you see tackle stores going out of business it is mainly the results of some bad business sense and also having to compete with someone selling at lower rates attempting to attract more business away from the competitors.

 

I do apologize to everyone if this sounds like a rant, it is just the plain truth of bad business on my part for even entering the Sportsman Show. I did voice my opinions to the committee whenever they called after the show ended to see how we like it.

 

Best regards,

Sam

Edited March 4, 2007 by DT10Sam

[charlesn]

Wow, great insight Sam. Always wondered what it cost. Thanks.

 

Charles

[Garyv]

Sam...sounds like just plain good business sense to not be there. In years past friends that own a lodge in Elk Lake used to be at the Sportsmans show. They quit going years ago because of the cost and said just what you did. Every year they would loose more than they would make on an esclating basis so now they do a couple of smaller shows and the internet and it serves them well.

Edited March 2, 2007 by Garyv

[salpro]

Hey guys, I'm with you on the prices being nuts! But like Sam said, "being a dealer the mannies make you bring all the new products to the show" I being a fisher like to see all the new products, any edge I can get or ideas gathered make me more than I was. I would never buy products there, cheaper dealing one on one with a store. But where else can you talk with dealers and big wigs, from every angle about fishing. Be Good have fun Guys

Salpro