QUALIFICATION CRITERIA
The Sports Licensing and Tailgate Show is a trade event and is not open to the public. All attendees must be active retailers, distributors, or otherwise affiliated with the sports licensing or tailgate industry.
To gain entrance to the show, the company must be qualified by show management and may be asked to provide materials confirming their role in the sports licensing or tailgate industry. Show Management reserves the right to request additional documentation for each Company and Employee beyond what is listed below if deemed necessary.
Is your registration pending?
If you signed up but received an email from us with the subject line ‘Action Needed: Your 2025 Registration is Pending,’ your registration is not yet complete. This email contains a link that you will need to upload the required credentials (based on your registration category). If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service at 864-327-0952 between the hours of 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time or click here to send an email.
Retail & Collegiate Licensing Qualifications
Placeholder
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Retail Store (including College / School Retail Buyer) Qualifications
Types of retail stores that qualify include: Athletic Supply Store, Boutiques/Gift/Novelty Store, Camping/Outdoor Store, College Bookstore, Department Store, Mass Market/Discount Store, Online Store, Specialty Store, Sporting Goods Store, Supermarket/Convenience Store/Drug Store, Warehouse/Wholesale Clubs.
Retail Company Qualification Credentials (must provide two (2) of the following):
- Two (2) current invoices (within the last 12 months) for MULTIPLE quantities of products related to the Sports Licensing Industry
- Current business license indicating that you are a retail business
- Current store lease that states you are a retail business or photographs of inside and outside of the store, including store name signage
- Your firm’s current State/County Sales Tax Permit or a Seller’s Permit
New Businesses only
- Letter of intent from an attorney or bank on official letterhead stating that intent to start a new retail business
E-Commerce & Mail-Order Qualifications
E-Commerce Retailer ONLY
- Two (2) current invoices (within the last 12 months) for MULTIPLE quantities of products related to the Sports Licensing Industry
- Active website address through which company business can be validated
- Your work email that shows your company’s domain (NOT accepted are general emails such as info@, support@, marketing@, sales@, etc.)
Mail order companies
- Must provide a link to the printed catalog.
Distributor Qualifications
Must provide at least TWO (2) of the following:
- Business License or Registration
- Reseller Agreement or Distributor Agreement
- Tax Identification Number
- Invoice and Purchase Orders: Provide at least three (3) copies of invoices or purchase orders placed with manufacturers or suppliers.
- Catalogs or Product Lists
- Proof of Payment or Financial Transactions made to manufacturers or suppliers.
Licensing Department Qualifications
Types of companies that qualify include Colleges, Universities, High Schools, and Prep Schools (College or School Bookstores should register as “College / School Retail Buyers”).
Licensing Qualification Documents – must provide one (1) of the following:
- A link to the university licensing department website that shows your name and job title
- Business card showing the university name, your name, and job title
Independent Sales Representative Qualifications
Must provide two (2) of the following:
- List of 3 customer references
- Active website address through which company business can be validated
- Your firm’s current state/county sales tax permit or a seller permit
- Business card that includes job title
Sports Team, League, or Organization / Association Qualifications
Sports Team, League, or Organization / Association – Qualification Documents (must provide the following):
- Active website address through which company business can be validated
- Your work email that shows your company’s domain (NOT accepted are general emails such as info@, support@, marketing@, sales@, etc.)
Service Provider / Agent, Agency, Consultant Qualifications
Service Provider / Agent, Agency, Consultant – Qualification Documents (must provide the following):
- Active website address through which company business can be validated
- Your work email that shows your company’s domain (NOT accepted are general emails such as info@, support@, marketing@, sales@, etc.)
Working Media Qualifications
Types of working media companies that qualify include:
Placeholder
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Magazine/Newspaper Editorial Staff
- Publication masthead including your name and title.
- A scanned copy or link to original, bylined editorial work, showing product coverage within the sports/licensing industry from the last three months.
- Letter on assigning publication’s letterhead from assigning editor or news director with a writing assignment detailing a specific coverage assignment at the show.
Television (TV Crews, Reporters, Cameras, Photo Editors, Technicians)
- A station issued, current Press photo I.D.A business card from a major TV network reflecting your editorial role.
- A letter from the news director or assignment editor on station/network letterhead saying that you have been assigned to represent the organization in an editorial capacity at SLTS. Coverage must be done independently and not solicited by exhibiting companies.
Freelance and Contributing Writers
- A scanned or linked examples of your published, editorial work in assigning publication with bylined product coverage within the sports/licensing industry, in the last three months.
AND
- An email or scan of original letter on assigning publication’s letterhead from assigning editor or news director with a writing assignment detailing a specific coverage assignment at the show.
Photographers
- A signed letter from the news director or assignment editor on station/network letterhead stating that you have been assigned to represent the organization in an editorial capacity. Coverage must be done independently and not solicited by exhibiting companies.
Websites/Blogs
- A scanned copy or link to original, bylined editorial work showing coverage within the sports/licensing industry from the last three months.
- A scanned or snipped monthly traffic report from an external demographic tool, like Google Analytics, verifying the site or blog gets a minimum of 5,000 or more unique monthly visitors (UMVs).
The Web publication must be a previously established, independent site that is updated at least biweekly with original and industry-related news.
To maintain PCI Compliance, be sure to black out credit card numbers and any government issued ID, Sales, Tax or SSN numbers prior to sending your credentials.
If you have questions about qualification criteria or how to submit credentials, please get in touch with Customer Service.